This is a press release from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities. GCDD is a federally funded, independent state agency that works with legislators and advocacy groups to influence and support public policy that fosters a positive change in the way education, housing, workplace/careers and community living opportunities are made available to people with DD.
The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is deeply concerned about the impact of the final state budget on Georgians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. The approved budget allocated 100 new NOW/COMP waivers. The $300 million in budget disregards made by Governor Brian Kemp included $9,274,016 that would have funded 400 new waivers.
The decision comes despite a Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities analysis showing that 1,217 Georgians are currently in urgent need of NOW/COMP waivers due to risks including institutionalization, homelessness, medical crisis, or loss of a primary caregiver.
“GCDD is committed to making sure policymakers and the public have clear, accurate information about the needs of Georgians with developmental disabilities and their families,” said D’Arcy Robb, Executive Director, GCDD. “There are thousands of people on the waitlist whose safety and wellbeing depend on access to these services, and we believe it is important to share the reality about what that means in practice.”
Currently, there are nearly 8,000 people with I/DD on Georgia’s Medicaid Waiver waitlist. NOW/COMP waivers provide home and community-based services that allow people with developmental disabilities to live safely in their communities rather than institutions.
Kelly Fields, the parent of a child with I/DD, shared her family’s experience: “After parents across Georgia courageously shared their stories before the budget committee in February, policymakers publicly acknowledged the urgent need for 1,217 additional NOW/COMP waivers for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, only for the final budget to allocate 100. For families like mine, who have spent over a decade waiting on the Planning List while our children age out of school-based services, this was not simply a budget decision; it was a devastating loss of hope. Behind every one of those remaining 1,117 unfunded waivers is a real person, a real caregiver, and a family still being told to continue waiting for critical services through Georgia’s NOW/COMP Waiver program. Georgia’s most vulnerable citizens deserve a system that truly works for them.”
GCDD warns that without stronger investment in disability services, more families will face crisis situations, increased caregiver burnout, hospitalizations, and institutional placements.
“The people impacted by this decision are not numbers on a spreadsheet,” she added. “They are Georgians who need support to live, work, and participate in their communities.”
GCDD remains committed to educating policymakers and the public about the critical role of home and community-based services for Georgians with I/DD. The Council will continue to share data, personal stories, and research to inform ongoing policy discussions about the state’s growing waitlist.
