Please click the image to download the flyer. The 2014 GCDD Listening Tour, sponsored by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), is designed to interact and engage with the various communities around Georgia to hear what they have to say. The tour invites people with disabilities, advocates, caretakers, and anyone who wants to have their voice heard by our public policy team. As we go around Georgia and meet with you, we want to hear what's on your mind that can help shape our legislative advocacy.
Please join us for our next 2014 Listening Tour
When:Monday, October 13, 6 - 8 PM Where:Dalton State College Upper Level of Pope Student Center Who should attend:Folks with disabilities and all those who care about them. Why:Share what's on your mind with our public policy team & help shape our legislative advocacy. If you want to see change, we want to see you there! RSVP:404-657-2126 or unlockthewaitinglists [AT] gmail [DOT] com
The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is excited to announce the return of Take Your Legislator to Work Day!This month-long event coincides with NDEAM, which is celebrating its 70th anniversiary with the 2018 theme America's Workforce: Empowering All. The goal of Take Your Legislator To Work Day is to show the far reaching benefits to employers, employees and communities alike of hiring people with disabilities as well as to create opportunities for Georgians with disabilities to form and nurture relationships with their elected officials.
GCDD's Take Your Legislator to Work Day is an opportunity for employees with disabilities to invite their legislator(s) tovisit them at work. Any Georgian who is employed in an integrated setting and who identifies as having a disability is encouraged to apply. We believe that visiting an employee at work is the best way to show legislators that people with disabilities want to workand are as capable as anyone at working in real jobs for real wages. We also believe your elected officials will best undersand the positive impact of publically funded employment supports if they see those in action.
(Registration is NOW CLOSED)
Take Your Legislator to Work Day is open to any person with a disability that lives in Georgia and works in a community integrated setting earning at or above minimum wage.
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 early April does not allow for much dawdling.
With that in mind, it is never too early to double check who your elected officials are at Open States. Make sure to enter your entire home address, as multiple elected officials can represent the same ZIP code. You can also confirm their contact details and committee assignments at the official Georgia General Assembly website.
Remember, your elected officials cannot represent your opinions if you have never taken the time to educate them on issues of importance to you. Whether you have new folks or old folks, be sure to take some time to re-introduce yourself. Your elected officials work for you, so put them to work for your interests! A government of the people and for the people only works if the people raise their voice. We at the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) are counting on you to do just that.
For a quick recap on how a bill becomes a law in Georgia, be sure to check out Georgia Public Broadcasting’s short video on the legislative process.
2020 Session Theme: Budget, Budget, Budget
As the Georgia General Assembly’s only required task, the passage of our state’s balanced budget is always a highlight of each year’s session. However, this year is sure to be one for the books as Governor Kemp, in early August, directed state agencies to propose massively impactful, 6 percent cuts to their fiscal year 2021 budget. To put that into perspective, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) alone was tasked with finding areas to cut, totaling approximately $56 million. Agencies submitted proposals in September, which provided us all with a preview of what to monitor during the upcoming session.
Although many of the cuts come from state agencies’ administrative and operational budgets, there are service areas that will likely be impacted. For example, DBHDD has proposed cutting approximately $1 million from each of the following developmental disability service areas: Marcus Autism Center, family support services and assistive technology and research.
Also impacted by the governor’s directive will be DBHDD’s yearly proposal for new Medicaid NOW/COMP waiver slots. Typically, DBHDD requests additional funds for approximately 125 new waivers each year. In addition, they request funds to annualize approximately 250 waivers from the previous fiscal year. For the upcoming fiscal year, DBHDD only requested to annualize 125 waivers, and they are not requesting funds for any new NOW/COMP waivers. Given the waitlist of over 6,000 people in Georgia for NOW/COMP waivers, GCDD is very concerned by this change.
Finally, although GCDD receives primarily federal funding to continue the great work being done around the state, GCDD does receive state funding for our fantastic IPSE programs. GCDD is particularly concerned that the 6 percent budget cut will mean that IPSE funding is scheduled for a $50,000 cut for fiscal year 2021!
It is important to note that the changes are only proposed changes as of now, and cuts could be reorganized as the session progresses. Due to the possibility of additional cuts to services we care about, GCDD will be relying on your strong advocacy skills throughout session. Following Governor Kemp’s State of the State address in mid-January, the Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget will officially release Kemp’s budget recommendations. While ultimately the House of Representatives and the Senate decide what is included in the budget, the governor’s recommendations usually serve as guiding light. Be on the lookout for many updates on the budget, including what you can do about the proposed changes. We will also be including budget updates in our public policy calls and newsletter.
GCDD’s 2020 Public Policy Direction: Disability in ALL Policy!
The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities is governed by a 27-member board, appointed by the governor and comprised of at least 60 percent individuals with developmental disabilities and family members. Other members include policymakers that represent various agencies and organizations having a vested interested in persons with developmental disabilities.
