2017 annual report

2017 ANNUAL REPORT

The mission of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities. For a message from GCDD Executive Director Eric Jacobson, click on the video.
In 2017, we worked with our partners, Council members, advocates and community to continue achieving inclusive and integrated communities in Georgia. Here are some highlights of the year, and if you want to learn more, click on the links provided in each section for a more detailed look at how GCDD's work impacts the lives of people with developmental disabilities:

Campaign to #SaveMedicaid

GCDD launched the No Cuts! No Caps! campaign in June 2017 to bring attention to the changes to Medicaid proposed by the House and Senate plans to replace the Affordable Care Act. The campaign successfully blocked the vote on the replacement plan and won the Community Impact Award from Georgians for a Healthy Future in September. Read more about the Campaign here.

116 31 PRESS

OUTLETS COVERED

MILLION REACHED

SAVE MEDICAID!

1 in 5 Georgians depend on Medicaid.

NO CUTS! NO CAPS!
FOR GEORGIA

ADVOCACY DAYS at the
State Capitol
Advocates with developmental disabilities from around the state came to speak with policymakers about the issues that impact them at GCDD Advocacy Days during the 2017 legislative session. Read more here.

Topics Covered Included: DD Waivers Day Inclusive Post-Secondary
Education (IPSE) Day Employment Day Enable Work & Families Day Home & Community Day

ANNUAL

Take Your Legislator to Work Day (TYLTWD)
GCDD kicked off its second annual TYLTWD to commemorate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. and raise awareness about the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities. GCDD believes that employment and successful careers should be the expected and preferred outcomes of all publicly funded services for individuals with disabilities. Read more about their visits with GA legislators here.

Disability Community Remembers
Dottie Adams

Hundreds of advocates and community members gathered on May 6, 2017 at Centenary United Methodist Church in Macon, GA to celebrate the life of GCDD's dear friend and teacher, Dottie Adams.
The ever dedicated Dottie served as GCDD's Individual and Family Supports Director, where she worked hard to make local communities inclusive and integrated for people with developmental disabilities. She is missed daily and deeply. Read more about her work for Georgia's disability community here.

1ST FACEBOOK LIVE Healthcare Forum
GCDD held its first Facebook Livestream at July's Council meeting in Macon this statewide public forum discussed the future of healthcare, the ongoing proposed federal changes to Medicaid and its impact on people with disabilities as part of its Campaign to Save Medicaid. Guest speaker Ron Wakefield, Director, DBHDD Division of Developmental Disabilities shared his vision for services for people with developmental disabilities. View videos here.

HOLA!

Published Spanish & Audio Versions

Launched Digital Look & Outreach
Check it out online.

GA STABLE Savings Plan
The passage of the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act in Georgia has long been a legislative priority for GCDD. The launch of the Georgia STABLE program in June 2017 was the culmination of this fight to allow Georgians with disabilities and their families to create tax-deferred savings accounts without giving up critically needed Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Read more about STABLE accounts here.
$14,000 Amount per year people with disabilities can now save and invest

GCDD created a new digital e-newsletter that is published quarterly between Making a Difference Magazines to reach out with more timely news to selfadvocates, community leaders, parents and other stakeholders to keep them informed about all of the things happening around Georgia for the disability community. Read the latest issue here.

The Disability Vote Feel the Power!

18.6 MILLION
VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES
WOULD BE THE LARGEST MINORITY VOTING BLOCK IN US

GCDD worked to get out the vote for the November 2016 Presidential Election through their campaign to promote the power of the number of potential voters with disabilities. Read more about the election here.

Project SEARCH

Sites Grow in

18

Georgia
Project SEARCH is a business-led, high

school-to-work

transition program,

serving students

with developmental

disabilities with the goal

of integrated employment.

IPSE* PROGRAMS

8

Albany Technical College LEAP (Albany) Columbus State University GOALS (Columbus) East Georgia State College CHOICE (Swainsboro) Georgia Institute of Technology EXCEL (Atlanta) Georgia Southern University EAGLE (Statesboro) Georgia State University IDEAL (Atlanta) Kennesaw State University Academy for Inclusive
Learning (Kennesaw) University of Georgia Destination Dawgs (Athens)

* Inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) programs provide students with intellectual disabilities a college experience. Read more about IPSE in Georgia here.

Real Communities
PARTNERSHIPS

Al Tamyoz Community Building/Basmat Ahmed Centenary United Methodist Church D.A.S.H. for LaGrange, Inc. Forsyth Farmers' Market Georgians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty Peacebuilders Camp at Koinonia Farms

Real Communities Partnerships is a thoughtful, action learning approach that equips community members to work together toward common goals to improve their community. Purposefully involving people with and without developmental disabilities in collaborative projects is pivotal to the framework. Read more here.

$3.14 Million

Real Education

Amount per year GCDD spends to support people with developmental disabilities in Georgia

$445,623
Self-Advocacy $216,579

Real Council $649,723

Publicly Funded System
$433,852
Public Awareness $428,571

GCDD BUDGET
2017

Real Communities
$642,393

Real Employment

Period covered Oct 1, 2016 - Sep 30, 2017

$324,428

Thanks to our over 50 Council Members, Partners and Staff
who continue to serve as advocates for all persons with developmental disabilities by increasing opportunities for independence, inclusion, integration, productivity and self-
determination. View our current Council here.
www.gcdd.org

GCDD 2017 Annual Report GCDD Office of Public Information 2 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 26-246, Atlanta, GA 30303-3142 404.657.2126 info@gcdd.org