As the State’s leader in advancing public policy on behalf of people with developmental disabilities (DD), the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) provides links to information on various topics of interest to the DD community to help you stay informed.
Read below to review information about current and past policy issues. See also our Public Policy Priorities section for more information.
Current Policy Issues
Georgians who qualify for a NOW or COMP waiver have very significant impacts of their developmental disability. NOW and COMP waivers provide critical services that allow those Georgians and their families to live and thrive in their communities. Without waiver services, it is common for people and families to struggle with daily life and even go into crisis, requiring emergency out of home care. But people often remain on a waiting list for years before receiving a waiver.
For more information, read Georgia’s NOW/COMP Waiver Waitlist: The Time is Now.
Ending 14c (House Bill 1125) would end the outdated practice that allows employers at community rehabilitation programs to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage.
A fact sheet about the importance and impact of ending subminimum wages will be available soon.
In 2024, a bipartisan proposal was made to create a new commission focused on Georgians with I/DD. Championed by Senator Sally Harrell, this proposal would create the Georgians with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Innovation Commission. The goal of the I/DD Commission is to develop new solutions for ending the NOW/COMP waitlist, employment, housing, and other important issues for the disability community so that adults with I/DD can live, work, and thrive in our communities. GCDD will continue to advocate for the passage of this legislation to create an I/DD Commission.
A fact sheet will be available soon with details about the importance of establishing the I/DD Commission.
Read GCDD’s Five-Year Strategic Plan which is based on public input. It provides our goals and objectives to determine what GCDD will work on to build a more inclusive, integrated state for people with developmental disabilities. Read the plan: Five Year Strategic Plan (2022-2026)