Each year, the council comes together in the fall to formulate a legislative agenda to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities. This year our council approved changes to our public policy department, which will allow GCDD to engage with legislators to ensure people with developmental disabilities are considered in ALL policy. Our 2020 legislative priorities are as follows:
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
We are committed to advancing sound policies that improve the overall health (physical, mental, emotional and sexual) of people with developmental disabilities and their loved ones. The following topics will be highlighted in our health and wellness policy initiative:
We will always include eliminating the waiting list for NOW and COMP waivers in our policy initiatives until the waitlist in Georgia is ZERO. These waivers allow individuals with developmental disabilities who qualify for an institutional level of care to receive the supports they need to live healthy lives in the community. As of August 2019, 6,048 Georgians with developmental disabilities were on the waiting list for a NOW or COMP waiver. Our advocacy around this very important issue remains as crucial as ever.
The Shortage of DSPs: Workforce Crisis We believe that a competent, well-trained and caring workforce of direct support professionals (DSPs) is essential to the health and wellbeing of individuals with disabilities who utilize home and community-based services. We support strategies to address this crisis so people with disabilities can have the care they need.
We support the Nobles family and Representative Williams in their efforts to ensure that people with developmental disabilities are not denied an organ transplant simply because of their disability status.
EDUCATION
Inclusive education policies, starting with early childcare settings and continuing through postsecondary education, are necessary to assist Georgians with developmental disabilities in reaching their full potential. Currently, our education focus includes:
IPSE Programs
We believe that all students, regardless of ability, should have access to postsecondary education programs in the state of Georgia. Inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs provide students with intellectual and developmental disabilities access to education not otherwise available. Currently there are nine IPSE programs in Georgia serving approximately 139 students. They are Kennesaw State University’s Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth, University of Georgia’s Destination Dawgs, Georgia Institute of Technology’s EXCEL, Georgia State University’s IDEAL, Columbus State University’s GOALS, East Georgia State College’s CHOICE, Georgia Southern’s Eagle Academy, Albany Technical College’s LEAP and the University of West Georgia’s Project WOLVES.
GCDD is committed to the growth and support of IPSE programs because we recognize their value in preparing students to live increasingly independent lives within their communities.
GCDD works to address the targeted disparity of African American and other minority students who are disproportionately identified in special education. They often end up in the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) system or expelled from school, which leads to a higher probability of incarceration. We support policy initiatives aimed at reducing the number of students being placed in the school-to-prison pipeline and look forward to the recommendations of the Senate Study Committee on Educational Development of African American Children in Georgia.
GCDD supports Georgia’s vision for a public system that funds employment supports first. We will work to advance policies that improve competitive, integrated employment options for Georgians with developmental disabilities. Some policy proposals include:
Phasing out 14(c) certificates that currently allow people with disabilities to be paid subminimum wage
Increasing the budgets of DBHDD and the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) to assist the organizations in increasing the hourly rate of Georgia’s supported employment services
Reallocating funds from day habilitation program rates, which continue to be well above the national average, to supported employment rates, which continue to be well below the national average
TRANSPORTATION
Reliable transportation options are critical to ensure people with developmental disabilities are truly included in all aspects of their communities. GCDD supports policies that improve current transportation options, including House Bill 511 (HB 511), which aims to create a state agency focused on transit. HB 511 also includes a committee whose purpose is to ensure vulnerable populations, including people with low income, people with disabilities and people who are aging, have access to appropriate transit options. We believe this legislation will improve transportation for people with disabilities, particularly in the rural parts of our state.
HOUSING
GCDD supports policy solutions that provide the infrastructure and funding necessary to address the shortage of accessible, affordable housing options for people with developmental disabilities.
We believe Georgia’s budget highlights our state’s priorities, and GCDD strives to educate lawmakers on the importance on maintaining/increasing budget line items that impact Georgians with developmental disabilities. As described in our budget highlight, we believe it will be critical during 2020’s session to be vigilant of any changes to budget line items that might impact the supports and services on which people with developmental disabilities and their families rely. We will strive to keep each one of you updated on changes, and we know that you all will be ready to advocate when the time comes!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q How do I find out when legislative committees are meeting?
A If you know the bill number, you can track it by visiting the official Georgia General Assembly website. Or you can read GCDD’s Public Policy for the People e-newsletter and participate in our public policy calls.
Q How can I help my school-aged child learn about the legislative process?
A Consider signing them up to be a page. Pages deliver messages to the senators and representatives when they are meeting in the legislative chambers. It is such an important job that there is even a Georgia law, O.C.G.A. §20-2-692, that states “children who serve as pages of the General Assembly during the school year, either at regular or special sessions, shall be credited as present by the school in which enrolled in the same manner as an educational field trip, and such participation as a page shall not be counted as an absence, either excused or unexcused.” To learn more about becoming a page, visit the Senate page program site and the House page program site.
People with disabilities in the Gainesville area expressed a desire for better quality services and support at a meeting Thursday with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities. The meeting was one of several statewide stops on the council's "listening tour" leading up to the 2015 General Assembly. Council leaders asked questions and provided information for a small group gathered at the Lanier Charter Career Academy.
"We are an independent state agency and our mission is, in the informal way I always say it, we're trying to kick the can or move the ball further for folks with disabilities and their families," said D'Arcy Robb, GCDD public policy director. Robb said she typically poses questions to the public at the listening tour meetings to stimulate discussion.
Her first question asked, "What's working in this community for people with disabilities and their families?"
