Para la mayoría de los niños, el verano es una de las épocas más maravillosas del año. Y una cosa que lo hace bastante impresionante es el campamento de verano. Hubo un tiempo en que los niños y adultos jóvenes con discapacidades de desarrollo (DD, por sus siglas en inglés) no tenían acceso a las mismas actividades de verano que muchos otros. Sin embargo, están surgiendo más programas para brindar a todos experiencias agradables mientras agregan las habilidades para la vida de la confianza en sí mismos, el liderazgo y la formación del carácter. En Estados Unidos, los campamentos de verano ...

Muchos georgianos asocian el Consejo de Georgia sobre Discapacidades de Desarrollo (GCDD, por sus siglas en inglés) con servir o trabajar solo con la comunidad de discapacitados en el área metropolitana de Atlanta. Para asegurarse de que las personas con discapacidades de desarrollo (DD, por sus siglas en inglés) y sus familias se reúnan con el Consejo y sepan que sirve a todo el estado de Georgia, GCDD está lanzando su recorrido virtual por carretera y su campaña, "¡G es para Georgia!" Esta nueva campaña destacará a la comunidad DD y el trabajo de GCDD en todo el estado de Georgia de un...

El estado de Georgia inició su sesión legislativa en enero, y el Consejo de Georgia sobre Discapacidades de Desarrollo (GCDD, por sus siglas en inglés) estuvo al frente y al centro para abogar por la comunidad de personas con discapacidades en todo el estado. Durante la sesión, GCDD organizó sus Días de Defensa anuales en el Capitolio del Estado de Georgia. Los Días de Defensa son una oportunidad para que GCDD, los autodefensores y la comunidad de discapacidades de desarrollo (DD) de todo Georgia se reúnan, eduquen e informen a los legisladores sobre temas que son importantes para la c...

The State of Georgia kicked off its legislative session in January, and the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) was front and center to advocate for the disability community across the state. During the session, GCDD hosted its annual Advocacy Days at the Georgia State Capitol. Advocacy Days is an opportunity for GCDD, self-advocates, and the developmental disabilities (DD) community across Georgia to meet, educate, and inform legislators about issues that are important to Georgia’s disability community. This year, there were three days of advocacy at the Capitol...

Georgia Legislator, Sharon CooperWhen 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. As a provision of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New ...

Heumann’s advocacy spirit was ignited by her parents, who fought for her access to quality education. That spirit became her advocacy voice as she gained awareness of the greater disabled experience alongside other young adults with disabilities while spending summers at Camp Jened. The 2020 Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp features Camp Jened campers, Heumann and other campers who she would work alongside as disability rights activists throughout her life.  Heumann spoke out against discrimination and exclusion when she was once again deemed a fire hazard when she appl...

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 nursing home or other institutional level of care, may be eligible for home and community-based services (HCBS) through Georgia’s Medicaid program that would allow them to live at home. According to literature provided by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), “Home and Community Services A Guide to Medicaid Waiver ...

With approximately 25% of the representatives being new legislators during this session, a significant portion of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) public policy work focused on making new relationships and educating new legislators on the need for policy change that promotes opportunities for Georgians with developmental disabilities to live, learn, work, play, and worship in their communities. As seen in previous legislative sessions, GCDD’s Advocacy Days was an integral program allowing individuals from the ID/DD community throughout Georgia to use their voices t...

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, Education, and Leadership Opportunities) program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. It almost seems serendipitous that I can now combine my personal and academic experiences in my work at GCDD. The upcoming legislative session provides a unique opportunity to advance inclusivity, empower communities, and foster independence for in...

  Georgia Options Executive Director, Pamela Walley, and daughter, Callie, pose for a selfie“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. Walley’s work at Georgia Options helps support people with disabilities in their homes and in the community. But, just like other disability support or...

For most kids, summer is one of the most wonderful times of the year. And one thing that makes it pretty awesome is summer camp. There was a time when children and young adults with developmental disabilities (DD) didn’t have access to the same summertime activities as many others. However, more programs are emerging to give everyone enjoyable experiences while adding the life skills of self-confidence, leadership, and character building. In the U.S., summer camps are a $3.5 billion industry, with about 26 million school-aged kids (about a third of the population) attending for at least a ...

“Believe me,” said Javier Cremer, a second-year student at Georgia Tech University’s Excel program, “if I hadn’t become an advocate with a disability, I couldn’t find my true self right now.” Cremer is amongst the few that are a part of the upcoming generation of disability advocates, following on the backs of giants like Justin Dart, Judy Heumann, and Georgia’s own Lois Curtis. Among many other advocates, Dart and Heumann led the fight for landmark legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).   President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities A...

Las familias de adultos con discapacidades de desarrollo (DD, por sus siglas en inglés) a menudo se encuentran como cuidadores primarios porque no quieren que el familiar sea institucionalizado y las opciones alternativas no siempre están disponibles. Las personas con DD que han sido referidas a un hogar de ancianos u otro nivel de atención institucional, pueden ser elegibles para servicios basados en el hogar y la comunidad (HCBS, por sus siglas en inglés) a través del programa Medicaid de Georgia que les permitiría vivir en casa. De acuerdo con la literatura proporcionada por el Departam...