Photos available: http://bit.ly/yqfnud

2,000 Undaunted by Rain at 14th Annual Disability Day at the Capitol

Governor Deal, AAPD’s Perriello, Advocates Stand Together to Unlock the Waiting List for Inclusion, Waivers and Community Supports

ATLANTA, GA (February 22, 2012) – Impromptu shouts of “nothing about us without us” and “get us out, keep us out, don’t put us in” echoed through cold, rainy, Atlanta streets Thursday morning, February 16th as advocates, family members and supporters of people with disabilities filled the grounds of the state capitol for the 14th Annual Disability Day Rally, sponsored by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (www.gcdd.org). Governor Nathan Deal and the top executive for AAPD addressed a record crowd of over 2,000 citizens from across the state.

Governor Deal pledged continued support to people with developmental disabilities in Georgia. “Our team is hard at work to expand resources including: waivers to move individuals with developmental disabilities out of our hospitals, waivers to care for individuals with developmental disabilities currently living in the community, and increased family supports,” Deal said. “We are strengthening our networks of crisis care with mobile crisis teams and crisis respite homes. We want to provide immediate, effective crisis care and these tools provide our state with a safety net to back up high-quality, person-centered care.”

Mark Perriello, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former White House Liaison at the U.S. Department of the Interior, encouraged people with disabilities to find new ways of organizing in order to build strong institutions, and to learn how to be more effective in the corridors of power. Referring to the more than 54 million Americans who have some type of disability, he said, “We are the largest minority group in the country and we should be the most powerful…we need to get all of you to the polls.” “We have the power to transform the debate.”  Perriello, visually impaired since childhood, called upon the disability community to pay close attention to critical policy issues, meet with their elected representatives, and “take your seat at the table” by getting into decision-making positions and running for office themselves. He intermittently led the crowd to chant the motto of the Independent Living Movement, “nothing about us without us.”

The historic 1999 Olmstead Decision originated in Georgia, which makes the state a focal point for disability rights. “My Life is FOR REAL!”, the theme for this year’s Rally, underscored the need to focus on individual supports and community-based services to get people with disabilities out of institutions and into the community. GCDD’s “Real Communities” Initiative is one such innovation for community building. “Real Communities” creates opportunities in which persons with developmental disabilities can participate more fully in every aspect of life, often by tapping into existing activities and joining with others to make life better for everyone.  The urgency to develop these community supports will increase as the population ages and as people with disabilities realize their right to live in the community rather than reside in institutions. This right is mandated by the Olmstead Decision and reinforced by the October 2010 Department of Justice settlement with Georgia.

At last week’s Rally, students from Flowery Branch HS in Hall County – Nick Dyson, Lyndzi Vaughn, and J.J. Martinez – introduced Governor Deal. More than 650 students from across Georgia attended Disability Day at the Capitol to lend their voices and collect signatures on the Children’s Freedom Initiative declaration.

Legislators in attendance included Rep. Sharon Beasley-Teague (D-Dist 65), Rep. Carl Rogers (R-Dist 26), and Sen. John Albers (R-Dist 56). People came in ones and twos as well as in groups of over 300 from across Georgia. The Rally, hosted by GCDD Executive Director Eric E. Jacobson and Chair Tom Seegmueller, was an opportunity to bestow awards as well as acknowledge fallen heroes.  Dr. Gerald Durley, recognized civil rights leader and pastor of the historic Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta where he works to ensure people with disabilities in the congregation are able to share their gifts, skills and abilities, honored 48 Fallen Soldiers who passed in the last year.

Margo Waters, disABILITY LINK Independent Living Coordinator, received the Georgia Outstanding Self-Advocate of the Year Award – In Loving Memory of Natalie Norwood Tumlin.  Joseph D. Frazier, Chairperson, Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc., received the Samuel Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award.

Disability Day at the Capitol is made possible by a host of partnering organizations and volunteers from the disability community.  For a list, visit www.GCDD.org.  Among GCDD’s list of public policy priorities are:

·         The Unlock The Waiting Lists! Campaign calling for funding of community based services for  over 6,000 persons on waiting lists for vital supports

·         Transportation Investment Act Referendum

·         Children’s Freedom Initiative

·         Proposals to help people receive the supports they need to live and thrive in the community.

GCDD, a federally funded independent state agency, works to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities.  A developmental disability is a chronic mental and/or physical disability that occurs before age 22 and is expected to last a lifetime.  Visit www.gcdd.org for more information.