Dr. Irma Alvarado, Brenau University professor and co-owner of Essential Therapy Services Inc. in Cumming, said she thinks what works for people with disabilities in Gainesville is "variable." "It depends on what you know, what's in your community," Alvarado said. "... There are some people out there looking for opportunities, but they have to look."
The second question Robb posed asked what the audience believes is not working.
Jennifer Allison, clinical instructor at Brenau University, said most people don't know what services are available locally. Others expressed concerns over the quality of services, educational opportunities, transportation to and from services and job opportunities.
"The thing we hear a lot of is jobs," Robb said. "People with disabilities want to work real jobs in the community and they just aren't getting the support they need to do that." Robb said she often hears people express a general desire to change the way the community views people with disabilities.
"One thing we hear a lot is essentially changing the culture," Robb said. "Not looking at people with a disability as first and foremost that disability.... So just being more supportive and embracing as a society, seeing people as a whole package for who they are and not just stigmatizing them for this disability or that diagnosis."
Robb said the most important part of the meeting is listening to the public. She said not only does it help give the council an idea of what Georgians with disabilities are looking for, but it lets people know they are being heard. "People have said that they appreciate, No. 1, being listened to, and us coming out in person," Robb said. "I think people appreciate that opportunity to have a community forum and have a voice."
Dawn Alford, advocate and GCDD policy development specialist, encouraged local residents to join the council's advocacy network at www.gcdd.org. "Our team focuses on advocacy, trying to push the system's change," Alford said. "In order to do that, we need the help of grass-roots advocates, people in their communities reaching out to their own legislators."
By Kristen Oliver koliver [AT] gainesvilletimes [DOT] com
The original article appeared in The Gainesville Times on September 5, 2014.
The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities will stop in Gainesville today to hear from people living with disabilities.
Representatives including D'Arcy Robb, the council's public policy director, and Dawn Alford, policy development specialist, at 6 p.m. will be at Lanier Charter Career Academy on Tumbling Creek Road to hear from people with disabilities regarding the 2015 legislative agenda for the council.
Council leaders hope to hear concerns, ideas and opinions from the public, according to a news release. The stop is one of several on a statewide tour leading to the 2015 General Assembly, which begins in January.
Approximately 20 percent of Americans have a disability due to birth, injury or longevity, according to the news release. The council is a federally funded, independent state agency that promotes and creates opportunities for people with disabilities through public policy initiatives, public awareness and advocacy programs.
Sometimes, when you go to college, you get lucky enough to find a new set of friends, people who will almost certainly be your friends for the rest of your life. That is definitely true of “The Fam Squad.” They hit it off the first week they met. Now, they hang out when they’re not in class, often going to lunch, the library, and the student center together.
When Les McBride, De’onte Brown and Mandel Montilus started attending the IDEAL program at Georgia State University, they knew immediately they felt lucky not only to be in school, but most especially to have found each other. IDEAL, Inclusive Digital Expression and Literacy, is a new inclusive two-year program at GSU that accepted their first students with intellectual disabilities in Fall 2016.
Students enroll in or audit courses offered by GSU colleges and academic departments; complete work-study and intern-ship experiences related to media, communications and/or the arts; and participate in a variety of extracurricular activities on campus.
The young men of “The Fam Squad” are three of the five students currently enrolled in IDEAL. Spenser Norris, a trained special education teacher and clinical rehabilitation counselor, is the University Inclusion Coordinator. She says they are hoping to grow the program to ten students in Fall 2018, as well as establish a dual enrollment program with DeKalb County. Much like other inclusive postsecondary education programs, they rely on the support of peer mentors who have similar interests and career goals as the program participants. Peer mentors are recruited from the Honors College and other parts of the University and volunteer 5-10 hours a week to assist with going to class, study skills and finding social opportunities.
Les, De’onte and Mandel are all studying in different programs that loosely relate under the theme of creative and new media.Les, De’onte, and Mandel are all studying in different programs that loosely relate under the theme of creative and new media. Les would like to become a music producer in the recording industry. Mandel hopes to be a game designer. De’onte is a film student with a penchant for horror.
Aspiring filmmaker De’onte, 22, has an intellectual disability and developmental delay. He remembers the first time he fell in love with films. He was watching something one day and just started wondering about how much time it had taken them to make all the parts of it. It made him curious about the process. His favorite scary movie is Happy Death Day. “These types of movies just make me feel more alive,” he says.
De’onte has a twin brother who is in the Army, currently serving in Poland. They video chat weekly, but he really misses him because it’s been more than a year since they’ve seen each other in person. For his final project, De’onte wants to make a documentary about the IDEAL program.
Mandel, the game designer, is a 23-year-old man with autism spectrum disorder and speech and language disorder. Mandel’s peer mentors, Teymbi and Kat, help him stay focused on his game designs and ideas. His original inspiration for gaming was Pokémon. He shows us a version of a Pokéball he’s doodled on his hand. You can find some games he’s working on at an experimental website called Twinery.org. He says the thing he likes most about games is being the champion.
