My name is Martha, and I have a pretty amazing job. I am the first young woman with Down syndrome to work at the Georgia State Capitol. Yes, you read that right. The first. And honestly? That is not just a fact. It is a gift. So what do I actually do all day? Well, for starters, I deliver donuts. To the Governor. To the Lieutenant Governor. I mean, come on. Who gets to do that?! I also help get the House and Senate readers ready, pick up the bills, and even take photographs of the Senate floor for the paperwork crew. Every single task feels like a privilege. I used to attend Advocacy Days w…

D'Arcy Robb, GCDD Executive DirectorEverything, everywhere, all at once.  I have never seen the movie before, but that’s how I have been feeling.  Winter is typically our busiest season at the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). Public policy is a big part of our work, and during Georgia’s 40-day legislative session this year, we are all in and all over the Gold Dome. I love it, and I am so proud of our community’s advocacy work and accomplishments, but it is an intense time.  And this year, the federal landscape is unprecedented. Under President Trump and…

Happy Fall! The season of cool breezes, cozy sweaters, and pumpkin spice lattes is here. I’m excited to introduce myself as the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities’ (GCDD) new Chief Program Officer. In this role, I’ll be working closely with the GCDD staff and council members to guide the agency’s work and help shape our next five-year plan. The five-year plan is our roadmap. It lays out what the council members want to see happen with and for Georgians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) over the next five years. Every project GCDD does is reflective of this p…

Pop quiz! How many NOW/COMP waivers does Georgia *urgently* need? a. Between 50 and 500 b. We don’t know c. 1,217 The answer is C. The state urgently needs 1,217 new NOW/COMP waivers. How do we know? Because we have the data. During 2025, GCDD staff and Council members were part of a group that worked closely with staff from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). Part of that work was about DBHDD’s future plans. Those future plans are to: Create a new tool to determine who qualifies for a waiver. Split the waiting list into three groups. Create…

Please join me in welcoming GCDD’s two newest employees: Cathy Harmon-Christian as our Public Policy Director and Rena Harris as our Chief Program Officer. By the time you read this, they will have been on the job for a couple of weeks, settling in, setting priorities and, I’m sure, already making a difference with their expertise. I participated in the selection processes that brought Cathy and Rena into GCDD’s employment. The pool of candidates for both positions was competitive, and I’m excited our top choices accepted our offers. I know Cathy and Rena will be great additions to the…

My Time Serving as a Council Member for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities Hi, my name is Dorothy Harris, and I am from Fitzgerald, Georgia. I have served as a Council Member for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) off and on since 2015. I’m rolling off again now, and I’ll be honest, it feels emotional. This council has been a big part of my life. I came back to serve again on purpose. I knew there was more work to do, and I wanted to be part of it. Being a Council Member has been very educational for me. I’ve learned a lot and had the chance to meet and…

What if in 2026, we forget about resolutions? Instead, what if we embrace this year as one full of possibilities? Hear me out. A resolution sounds so ... limited. And likely to fail. Plus, why is there pressure to pick just one? I don’t know about you, but in my work and personal life, I want to accomplish more than one thing this year! So, what if instead of declaring a single resolution, we explore possibilities all year long instead? Lots of people get a gym membership for their resolution around this time of year. But if I’m not using my gym membership, maybe I need to try hiking, or li…

“Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.” Those are the famous words of Tevye, the main character in Fiddler on the Roof. Without giving any spoilers, I can tell you the story is about a loving family living in very uncertain times. Tevye and his family are trying to honor traditions, support their community and keep a sense of humor at a time of great change. At the end of the year when it feels like the world has been moving at the speed of light, we at GCDD feel like it’s a wonderful time to honor our own traditions and embrace our joy. This is NOT t…

Rena Harris, GCDD Chief Program OfficerFor the past two and a half years, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has had the privilege of working alongside leaders across Georgia’s intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community as part of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) I/DD Workgroup. Together, we set out to confront three of the most critical challenges in our system: the provider workforce crisis, people stranded in emergency rooms and hospitals, and the long and growing waiting list for the NOW and COMP wai…

I just returned home from the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee hearing, where I spoke about my support for Senate Bill 55, known as the Dignity and Pay Act. Excitingly, the committee unanimously voted to move the bill forward. If, or even better when, the Georgia General Assembly votes to approve, this law would end the use of 14(c) certificates in Georgia. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has invested significant time and energy to ensure Georgians who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) receive fair compensation for their work, something long…

For the past 12 years, I’ve been proud to serve as a council member for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). Looking back now, I realize just how much I have grown, and how much the council has grown too. I want to share a little bit about what it meant to me. When I first joined, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just knew I wanted to stand up for myself and others like me. I have a developmental disability, and I wanted my voice to be heard. The council gave me that chance. We did not just sit in meetings. We got out in the community. I traveled with the council, went…

There is a bridge my daughter crawled across as a baby. It is a playground bridge. Back then, I wanted her to play like a big kid. So I would help her crawl across. Now as I am writing this, she is walking across it in a few steps. She is a tween enjoying the summer days. This year I especially need these sweet, warm evenings. They bring me peace.  No matter how you feel about this presidential administration, there is no denying that they are moving fast to change American society. Here at the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), much of our attention this year has be…

Nandi Isaac, GCDD Council MemberI’ve been speaking up for people with disabilities for a long time. Before I joined the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), I was already going to meetings and helping out. I was an ambassador for the Special Olympics, and that’s where I found what I love to do – help others. My mom was an advocate too, and I’ve followed in her footsteps. I’ve been on the Council for over 10 years and I’ve done a lot I’m proud of. I’ve worked on better transportation, helped parents get support, and encouraged people with disabilities to start their own busin…

I always look forward to Spring – crisp morning air, blooming flowers, warmer-but-not-yet-hot weather, opportunities to renew and refresh, and the hope and plans that come when seasons change. For GCDD, we are moving forward with purpose to approve our next five-year strategic plan that will carry us from 2027 to 2031. We completed the information-gathering phase, which included focus groups, town hall meetings and surveys across the state, heard your thoughts about where our work is needed most, and developed a plan that is responsive to the most pressing needs. We recently released the pla…