Public Policy for The People: GCDD’s Vision for Georgia’s Disability Community in the 2024 Legislative Session

Hello! My name is Charlotte Densmore. I joined the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) as the Public Policy Director in August 2023. My involvement in disability advocacy originated from my work as a mentor with the EXCEL (Expanding Career,
Graphic with the title New report suggests racial disparities for communities of color.

New Report Suggests Racial Disparities for Communities of Color in Obtaining Services for Georgia’s Waiver Waitlists

Families of adults with developmental disabilities (DD) often find themselves as primary caregivers because they do not want the relative to be institutionalized and alternative options are not always readily available. Individuals with DD who have been referred to a

How Policy and Advocacy is Changing Employment for People with Developmental Disabilities

When Georgia legislator Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, heard from a constituent that there were residents making as little as 22 cents an hour, she had to do a double take.

“It seems like that is something out of the 1800s when we didn’t have child labor laws and they had children working for six cents an hour. It’s just antiquated,” she said.

Cooper gathered her team to research the issue and discovered that low wages for people with disabilities isn’t just a common practice, it’s part of federal law.

Saving the Direct Support Professional: The Heartbeat of The I/DD Community

“The world will be missing out if we don’t do what is necessary. And we clearly have shown that what is necessary are these Direct Support Professionals,” remarked Pam Walley, executive director of Georgia Options. “We’re going to miss out on the contributions of a lot of really talented, wonderful, giving, creative, amazing people,” she added.

Public Policy for the People: A Recap of Georgia’s 2023 Legislative Session

Following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and a strenuous election year, Georgia’s 2023 legislative session was full of profound strides forward as well as unforeseen setbacks for the intellectual disability and developmental disability (ID/DD) community.

Judy Heumann’s Legacy Lives On

On March 4, 2023, the disability rights movement lost one of its pioneers when Judy Heumann passed away suddenly at the age of 75. Her international fight for rights for people with disabilities spanned her entire life and began at the age of five when she was denied the right to attend school as administration considered her a fire hazard.

The Next Generation of Advocacy

One of the most effective ways to transcend ideas of equity and justice is through the teachings of those who came before us. A movement is only as strong as the lived experience of its advocates and allies. In the world of disability rights, history has laid a solid foundation, but young people are the key to continued progress.