“Georgia commits to improving the quality of community services for people with I/DD, particularly for people with complex needs.” The United States v. Georgia case has now entered a new phase. The State has committed to taking additional steps to improve its community system for people with...

When Governor Nathan Deal asked me to lead the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) nearly four years ago, it was difficult to fully conceptualize what the next few years would bring. One week, I was the CEO of an organization that delivered behavioral health...

While the country is closely watching the presidential election, it is equally important to pay attention to the other big election – the congressional election. This year, a total of 469 seats in the US Congress – 34 Senate seats and all 435 House seats – are up for election on November 8,...

First passed in 1968, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion and national origin. In 1988, however, the act changed to include discrimination against people because of a disability. The accessibility design and construction requirements that came...

The future of hundreds of Georgians with intellectual and developmental disabilities who reside in state facilities grew just a bit clearer in June when the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the State cobbled out an extension to solve a struggle that’s been ongoing since 2010. The most recent...

Traveling with a disability has come a long way. Awareness of the needs of the disability community has risen tremendously and there are a growing number of travel agencies specializing in disability services. Easter Seals of America estimates approximately 50 million Americans have...

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) welcomed Sumaya Karimi as its new Real Communities organizing director earlier this spring. Karimi, however, is no stranger to Real Communities and the work being done by GCDD across the State.“I got involved with GCDD when Real...

On May 3, 2016, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, making financial security for people with disabilities a reality in the State of Georgia.The law became effective on July 1, 2016, and will create the Georgia ABLE Program Corporation. The...