GCDD, Author at GCDD Making a Difference Magazine

How COVID-19 Affected People with Disabilities and Direct Support Professionals

Erin Rachel Vinoski Thomas, PhD, MPH, Director of Health and Wellness at Georgia State University’s Center for Leadership in Disability, sat down with Making A Difference to share the findings of her research on how COVID-19 affected people with disabilities

GCDD Receives Five Year Strategic Plan Feedback from Disability Community

The Five Year Strategic Plan determines how the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) will allocate funding to create systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members through advocacy and capacity building activities. During the months of August

What to Know at The Polls

There’s a lot of information out there. Here’s how to make sure you’re prepared to make your vote count. Cheri Mitchell is a member of the HAVA (Help America Vote Act) Team at the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO). Here are

Picture of signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act

ADA 30: Celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act

Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) Legislative Advocacy Director Charlie Miller interviewed Mark Johnson, renowned disability advocate and former director of advocacy at the Shepherd Center, on what it was like to advocate for the Americans with Disabilities Act, what

Light blue banner with a photo on the right with graduation caps in the background and the shape of the State of Georgia on top. The words "Around the State" are in the corner.

Congratulations, Graduates!

It’s graduation season! Across the state, young people graduated from high school and college throughout Georgia earlier this spring and last fall. Making a Difference magazine wanted to celebrate this milestone of the graduates across the nine inclusive post-secondary education

Education. Employment. Formal/Informal Supports. Real Communities. Self-advocacy.

Council Kicks Off Five Year Strategic Planning Process

Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) will kick off planning for its next Five Year Strategic Plan that will lay the framework for the Council’s work from 2022-2026. The Five Year Strategic Plan determines how the Council will allocate funding to

GCDD Hosts Record- Breaking Advocacy Days

Over 650 disability advocates registered to attend the 2020 GCDD Advocacy Days at the Georgia State Capitol – making it the biggest series the DD Council has hosted since inception of the initiative. Hosted by the Georgia Council on Developmental

Telling Our Stories

GCDD’s Storytelling Project paints a picture of the complex systems of support that enable people with developmental disabilities to live their best lives. Spanning Georgia’s 56 state senate districts, these stories feature at least one individual who resides in each

Caucasian man holding a younger caucasian girl in his arms.

Communicating with People First

People First Language (PFL) is a way of communicating that reflects knowledge and respect for people with disabilities by choosing words that recognize the person first and foremost as the primary reference and not his or her disability Geared towards

Photo of Charlie Miller in a green banner.

Meet Charlie Miller, GCDD’s New Legislative Advocacy Director

As the legislative advocacy director, Charlie Miller leads the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) in its community engagement and advocacy efforts in the state legislature. He also works alongside Georgians with disabilities and other stakeholders to build coalitions around