Les, the music producer, is 19. He has mild intellectual disability and specific learning disorder. Growing up with the music of T.I., Li’l Wayne and other Atlanta-based hip-hop artists, his favorite song is “I’m Still Here” by T.I. He thinks it has a great motivational message to follow. No matter what circumstances you come from or what’s happened to you, you’ve got to keep doing your work and keep going. Les has lost important people in his life like his grandparents, and he’s an only child. Sometimes he’s felt isolated, but he feels it’s important to stay positive. He wants to put out work through his music that encourages people to stop violence.
Each member of The Fam Squad talks us through the process of applying to be in the IDEAL program. They said that it took a lot of paperwork and an interview at the IDEAL office. They all remember the interview vividly, how they had to speak about their dreams and aspirations. For each of them, the day they found out they’d gotten into the program was also a day they’ll never forget. “It was the best day of my life!” is a sentiment echoed by each of them.
None of these young men currently have Medicaid waivers, and they have no plans to apply at this time. This underscores why support for a program of this nature is important, as the need for NOW/COMP waivers is diminished for IPSE (inclusive post secondary education) alumni as many are gainfully employed, receiving employee benefits, and are therefore less dependent on state resources. Another IDEAL student has stated many times that “Without IDEAL, he would be sitting at home bored and feeling like he is missing out.”
The Fam Squad show off the robot, Pepper, who can dance and will ask for a selfie at Creative Media Industries Institute.
Often young adults with intellectual disabilities find themselves isolated when they do not belong to a community of peers, often feeling misunderstood, or eventually feeling like it is not worth the effort to make friends or try new things. Like many young people who may feel isolated, this phenomenon can lead to depression, anxiety, or people existing in unhealthy relationship with others to fulfill a need for belonging.
As a part of their program, they’ve had an opportunity to participate in advocacy, going to the State Capitol to speak to legislators about the IDEAL program. If we brought an elected official in to be a part of the conversation we were having, they would want them to know how excellent their program is so they could have more students “join the college life, to see what all the fuss is about!”
Les says, “There’s a lot of kids that need help and want to do better, and do better things.” He talks about people who have disabilities wanting to change, as well as school shootings and how much fear there is. When we ask everyone what they want people in general to know, De’onte says “I want them to know that they can be anything they want to be.”
With that, the guys take us on a tour of the Creative Media Industries Institute. They show us the robot, Pepper, who can dance and will ask you if you want to take a selfie with her. At the end of our time, they led us back to the IDEAL office, which has a common area with posters, pictures and quotes from retreats and meetings they’ve had together in the past. As we say goodbye, the group is ready to try the hot dog place that’s just opened up around the corner. It is Friday after all.
This story is a part of the GCDD Storytelling Project. It was written by Shannon M. Turner and photographed by Lynsey Weatherspoon. Read the extended story on www.gcdd.org.
To read more in Making a Difference magazine, see below:
Include College is the newest campaign launched by the Georgia Inclusive Postsecondary Education Consortium (GAIPSEC) to bring attention to nine inclusive college programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) across Georgia.
Currently, the following universities, colleges and technical colleges have inclusive programs in Georgia: University of Georgia, Columbus State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, East Georgia State College, Albany Technical College, University of West Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology and Kennesaw State University.
Project WOLVES at University of West Georgia is the newest inclusive college program in Georgia
There are 140 students enrolled in the nine programs, but plans are to grow exponentially. “The goal of this campaign is for parents, students, family members and educators to include college in a student’s transition planning as an option after high school,” said Susanna Miller-Raines, statewide coordinator for GAIPSEC.
Include College is a clearing house that allows parents, students and other stakeholders to receive complete information on the college programs and steps to include in planning for life after high school. This includes understanding all of the colleges’ different offerings, how to plan for college options throughout the student’s K-12 career and various agencies and organizations that can support parents through the process.
Georgia’s college programs are inclusive in campus life and academic offerings, and they also prepare students with job training and independent living skills. Students with disabilities who attend inclusive college programs have a higher chance to receive job opportunities in competitive, integrated employment. In Georgia, 75% of the 2017 graduates are now employed.
With a grant from the US Department of Education, the programs originated in 2010, and GAIPSEC aims to build the capacity to serve 100 new students per year across Georgia.
The campaign is supported by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) with support to its Five Year Plan goal of education. Specifically, GCDD aims to expand the number of successful inclusive post-secondary educational programs in Georgia to 13 by 2022.
About GAIPSEC: Georgia Inclusive Postsecondary Education Consortium is dedicated to ensuring that every Georgia student has access to learning after high school, regardless of intellectual or developmental disability. The Consortium is made up of colleges and universities, community support agencies, families and K-12 educators. Together, its mission ensures that every Georgia student with an intellectual or developmental disability has the opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
With only 11 more legislative days to go, we are fast approaching the end of the 2019 Legislative Session here in Georgia. Indeed, the gavel will fall for the last time on April 2.
With that in mind, we need your help to make a splash in the coming week ahead. As you might recall, the House passed their version of the budget for FY 2020. While the House kept the Governor's recommendation for 125 new NOW and COMP waivers, they unfortunately did not add any additional waivers. With approximately 6,000 Georgians on the waiting list for a NOW or COMP waiver, we know 125 is simply not sufficient. Additionally, the House did not add any additional funding for Inclusive Post-Secondary Education.