Follow Updates via Twitter at #gcddday

2,500 Expected At 14th Disability Day at the Capitol – Gov. Deal and Perriello To Speak

WHAT:

The largest public gathering and rally held annually during the official legislative session emphasizes the statewide need for community-based services and vital supports for people with developmental disabilities. The biggest crowd ever – 2,500 pre-registered Georgians – is expected to gather for the 14th Annual Disability Day at the Capitol and advocate for improved services and greater community access for people with disabilities and their
families. “My Life is FOR REAL!” is the theme for this year’s Rally.

Pre-registered guests include about 650 young people, including a group of 300 high school and middle school students from Hall County. Youth will have a variety of roles at Disability Day including staffing exhibits at the Georgia Freight Depot, gathering signatures in support of people with disabilities, and even introducing the Governor for his Rally keynote address.

WHY:

The state of Georgia is a focal point for disability rights.

·         Many requirements from the October 2010 Department of Justice settlement with Georgia are being put into action. This movement aligns with GCDD’s Real Communities initiative.

·         Over 6,000 Georgians are on the waiting list to receive services – Unlock The Waiting Lists! is a campaign calling for funding of community-based services and vital supports.

·         The Transportation Investment Act Referendum (TIA), which contains real benefits for people with disabilities, comes before a state-wide vote in July. (1% SPLOST)

·         The Children’s Freedom Initiative (CFI) is gaining momentum statewide to move children from nursing homes into real homes with families in the community. Disability Day participants will show support by signing the CFI Declaration

·         One in five Georgians and about 54 million Americans have some type of disability as an occurrence of birth, injury or longevity.

·         The annual rally promotes access, opportunity and meaningful community living for Georgians with disabilities and their families.

WHEN: 

Thursday, February 16, 2012
9:00 am – Registration and activities, Georgia Freight Depot
11:00 am – Rally at the Capitol Steps
12:15 pm – Lunch (Legislators, Constituents, Advocates) Georgia Freight Depot

WHERE:

Capitol steps, Atlanta: Washington Street side and adjacent Georgia Freight Depot

WHO:

Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD, www.gcdd.org), Sponsor/Host, (Tom Seegmueller, chair, and Eric E. Jacobson, executive director)

Capitol Rally at 11 am:

·         Governor Nathan Deal will address the gathering.

·         Mark Perriello will lend a national perspective as head of AAPD, the nation’s largest disability membership organization.

·         Reverend Dr. Gerald L. Durley, Senior Pastor, Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta and recognized civil rights leader, will honor Fallen Soldiers.

·         Over 2,500 supporters from Georgia, the largest group ever,
have pre-registered.

·         State legislators and other elected officials.

Part 1:

One hundred fifty members of Arcs in the United States were invited to meet with senior policy officials in the Obama Administration.  It was a very exciting and productive day, and I felt so fortunate to be included.  Thank you to the Arc of Georgia for making this opportunity available to myself, Sandy Edge from Albany Arc and Jessica Howell, Arc of Georgia Board Member.

The day began in the Dwight Eisenhower Executive Office Building at 8 AM. The Office of Public Engagement, the “open front door to the White House” was our host, and Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, was the moderator for the morning.

The first speaker we heard from was Carol Galante, Acting Assistant Secretary- Federal Housing Administration Commissioner, HUD. 

Galante affirmed that housing is the platform for a quality of life—that a home of one’s own is the cornerstone of independence and that HUD was committed to removing the barriers preventing people from acquiring the security of their ‘own home.’  She reviewed changes to the Section 811 Housing and described some of the innovative housing arrangements being developed in different parts of the country, including the Mercy Arc housing development in San Francisco. This innovative work involved 14 accessible apartments being integrated into a larger apartment complex within easy access of the services of the Arc of San Francisco.  Additionally, she spoke about the HUD / HHS Community Living Initiative and the challenges both departments are working on such as trying to integrate funding streams and regulatory requirements that are delivered through different federal agencies and different appropriations committees.

She also referenced a new initiative, PRAD, (told us to remember that name) which stands for “Project Renovation Assistance Development” program. With this initiative, HUD will provide funding directly to housing authorities when they agree to partner with Human Service and Medicaid agencies. This will be a formula grant in which states must apply to participate in, and they will be looking for states whose housing entities have been working collaboratively with Human Service and Medicaid agencies already and can build on those initiatives. She closed by saying that HUD does appreciate the challenge of moving from the older model section 8 and 202 housing, which were more congregate in nature to individually leased homes. This is the margin where changes can be made because 75% of HUD is section 811 and 202 housing and 25% of that is for new construction.

