GCDD Blog

2020 Legislative Preview – Getting Ready to Advocate

2020 Legislative Preview – Getting Ready to Advocate
Starting on Monday, January 13, 2020, the Georgia General Assembly will begin its race towards the finish line. The Georgia Constitution only grants the assembly 40 days to complete all its work. While the days do not have to be continuous, the assembly’s traditional deadline of late March or...

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Kayla's Corner - Welcome to My Blog!

Kayla's Corner - Welcome to My Blog!
My name is Kayla Rodriguez and I’m a 23-year-old autistic self-advocate. I am Vice President and Chief Ambassador of Autistic Self-Advocacy Atlanta, an affiliate group of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network. I have trained under the Bobby Dodd Institute Ambassador Program, the GaLEND (Georgia...

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Kayla's Corner - It's Time to Advocate!

Kayla's Corner - It's Time to Advocate!
Happy New Year everyone! With a new year comes a new shift in schedule for me. Soon, I will be spending more time at the Capitol and in legislative meetings when the legislative session begins. The legislative session is a 40-day non-consecutive work period where senators and representatives...

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Proposed Georgia Medicaid Changes Explained

We have been hearing so much about Georgia’s new health plans recently released by Governor Kemp. As advocates, it is important to always make sure our voices are heard, whether we are in favor of or against a particular policy. We also know that Medicaid can be a confusing topic because there...

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Register to become a Team Lead!

Register to become a Team Lead!
Due to overwhelming interest and maximum capacity, the registration for Team Leads is now closed. Thank you to everyone who showed interest to be a Team Lead. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is seeking Team Leads for its 2020 Advocacy Days. Geared at preparing...

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GCDD's Telling our Stories: Believing in What is Possible

GCDD's Telling our Stories: Believing in What is Possible
by Shannon Turner, Photographer Lynsey Weatherspoon Michael Griggs is a 34-year-old man living in Jonesboro, Georgia. When Michael was three months old, he came down with a very bad cold. It led to meningitis. After three months in the hospital, Michael came home, seemingly healthy again....

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GCDD's Telling our Stories: Callie's Path

GCDD's Telling our Stories: Callie's Path
by Shannon Turner, Photographer Lynsey Weatherspoon Callie Moore, a 22-year-old woman with seizure disorder and cerebral palsy is on a new journey toward independent living. She’s learning how to be independent of her mother, Pam, and is looking at getting an apartment in nearby Athens. It’s...

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GCDD IMPACT: Project SEARCH Provides Path to Employment

GCDD IMPACT: Project SEARCH Provides Path to Employment
by H. M. Cauley While the issues facing people with developmental disabilities are many, a few key areas have the most impact on the quality of life. Five of those specific areas – education, employment, formal and informal supports, real communities and self-advocacy – comprise the cornerstone...

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