PinPoint: a podcast from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

25 Years since Olmstead: Has it made a difference?

2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the Olmstead decision, which was a legal ruling that determined that everyone has the equal right to choose where they live and how they participate in their communities. And for those with disabilities who need support in their day-to-day living, Olmstead established the right to have access to those services.  In this episode, four guests share their personal and professional knowledge of how Olmstead has prevailed or failed in the last 25 years. The episode features D’Arcy Rob, GCDD executive director, Charlie Miller, GCDD’s policy and advocacy director, Susan Goico, director of the Disability Integration Project at Atlanta Legal Aid, and Tais Keyser, a fierce Georgia mother on a mission to get disability services for her son while helping other parents in similar situations. Host Mara Waldruff guides the story through four chapters — the history of Olmstead, the positive impact it has had over time, the ways in which Olmstead has not come to fruition, and what can be done to spread hope and advocacy to increase its impact on the disability community. 00:30 Introduction: What is the Olmstead decision? 02:20 Chapter 1: The history of Olmstead 13:41 Chapter 2: The positive impact of Olmstead over time 17:43 Georgia’s rate study 22:25 Chapter 3: The ways in which Olmstead has not come to fruition 23:06 The problem with unmet need 31:26 The plight of a mother advocating for services 37:26 Chapter 4: What can be done to increase hope and advocacy? 46:24 Conclusion The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

IPSE Spotlight: EXCEL at Georgia Tech

Inclusive post-secondary education programs, commonly shortened to IPSE, are popping up throughout the country and the state of Georgia. In this episode of Pinpoint, we zoom in on one specific IPSE program, the EXCEL program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. EXCEL stands for Expanding Career, Education and Leadership and has an impressive track record among its graduates, with 92% of them gaining and maintaining meaningful employment. In this episode, we highlight voices of students, graduates, faculty and staff, talking about everything from the impact of internships, post-graduation dream jobs, and the structure that makes the program successful. Internships and their impact: 1:57 Student spotlight: Itzel 3:40 Student spotlight: Martha: 7:13 Graduate spotlight: Sam: 9:23 Program structure: 14:15 Conclusion: 19:43 Student insight and advice: 22:41 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Legislative Priority Deep Dive of 2024

It’s a new year, which means a new season for ADVOCACY! The 2024 legislative session is upon us, so GCDD has made sure that this Pinpoint episode has everything you need to know to feel prepared to advocate to your community and legislators. This year, GCDD has three legislative priorities. These include increasing waivers and DSP wages, employment opportunities and fair pay for people with disabilities, and to fully fund inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) scholarships. In this episode, GCDD turns to its internal talent and subject matter experts, Charlie Miller, Legislative Advocacy Director, and Charlotte Densmore, Public Policy Director, to detail the proposed legislation and to share why each one is so important. Guests Charlie Miller, Legislative Advocacy Director Charlotte Densmore, Public Policy Director Resources 2024 Advocacy Days calendar and event registration [https://gcdd.org/public-policy/legislative-priorities/2024-advocacy-days.html] GCDD full events calendar [https://gcdd.org/calendar-of-events.html#year=2024&month=1&day=12&view=month] Topics and Timestamps  3:38 Summary of 2024 legislative priorities 4:16 Georgia as a Model Employer (GAME) 5:16 DSPs and HCBS waivers 13:57 Importance of IPSE  30:23 Ending 14C Certificates  31:15 Real Jobs for Real Wages 37:39 Key messages and takeaways 42:28 How to get involved 42:40 Advocacy Days schedule The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

The Direct Support Professional: Taking a Walk in Their Shoes

What is it like to be a Direct Support Professional in Georgia? With crisis that was existing even before the pandemic - and accelerated due to it - the lack of staff and low wages are impacting individuals with DD across Georgia and their families.  Pinpoint shares the stories of DSPs and caregivers in Georgia and why we all need to advocate for better wages for those who support people with disabilities to live in the community of their choosing.  The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

The State of Employment for People with Disabilities

Did you know that in America it is perfectly legal for an employer to pay workers who have disabilities less than minimum wage? Section 14(c) of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act is an exception for people with disabilities that lets them be paid less for doing the same work as their peers. This law was passed in 1938 and most people will admit that it was a “different time,” which it was, but as of this year, 2023, only 12 states have taken action against this kind of discrimination. Georgia is not one of them, but they are taking steps toward ending subminimum wage. Across the country, institutions called “sheltered workshops” are specifically employing people with disabilities and paying them not just less than the federal minimum wage but way less. Research in Utah and Missouri reveal some workers make 50 cents an hour. In Georgia, there are people making only 22 cents an hour. With the federal minimum wage currently sitting at $7.25 an hour, that’s roughly 1/33 of what they could be making if it weren’t for Section 14(c). Today’s episode is about the state of employment in Georgia… what’s gone wrong and how we’re going to fix it.  The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.