What does this mean? It means that we need to shift our advocacy to the Senate Appropriation's Committee, specifically the Human Development and Public Health Subcommittee. We need your help to contact the following Senators:
When you contact them, please educate them on the importance of:
Supporting the Governor’s recommendation for 125 NOW & COMP waivers, and adding an additional $17.8 million to DBHDD’s FY20 budget to fund 525 more NOW & COMP waivers.
For Inclusive Post-Secondary Education, increasing legislative funding from the existing $500,000 to $1,000,000 in total within the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities Budget.
In other news, the movement for the in-state cultivation of Low THC Oil has found a home in HB 324, otherwise known as Georgia's Hope Act. It is important to note that the bill does not expand who can legally use Low THC Oil, rather it only allows for the production, cultivation, and dispensing of oil to previously approved individuals. HB 324 has passed the House. The related bill, HB 213, allows for the farming of hemp and has also passed the House. Both bills now are in the hands of the state Senate.
As for the rights of parents that are visually impaired, a bill that would help protect their rights, has passed the House. Known as HB 79, this bill is the culmination of efforts by the National Federation of the Blind, Georgia Affiliate.
Moving right along to voting, the House passed HB 316 last week, which would replace Georgia's current voting machines with a hybrid touchscreen-paper system. Sponsored by Representative Barry Fleming, the the bill was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Ethics and now must wait to be scheduled for a chamber vote in the Senate. During public testimony, proponents of hand marked ballots testified to their concerns over an electronic system's ability to be validated. Some in favor of HB 316 spoke of the need for an electronic system to accommodate voters with disabilities. On a related note, SB 22,an attempt by Senator Donzella James to increase the privacy of individuals that vote absentee through mail by limiting identifying information on the mailing envelops did not make it past Crossover Day.
Next up is Georgia's Hate Crime Legislation, HB 426, which passed on Crossover Day. Sponsored by Representative Chuck Efstration, HB 426 increases penalties for anyone that commits a crime on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability. Some of you might remember that Georgia's previous Hate Crime Law was ruled unconstitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court in 2004 due to being too vague. The bill now sits in the Senate.
Finally, we want to thank all of the advocates who braved the unpleasant weather to attend GCDD's 5 Advocacy Days this year. We truly could not have done it without you!
Don't forget, the House and Senate have a fairly comprehensive video recording system. It is easy to stream committee meetings, floor sessions, or even watch a recording of a past meeting.
Substitute Bill:This is an alternative version of a bill, meaning that changes have occurred within the bill since it was first introduced. While sometimes the changes are minor, they can also be very substantial. For instance, the original bill language might be replaced by entirely new language. The bill's author does not have to approve the changes. Such tactics allow a legislator whose bill did not make Crossover Day to still become law.
A Medicaid Update: A Guest Post
by Laura Colbert, Executive Director of Georgians for a Healthy Future
For the first time in Georgia, there is widespread and bipartisan agreement among Georgia’s Governor and legislative leaders about the pressing need to provide health insurance to more Georgians. To address Georgia’s rising uninsured rate, Governor Brian Kemp has put forth a bill, SB 106, that would allow the state to submit two kinds of health care waivers:
A Medicaid 1115 waiver that could be used to extend coverage to more low-income Georgians, among other reforms; and
A 1332 State Innovation waiver that would make changes to Georgia’s private health insurance marketplace.
(Waivers allow a state to set aside or “waive” certain requirements imposed by the federal government and try new models of providing health coverage and care. Of note, this is different than a NOW, COMP, ICWP, CCSP, or SOURCE Waiver.)
While the goal to extend affordable, quality coverage to more Georgians is admirable, the proposed legislation currently falls short by limiting the number of people who would benefit, increasing the likely costs to the state, and leaving to door open to an erosion of critical consumer protections.
SB 106 limits a future 1115 Medicaid waiver to cover only adults making up to 100% of the federal poverty line (FPL) ($12,490 for an individual and $21,330 for a family of three per year). While this would cover more Georgians than are currently eligible for Medicaid, that cut-off leaves out an estimated 200,000 uninsured Georgia adults making just more than poverty-level wages (up to 138% FPL, $17,296 for an individual and $29,435 for a family of three).
The Affordable Care Act envisioned that these citizens living close to the poverty line, would be covered by Medicaid and the law provides states with an incentive in which states pay only 10% of the costs of the newly-eligible adults and the federal government picks up the rest. If Georgia’s leaders approve SB 106 in its current form and leave out the people close to the poverty line, our state will miss out on the ACA’s “enhanced match rate” and will likely end up paying more money to cover far fewer people.
The second part of SB 106 allows Georgia to submit a 1332 State Innovation waiver, an option created by the ACA to allow states to test different approaches for providing primarily private health insurance to their residents. At the same time, the law established “guardrails,” which set specific parameters to protect citizens. Unfortunately, these guardrails (protections) have been greatly weakened in recent months leaving consumers at risk.[i]
So far, all eight states with approved 1332 waivers have carried out plans that benefit consumers—and Georgia could too. However, the broad language in SB 106 allows for proposals that could also create sizeable and risky changes that put Georgians at risk for harm. For example, Georgia might allow citizens to use their subsidies to purchase junk insurance plans. This would likely draw healthy consumers out of the ACA Marketplace to cheaper, low quality plans and thereby send insurance premiums into an upward spiral for consumers with pre-existing conditions in need of comprehensive coverage.
