2018

ANNUAL REPORT

Message from the Executive Director: 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 more information on how GCDD is implementing these real changes in communities across Georgia, view pages 3 and 4 of this pdf.

For a message from GCDD Executive Director Eric Jacobson, click on the video above.

GCDD Interactive Impact Map
For the 2018 Annual Report, GCDD created a colorful interactive map that allows you to click on the many projects, trainings, partnerships and more to see how the lives of people with developmental disabilities are being changed all over the state of Georgia. Follow the links below to see either version.
View the pdf version of the map View the interactive map online

Real Communities Partnerships equip local communities to work together to improve their community using person-centered supports, community-centered connections and reflective learning, involving people with and without developmental disabilities.
Read more about our Real Communities Partnerships below:
Al-Tamyoz Community Building Group, DeKalb Co. Centenary UMC, Macon ConnectAbility Meet Your Neighbor, Dahlonega Forsyth Farmers' Market, Savannah Peacebuilder Comp at Koinonia Farm
(Participants come from all over GA)

ADVOCACY DAYS at the
State Capitol
#ILoveMedicaid Campaign
GCDD launched the #ILoveMedicaid campaign in February 2018 during Advocacy Days. The campaign educated lawmakers about Medicaid supports and how they help people with disabilities to attend school, go to work, receive assistive technology, live in the home of their own choosing and more. Advocates were asked to share #ILoveMedicaid on social media to promote awareness. Read more about the Campaign.

During the 2018 legislative session, advocates with developmental disabilities came from across Georgia to meet and speak with their local lawmakers about issues that impact them. The five days covered DD Waivers, Medicaid, Employment, Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) and UNLOCK! Coalition. Read more about Advocacy Days.

DD Action Month Celebrated
To celebrate DD Awareness Month in March 2018, GCDD launched DD Action Month to create awareness about developmental disabilities, teach the importance of inclusion, share stories of individuals with disabilities. Advocacy action items were posted to elevate the voice of the disability community. Read more about DD Action Month.
Employment First Becomes Law
GCDD attended the signing of the Employment First Act on May 9, 2018 which officially made Georgia an Employment First state and created a 14-member Employment First Council. The Georgia Employment First Act (House Bill 831) is bi-partisan, common-sense legislation that establishes employment as the first and preferred option for all people who want to work, regardless of their disability. Read more about the signing of the Employment First Act.
MAD Gets a Makeover
You asked, we answered! In response to our communications survey last year, GCDD added more public policy information, local and statewide feature stories, What's Happening in Washington? Federal policy section and more sections highlighting advocacy and community events across Georgia. Read the latest issue here.

$3.09
Million
Amount per year GCDD spends to support people
with developmental disabilities in Georgia
Period covered Oct 1, 2017 - Sep 30, 2018

Employment Services $267,428

Education $232,123

Real Communities
$669,153

Self-Advocacy $265,579
Public Information $437,328

GCDD BUDGET
2018

Council Administration
$617,223

Publicly Funded System $565,352

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 selfdetermination. View our current Council here.
Click here to download a pdf of the GCDD 2018 Annual Report.

GCDD 2018 Annual Report GCDD Office of Public Information 2 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 26-246
Atlanta, GA 30303-3142 404.657.2126 info@gcdd.org
www.gcdd.org

Clarke Bibb

IMPACT 2018
View the online interactive GCDD
Impact map.
Evans

In 2018, GCDD continued to impact the State of Georgia in ways that benefit

everyone. Initiatives

included everything from advocacy trainings to community building to

educational programs.

This map reflects the sites that hosted these initiatives, which GCDD supported through targeted funding

and strategic collaboration. The key to the map and descriptions of activities can be found on the next page.

KEY TO IMPACT MAP

Advancing Employment TA Center & Providers
The Technical Assistance Center (TA) and its provider organizations are entities that promote employment for individuals with developmental disabilities. (4)
Advocacy - Forum Sites
The 2018 Public Forum welcomed members of the community to share their thoughts and concerns. The 2018 Candidate Forum on Disability Issues featured candidates for Insurance Commissioner, School Superintendent and Secretary of State.
Children's Freedom Initiative (CFI)
The CFI coalition hosted educational events to inform Georgians about resources available for children to remain at home or in their communities.
Conference Support Fund Locations
GCDD funded various conferences, meetings and/ or workshops for education, training, policymaking and advocacy in the developmental disability community. (8 conferences funded)
Expanding Self-Advocacy Partnership
GCDD-funded Sangha Unity Network (SUN) hosted training events to empower self-advocates with developmental disabilities. (7 trainings)
Georgia Voices for Medicaid Partnership
Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF) hosted trainings to educate individuals with and without disabilities about the importance of Medicaid and becoming involved in Medicaid-related advocacy. (6 trainings)
Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Partnership
Nine inclusive post-secondary education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are supported by GCDD and GAIPSEC (Georgia Inclusive Postsecondary Education Consortium).
Leadership Launchpad Training Sites
Star Choices, Inc. hosted programs to provide opportunities for leadership development for frontline supervisors and Direct Support Professionals. (2)
Learning Opportunities Support Fund Locations
These include counties where individuals with disabilities and their families live who received GCDD's financial support to attend events focused on advocacy, learning, etc. (12 locations)

Project SEARCH Sites
Businesses participated in high school-to- work transition programs where students with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities experienced competitive, integrated employment. (18 sites)
Real Communities Partnership Sites
GCDD's Real Communities partnerships are local groups working to improve their communities using person-centered supports, community-centered connections and involving people with and without developmental disabilities. (6)
School-to-Prison Pipeline Partnership
Gwinnett SToPP and the Interfaith Children's Movement hosted educational and training events related to the school-to-prison pipeline crisis that disproportionately impacts children with disabilities. (3 events)
Social Justice Dialogues
Periodic gatherings served to plan and develop processes and strategies to create safe spaces for productive dialogue where marginalized individuals' existence and gifts are valued. (3 gatherings at 2 locations)
Storytelling Collection Partnership
GCDD's Storytelling Project is an effort to collect stories representing the experience of individuals living with developmental disabilities across Georgia. (64 stories collected)
Supported Decision Making Partnership
The Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) seeks to lay the foundation for widespread adoption of Supported DecisionMaking as an alternative to Guardianship in Georgia.
TYLTWD Visit Sites
Businesses participated in GCDD's Take Your Legislator to Work Day (TYLTWD), an initiative to show the benefits of hiring Georgians with disabilities and create opportunities to form and nurture relationships with their elected officials. (17 visits)
UNLOCK! Legislative Trainings
The GCDD-funded UNLOCK! coalition hosted advocacy and training events to encourage Georgia to reduce spending on institutional care and increase spending on home and community-based supports. (3 events)
View the online interactive GCDD
Impact map.