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Accessible Audio for Making A Difference

Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

Accessible audio for the magazine from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

education

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5:30

A Champion of True Inclusion: Honoring the Life and...

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2025/07/29

The disability rights movement lost one of its visionary leaders when John O'Brien passed away on June 27, 2025. For decades, O'Brien and his wife Connie Lyle O'Brien championed a simple belief: that every person deserves to be fully included in community life. His groundbreaking work changed how we think about disability. It moved goals beyond basic accommodations to pursue full community belonging. Belonging in schools, neighborhoods, and everyday conversations. He emphasized the importance...

7:02

Fight for Medicaid & What's Next

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2025/07/29

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) thanks Georgia families and self-advocates for their hard work. You used your voices to speak for other Georgians during a big federal budget debate. House Resolution 1 (HR1) passed. It is also called the Big Beautiful Bill. This article gives you a brief overview of the bill. Its focus is on Medicaid and how it affects Georgia's communities. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic P...

4:33

Session is Out! The Opportunity to Advocate is Now

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2025/07/29

Session is out and we are in the middle of summer, but the perfect time to advocate is now. We’ve experienced many changes over the past few months. These include funding shifts at the federal level to key developments within the Department of Education. Now is the time to speak up for what matters most. Speak up for both federal and state issues. Georgia has started talking about how to handle the problems that are coming. This is especially important because no one knows exactly what will h...

6:49

Raising Voices, Changing Systems: Expanding...

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2025/07/29

When it comes to inclusive education in Georgia, the Georgia Coalition for Equity and Education (GCEE) is changing how families advocate for children with disabilities in schools. This organization is making sure their voices are heard. Led by longtime disability rights attorney Leslie Lipson, founder of Lipson Advocacy, GCEE was launched in 2015. The launch came in the wake of a major civil rights investigation into Georgia’s segregated school program known as GNETS, or Georgia Network...

2:46

What Disability Pride Month Is and Why It Matters

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2025/06/24

Every July, the United States celebrates Disability Pride Month. This month is a time for people with disabilities to feel proud of who they are, speak up about their rights, and celebrate being seen and heard in their communities. It is also a time to celebrate the history, strength, and experiences of people with disabilities. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual...

3:49

Embracing Possibility Exhibit at Tubman Museum...

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2025/06/24

The "Embracing Possibility: Georgia's Disability Justice Journey" exhibit opened this May at the Tubman Museum in Macon, GA. The opening celebration celebrated the exhibit's goal to change how people think about people with disabilities and honor the work that people with disabilities have done throughout Georgia's history. The opening welcomed hundreds of people from across Georgia to the museum for an evening that combined music, powerful artwork, and meaningful connections in Georgia’s dis...

6:47

Americans with Disabilities Act Celebrates 35 Years:...

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2025/06/24

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by former President George H. W. Bush This law created civil rights legislation that expanded the rights of people with disabilities. For millions of Americans with disabilities, the 35th anniversary of the ADA is a time to celebrate. It is also a time to think about how people with disabilities worked together to get this law passed. This law was meant to make life better for people with disabilities. Today, the ...

3:51

Centers for Independent Living: Equipping People with...

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2025/06/24

For many people with disabilities, finding independence, purpose, and a full life in the community can be a daily challenge. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are community-based, non-residential organizations who help people who want to overcome these challenges. CILs are run by people with disabilities. Their philosophy is to support the goals of people with disabilities to live independently and find their voice as self-advocates. They are committed to helping people with disabil...

2:22

Letter from Leadership: What 12 Years Serving as a...

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2025/06/24

By Evan Nodvin - 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. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental ...

4:01

Guardianship: A Barrier to Independence and How We...

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2025/06/24

Guardianship isn't always the answer. Supported Decision Making is an alternative to guardianship. Some people with disabilities might need limited guardianship or conservatorship. But many people with disabilities don't need it. There are often better ways to get support. My son was put under guardianship. This affected our whole family. Looking back, we didn't need guardianship at all. Here is our story. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five ...

3:22

Federal Policy Update from the GCDD Public Policy...

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2025/06/24

As we reach the midpoint of 2025, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) continues to track federal policies that may significantly impact Georgians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Over the past few weeks, critical discussions have been unfolding in Washington, D.C. These talks could change Medicaid and the future of the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Stra...

6:44

Federal Budget: What’s at Risk and How Georgia’s...

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2025/06/04

As federal lawmakers debate sweeping budget cuts, Georgia’s disability advocacy leaders are working hard to get critical information to our community. What is at stake: the future of Medicaid including vital community-based services, and the network of organizations that have fueled decades of progress for people with developmental disabilities, including GCDD. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and su...

3:38

Brook Kubik Gains Advocacy Insight, Perspective at...

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2025/05/27

Brook Kubik, a council member for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, went to the 2025 Disability Seminar in Washington, D.C. She returned to Georgia with more than policy updates – she came back with a new understanding of the strength of relationships, the importance of advocating with heart and facts, and the power of telling stories that help people connect. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve...

6:16

What’s at Risk: Potential Cuts to GCDD and Medicaid

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2025/05/27

As federal lawmakers debate sweeping budget cuts, Georgia’s disability advocacy leaders are working hard to get critical information to our community. What is at stake: the future of Medicaid including vital community-based services, and the network of organizations that have fueled decades of progress for people with developmental disabilities, including the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five ...

3:29

What is the DD Network?

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2025/05/27

The Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network is a group of organizations that work together to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities. This network was created by a law passed in 2000 to protect the rights of people with developmental disabilities. It is overseen by a federal agency called the Administration for Community Living. In Georgia, this includes: Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD)University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (U...

13:09

The Impact of Georgia's DD Network

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2025/05/27

The Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network is a group of organizations working together to improve services and supports for people with DD in every state. This network is authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) with oversight from the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The DD Network is made up of three partners: State Councils on Developmental Disabilities (DD Councils), University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Di...

2:31

Letter from Leadership: Keep Learning, Keep Speaking...

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2025/05/27

My Time on 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...

4:33

Berry College’s IPSE Program Provides Students with...

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2025/04/26

Berry College, located in Rome, Georgia, launched the Berry College Program for Inclusive Learning the Fall semester in 2024—the first inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) program offered by a private university in Georgia. This program opens new doors for students with intellectual disabilities by providing meaningful academic, social, and career development opportunities beyond high school. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Pl...

2:03

Self Advocacy Spotlight: Why Medicaid Matters

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2025/04/26

For many Americans with disabilities, Medicaid is more than just a healthcare program—it's the foundation for a life of independence, stability, and hope. Carla Geeslin, a self-advocate in Macon, GA, relies on Medicaid services and recently shared her story and the critical role this support plays in her life and the lives of countless others. “Life’s been good,” Carla said. “I get to see a doctor and I have a place to live.” Routine healthcare and stable housing are things many t...

2:59

A Big Shift for Education: What Happens Following...

Accessible Audio for Making A Difference ·

2025/04/26

President Donald Trump signed an executive order March 20, 2025 titled Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities. The order seeks to advance a goal previously promised by the president: to close the Department of Education (ED) and give state education departments authority over education standards. The closure of the ED raises questions for students with developmental disabilities and their families, who rely on various programs and services offered by the E...

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