Georgia’s legislators could narrow the scope of an allowable 1332 waiver by specifying that the waiver must be used for a specific beneficial reason, like establishing a reinsurance system to lower insurance premiums, or by laying out a set of principles that the waiver must meet to ensure Georgia consumers are fully protected.
Georgia’s leaders have taken an encouraging step forward by putting forth a proposal that aims to increase access to care and address affordability concerns for Georgia families. A few small, meaningful changes to the bill would assure a path to affordable, quality health coverage for all Georgians.
It has been a real whirlwind under the Gold Dome since we spoke last. The long awaited Adoption Bill passed through the Senate, which means everyone can focus on other things.
HB 831, Georgia's Employment First Act, was dropped this past week by Representative Terry Rogers. This bill would create an Employment First Georgia Council for the purpose of "advising the Governor, General Assembly, and state agencies on the adoption and integration of an employment first policy that recognizes that competitive integrated employment, including self-employment, is the first and preferred outcome of all state funded services provided to working age individuals with disabilities." GCDD is proud to support this bill and we urge you to contact your State Representative and ask them to support HB 831. Currently it has been assigned to the House Industry and Labor Committee.
The House passed the Amended Fiscal Year 18 Budget, sending it off the Senate for debate. The House was then able to move on to the Fiscal Year 19 Budget. Last week, the House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee held public comment, where committee members had a chance to hear from advocates on the waiting list for NOW and COMP Waivers. The testimony given was powerful and a great reminder of the importance of sharing your story.
SB 118, sponsored by Senator Renee Unterman, which raises the age limit to age 12 for coverage of autism services under private insurance policies, passed the Senate last Wednesday. It now moves on to the House of Representatives for debate.
Since our last newsletter, GCDD held one advocacy day on Employment. Our next advocacy day is this Wednesday where we will be speaking about Medicaid. We hope you will register and share with your legislator why you love Medicaid. GCDD was also excited about the Independent Living Day at the Capitol last week, as well as CO-AGE's Senior Week. Both had excellent turnouts and we were thrilled - it is always important to remind legislators about the voice of Georgians with disabilities.
The GA General Assembly has released their tentative calendarfor the the rest of session.
Adjourn: It ends the business of the day for the House and Senate. Committee meetings happen, but neither the entire House nor the entire Senate meet all together after adjournment.
Caucus: A group of legislators who share common ideas within the Georgia General Assembly.
Around Town with UNLOCK!
Welcome back policy advocates! We wanted to give you a few story telling tips.
Keep it short. Remember, you will only have about 2 to 3 minutes to tell your story when working the ropes. Some people call this an “elevator speech.”
Practice with a friend.
Learn the issue and why it matters to you or people you care about.
If the policy has helped, share the success story. If the policy has harmed you or someone you know, explain what happened and how your legislator can make it better.
Sharing your story can be scary at first, but it gets easier with practice! If you would like more help telling your story, please join us at the next GCDD Advocacy Day on Wednesday, February 14 to learn how it goes at the Capitol.
Also, if you have not already, please join the UNLOCK! Coalition, a partnership of powerful policy advocates and agencies, by clicking the link below to complete your membership. We hope to see you at the Gold Dome on February 14!
Some Bills to Watch:
HB 288: (Kirby) Creates penalties for using fake service animals, penalties for harming a service animal, and would allow the Department of Human Services to "authorize private service organizations... to create and issue information cards containing the department's seal" that explain the rights and penalties associated with service animals.
HB 482: (Trammel) Educational Scholarship Act - Allows parents to use the money the state would have spent on their child's public school education to pay for private school education.
HB 635: (Cooper) The Disabled Adults and Elder Persons Protection Act - creates an at-risk adult protective investigative/coordination team in each judicial circuit in Georgia to coordinate investigations of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of people with disabilities or the elderly.
HB 645: (Peake) To legalize possession of low THC oil and cultivation of cannabis for the production of low THC oil in the state of Georgia under certain conditions/medical conditions.
HB 668:(Price) Allows guardianship proceedings to begin when someone is 17 years old.
HB 740: (Nix) Requires local school systems to conduct certain screenings before a student, in pre-K through third grade, can be expelled or suspended for more than five days. If a student has an IEP or Section 504 plan, the school will hold an IEP or Section 504 meting to review the supports currently being provided as part of their IEP or Section 504 Plan.
HB 768: (Hilton) Changes the rules around intellectual disability and capital crimes.
HB 759: (Turner) Relaxes regulations for the GA Special Needs Scholarship, to allow the children of active duty military service members stationed in GA within the previous year, or children that have previously qualified, be exempt from the requirement to have attended a public school in Georgia the prior year.
HB 776: (Douglas) The Authorized Electronic Monitoring in Long-term Care Facilities Act allows for the placement and use of electronic monitoring devices by the resident of a long term care facility (such as a any skilled nursing facility, intermediate care home, assisted living community, or personal care home) within their personal room.
HB 801: (Hilton) Allows the GA Special Needs Scholarship to cover services, therapies, and other materials, as opposed to only tuition.
