Living My Best Life: How the NOW/COMP Medicaid Waivers Support My Quality of Life

Many self-advocates across Georgia use the New Options Waiver Program (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP) to support their hopes and dreams for a meaningful life. Self-advocates rely on waiver services for many reasons, including support in their employment, homes, and daily living activities. Self-advocates also use the NOW/COMP waivers to get support from service providers while directing their own services. With this support, self-advocates typically either live in their own homes, with their family members, or with other support people. Overall, getting a waiver helps individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) live quality lives within their communities. 

The following self-advocates share why having a waiver is important to them.

Sheila from Riverdale, GA

“The waiver service for me is giving me independence and staffing, but it’s also been a little hard for me but now I’m doing better. I would love to work part time just to have a little extra income.”

Tamika from Macon, GA

“My waiver has helped to give me a sense of independence and a place to belong in my community. It is important to have a waiver because it helps the people [with disabilities] to have a voice on how they get the services they need to help them belong and be a part of their community and living as independently as possible.” 

Whitney Granville from Macon, GA

“The waiver is important to me because it helps me to be a better person and I can help others.”

Martez from Collins, GA

“My waiver has helped me better my life. I have made new friends and have better social skills. With support, I have also improved my reading, spelling, and math that will help me reach my goals in life.”

Fonda from Dawson, GA

“Waiver services help strengthen my bonds in my community. I am able to create strong and supportive relationships in my community and I am respected. Services help me increase my community participation in the way I want to participate.”

Kristian from Dawson, GA

“Waiver services help me with my leadership roles in the community. Personal growth and supported decision making are important to me and the support I get from services helps me gain confidence. I am blessed to help others so that they can give back and increase their self-advocacy skills.”

Denise from Trenton, GA

“Having these services allows me to live on my own, in my own apartment. It also provides access to transportation for important appointments, grocery stores, shopping, and community activities. These services allow me to have an independent lifestyle and freedom. I also have made many new friends within my apartment complex and at Orange Grove Center and I really enjoy being able to see them and spend quality time with them.”

In general, self-advocates hope and expect to have the waiver services they need to create more opportunities for them to contribute to their communities and society, which includes creating valued social roles. Self-advocates in Georgia, including the ones featured in this article, depend on waiver supports that can allow them to learn and develop new skills to help improve their quality of life to fulfill their hopes and dreams.