When people with developmental disabilities “age out” of public special education, they confront a lack of services and positive alternatives for community living and engagement. Many continue to live at home where their parents provide supervision and support, often at great sacrifice, and languish in the absence of meaningful work or recreation opportunities.
Presently there are 7000 people with developmental disabilities on Georgia’s wait list for Community Support Medicaid Waiver services. Georgia adds approximately 100 Waiver “slots” each year, as the wait list grows longer and longer.
A bill has been introduced Senate Bill 208, “Fully Fund in Five” with the goal of eliminating this wait list over the next five years.
Please email the following House and Senate committee members to express your support for SB 208!
Points you can raise:
- When people with developmental disabilities age out of public education, many just “fall off a cliff” without on-going services and support.
- People with developmental disabilities can actively contribute to society through employment and/or volunteerism- if they have needed supports.
- 7000 people on a wait list for developmental disability services is a disgrace to Georgia.
- Without support services, families sacrifice greatly- including through loss of income- to care for their developmentally disabled relative at home.
House Human Resources Appropriations Subcommittee
katie.dempsey@house.ga.gov
tom.kirby@house.ga.gov
tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
emory.dunahoo@house.ga.gov
don.hogan@house.ga.gov
wayne.howard@house.ga.gov
karen.mathiak@house.ga.gov
greg.morris@house.ga.gov;
mary.oliver@house.ga.gov
bert.reeves@house.ga.gov
Senate Subcommittee on Human Development and Public Health
Dean.burke@senate.ga.gov;
Emanuel.jones@senate.ga.gov
Kay.Kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov
Butch.miller@senate.ga.gov
Nan.orrock@senate.ga.gov
Lindsey.Tippens@senate.ga.gov
Ben.Watson@senate.ga.gov
*Thanks to Indivisible Marching Buddies for this post.