HB 803: (Willard) Prohibits the trafficking of an adult with a disability.
HB 844: (Houston) Revises provisions of the GA Commission on Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons, specifically around membership of commission, as well as creates a multi-agency task force to provide recommendations for improvements to the GA General Assembly and the Governor.
HB 891: (Gilliard) States that the Department of Human Services, the courts, or a child placing agency cannot deny someone child placement, child custody, visitation, guardianship, or adoption solely or primarily because the individual is blind.
SB 322: (James) Requires non-electric personal assistive mobility devices to have front and rear reflectors when used on highways or sidewalks, as well as all electric and nonelectric personal assistive devices sold after December 31, 2018 to have reflectors.
SB 357: (Burke) Creates the Health Coordination and Innovation Council of the State of Georgia, a recommendation of the Lt. Governor Cagle's Health Care Reform Task Force.
SB 406: (Strickland) The Georgia Long-term Care Background Check Program establishes minimum standards for conducting criminal background checks of owners, applicants for employment, and direct access employees at facilities such as a personal care home, assistive living community, private home care provider, home health agency, provider of hospice care, nursing home, skilled nursing facility, intermediate care home, or adult day care facility.
SB 408: (Jackson) Allows for individuals with autism to request a psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor, special education instructor, clinical social worker, or any other mental or behavioral health professional be present at an interview by a local law enforcement officer.
SR 467: (Unterman) Creates a Senate Study Committee on Service Animals for Physically or Mentally Impaired Persons
SR 593: (Seay) A RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to establish a policy whereby public facilities shall be required to provide adult changing stations.
SR 506: (Dugan) A RESOLUTION creating the Senate Study Committee on the Excessive and Duplicative Regulatory Oversight of Community Based Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Services.
SR 593: (Seay) A RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to establish a policy whereby public facilities shall be required to provide adult changing stations.
Volume 4, Issue 6•2018 Legislative Session• March 12, 2018
Call to Action:Please call your State Senator and tell them why HB 831 is good for Georgians with developmental disabilities. Tell them we want a clean bill with no changes or amendments.
Keep Up-To-Date
Catch our weekly phone call, every Monday during session at 9:30 am. Dial in at 1-888-355-1249, Code: 232357
Only 7 legislative days to go. With Sine Die (end date) falling on March 29, we really are in the homestretch.
As happens every year, Crossover Day serves as a filter, keeping out many bills and only letting a few through. Of course, some times bills that do not make Crossover Day end up as amendments to other bills that did, but by and large, if a bill does not make Crossover Day, then it is dead.
While not a complete listing of all bills that made Crossover Day, we do want to highlight a few below:
HB 831, Georgia's Employment First Act, passed the House of Representatives in the afternoon of Crossover Day. It was then assigned to the Economic Development and Tourism Committee in the Senate. A hearing was held Tuesday, March 6th and was voted out of committee at that time. We hope the bill will come up for a floor vote later this week. If you have not done so already, please call your State Senator and tell them that HB 831 is good for Georgians with developmental disabilities and will enable the system to better understand how to support employment for all.
SB 406, Georgia's Long-term Care Background Check Program, an initiative of the Georgia Council on Aging, made it through Crossover Day and was then assigned to the House Human Relations & Aging Committee. A hearing was held on March 8th and was voted out of committee at that time. It now waits in the Rules Committee where it must be voted out before it can go up for a vote in the House of Representatives. If you have not already called your State Representative and told them why background checks are important for your ability to rely on long-term care workers, please do so. GCDD is excited about this bill because it is a step in the right direction of GCDD's focus on creating and Elder & Disabled Abuser Registry in Georgia.
Shifting now to the budget, the House and Senate have agreed upon an Amended Fiscal Year 18 Budget. Governor Nathan Deal signed the budget into law this past Friday. A few highlights from the AFY18 budget:
$220,000 for the Albany Advocacy Resource Center (DBHDD)
Approximately $3.52 million increase in funds, and the re-utilization of $300,072 in existing funds for services and supports for youth with autism (DBHDD, DCH, DPH)
$2.7 million for additional Behavioral Health Crisis facility beds (DBHDD)
$1 million for the electronic visit verification system for home and community-based services (DCH)
$750,000 increase to fund the analysis of the Medicaid delivery system for the purposes of identifying efficiencies and service delivery improvement opportunities (DCH)
$96,196 increase for the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund (DPH)
The House of Representatives passed their version of the Fiscal Year 19 Budget. It is now on to the Senate. A few budget highlights:
$3.1 million to fund 125 NOW/COMP Waivers (DBHDD).
$6 million annualized for 250 NOW/COMP waivers added in the FY 18 Budget (DBHDD).
$3 million to fund one new Behavioral Health Crisis Center (DBHDD).
$5.7 million increase in mental health services in the community to comply with the DOJ Settlement Agreement (DBHDD).
$7.44 million in new funding, as well as the utilization of $316,819 in existing funding, for services for youth with autism (DBHDD, DPH, DCH).
$894,519 to provide funds for an electronic visit verification system for home and community-based services (DCH). Utilize $962,022 in existing funds to support increased background checks for owners and employees of long-term care facilities (DCH).
$226,725 to provide funds to increase the reimbursement rates for Adult Day Health Centers (DCH).
$735,961 increase in Preschool Disabilities Services, “funds for enrollment growth and training and experience” (DOE).
$200,000 in funding for a state hub geographically located to provide outreach and services to support independent living for citizens with disabilities in southwest Georgia (GVRA).
$14,000 to provide funding for an agricultural careers summer camp for youth with disabilities (GCDD).
$1.4 million increase in funds to make the Suicide Prevention Hotline & mobile app 24/7 (DBHDD).
$551,858 increase in funds for the OT and PT rates in the Babies Can't Wait Program (DPH).
Upcoming Meetings:
HR 1257, sponsored by Representative Petrea, is currently scheduled for a hearing in the House Special Rules Committee this Tuesday, March 13 at 9:00 AM in Room 506 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, located at 18 Capitol Square SW, Atlanta, GA 30334. This bill would create the House Study Committee on the Workforce Shortage and Crisis in Home and Community Based Settings. Be sure to double check the time or room has not changed here. If you are planning to come down, please email Hanna at hanna [DOT] rosenfeld [AT] gcdd [DOT] ga [DOT] gov to receive any updates.
Conference Committee: When the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill, they come together to work out their differences.
Code: All of Georgia's government statutes gathered in one place.
Around Town with UNLOCK!
Welcome back policy advocates! We hope you have continued to enjoy the tips shared in UNLOCK! articles. You may have noticed we are building on our advocacy strategies so we can better understand the legislative process in Georgia. So far we have shared OpenStates.org so you can look up your state legislators, we gave tips on how to contact and share your story with your legislator, and how to meet with your legislator. Today we want to try and simplify how a bill becomes a law. For a more detailed approach, click here.
Did you know you can work with your legislator to introduce a bill? Yep! That is exactly how HB343, to replace the “R” word, started. An advocate, like you and me, went to their House Representative with information on what other states had done to get that offensive word out of state policy. The advocate's Representative helped write the bill and get support from other representatives. Then it was:
Introduced in the House
Approved in a House Committee
Approved in the House Rules Committee
Passed a floor vote in the House
Then followed the same path in the Senate:
It was read on the Senate floor
Approved in a Senate Committee
Approved in the Senate Rules Committee
Passed a floor vote in the Senate
Ultimately, the bill became a law on May 8th, 2017 when it was signed by the Governor. All this because an advocate – just like you and me – wanted to make a real change in Georgia.
The UNLOCK! Coalition is here to help with your policy advocacy. Join us in supporting policy that will unlock communities across Georgia for people with disabilities.
HB 635: (Cooper) The Disabled Adults and Elder Persons Protection Act - creates an at-risk adult protective investigative/coordination team in each judicial circuit in Georgia to coordinate investigations of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of people with disabilities or the elderly. (Senate Health & Human Services Committee)
HB 668: (Price) Allows guardianship proceedings to begin when someone is 17 years old. (Senate Rules Committee)
HB 740: (Nix) Requires local school systems to conduct certain screenings before a student, in pre-K through third grade, can be expelled or suspended for more than five days. If a student has an IEP or Section 504 plan, the school will hold an IEP or Section 504 meting to review the supports currently being provided as part of their IEP or Section 504 Plan. (Senate Education & Youth Committee)
HB 759: (Turner) Relaxes regulations for the GA Special Needs Scholarship, to allow the children of active duty military service members stationed in GA within the previous year, or children that have previously qualified, be exempt from the requirement to have attended a public school in Georgia the prior year. (Senate Education & Youth Committee)
HB 803: (Willard) Prohibits the trafficking of an adult with a disability. (Senate Health & Human Services Committee)
HB 844: (Houston) Revises provisions of the GA Commission on Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons, specifically around membership of commission, as well as creates a multi-agency task force to provide recommendations for improvements to the GA General Assembly and the Governor. (Senate Health & Human Services Committee)
HB 853: (Dempsey) Quality Basic Education Act; children placed in psychiatric residential treatment facilities may not be charged tuition (Senate Education & Youth Committee)
SB 118: (Unterman) Raises the age limit to age 12 for coverage of autism services under private insurance policies. (House Insurance Committee)
SB 357: (Burke) Creates the Health Coordination and Innovation Council of the State of Georgia, a recommendation of the Lt. Governor Cagle's Health Care Reform Task Force. (House Health & Human Services Committee)
SR 467: (Unterman) Creates a Senate Study Committee on Service Animals for Physically or Mentally Impaired Persons (Senate Rules)
SR 593: (Seay) A RESOLUTION urging the United States Congress to establish a policy whereby public facilities shall be required to provide adult changing stations. (Senate Rules)
SR 506: (Dugan) A RESOLUTION creating the Senate Study Committee on the Excessive and Duplicative Regulatory Oversight of Community Based Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Services. (Senate Rules)
Please click the image to download the flyer.
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 early April does not allow for much dawdling. 
Substitute Bill:This is an alternative version of a bill, meaning that changes have occurred within the bill since it was first introduced. While sometimes the changes are minor, they can also be very substantial. For instance, the original bill language might be replaced by entirely new language. The bill's author does not have to approve the changes. Such tactics allow a legislator whose bill did not make Crossover Day to still become law.