The Next speaker was Cecilia Munoz, Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

Munoz began by saying the administration’s goal is for people with disabilities to have a fair share and a fair shot at opportunities available to all.  Regarding education, that means students with disabilities leave high school ready to work or continue on to higher education; In employment, that means they have opportunities to be supported to work in competitive environments with competitive wages, and they have the opportunity to attain self-advocacy skills. She also referenced several grants that the Administration on Developmental Disabilities had led for employment, as well as the 4 Self-Advocacy Summits that will be held to enhance self-advocacy efforts.

Later, Kareem Dale came back and reviewed the tools available for citizens to communicate with the White House. The White House distribution list is disability@who.eop.gov. Through this email address, you can send suggestions, comment on policy and sign up for Dale’s monthly phone calls. He also reviewed the Federal government’s commitment to employing people with disabilities, talked about the section 503 Rehab Act rule to mandate 7% inclusion of people with disabilities in federal contracts and mentioned Project SEARCH participation in the Departments of Labor, HHS and Education.

He also talked about the Administration’s efforts at Olmstead Enforcement, referencing Georgia’s settlement agreement, the recent agreement issued in Virginia and the Delaware settlement.  The White House is tentatively considering engaging with people with disabilities in seven cities in the US. There is no schedule or structure yet. They are just in the beginning planning stages, and the main purpose would be to listen and provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to ask questions and share their experiences.

Cindy Mann, Deputy Administrator, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare.

Mann confirmed the Administration’s strong commitment to maintaining Medicaid, strengthening the program and fixing the structural problems. She talked about some of the opportunities under the Affordable Care Act: Health Home Program, which provides a 90/10 match rate for up to eight quarters for programs which design fully integrated behavioral, physical, acute and developmental services and care for people with chronic conditions. There is no clock on this initiative. They want states to take their time planning how they could deliver services under this model. Another program opportunity under the act is the Community First Choice program, which would provide attendant care in a community setting, including self-direction. The regulations are being finalized for this program, which offers an additional 6% federal match. Also there is a Balancing Incentive Payment Program, which offers an additional 2% federal match to states who are still below the 50% mark for funding in home and  community-based supports vs institutional care.  States have to apply, and there are several requirements. There is only $3 billion for the entire country for five years. Georgia is going to apply for this program.

Another critical piece of the discussion in CMS is the definition of “home and community-based setting.”  During the comment period in the summer, CMS received 1,500 comments with a great deal of variability. Common perspectives were that people need more choice and states need more resources.  The focus should be less on the “bricks and mortar” aspect of HCBS and more focused on the person’s experience; but opportunities should be integrated in community to the greatest extent possible, and OCR, DOJ, HHS and HUD are all seeking to collaborate on this issue.

In terms of managed care, CMS will be seeking guidance from states, families and people with disabilities on their concerns about managed care systems and how they adhere to the ADA and Olmstead. In the states’ waiver applications and quality reviews, they are looking for specific ideas to put in waiver application documents that would specify what we want to affirm for people in managed care settings and how CMS can check and monitor that those things are being done.

In the end, Mann said we have to make sure the system works for “this person.”

*To be continued on Thursday, February 23, 2012.

These are several pictures featuring the community leader briefing at the White House:

The 14th Annual Disability Day on February 16, 2012 was a great success despite the rainy weather. Several news channels and reporters from throughout Georgia traveled to the Capitol to cover the annual rally on the Capitol steps. The following are several media coverage articles that feature Disability Day 2012.

• Print: Gainesville Times: http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/203/article/63434/

• Print: The Republic http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/900bcf5b33d146d9b9af73bb3a520eb6/GA–Disability-Day-Georgia/

• Online: Macon.com: http://www.macon.com/2012/02/16/1908395/about-2k-hold-disability-day-rally.html

• Blog Post:http://disabilitiesnews.blogspot.com/2012/02/2000-rally-in-atlanta-to-protest-cuts.html

• Blog post: http://disabilitylink.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/disability-day-at-the-capitol/

• Online: CBS Atlanta:http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/16950084/14th-annual

• Online: The Ledger-Enquirer.com: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/02/16/1936135/about-2k-hold-disability-day-rally.html

• Radio: WABE FM radio (NPR) by Charles Edwards http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1905319/Atlanta./A.rally.for.the.disabled

• TV:  Channel 46-CBS by Christopher Kinghttp://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/16954805/people-with-disabilities-call-on-state-to-do-more

Moving Forward PDF File

Click here to view or print Moving Forward in PDF form

Click here to view or print Moving Forward in TEXT form

By the time you receive this issue (Making a Difference Winter 2012), the 2012 legislative session will have been underway for nearly two weeks. We will have received the Governor’s budget and know what he intends on funding. However, all of us who work on budgets know that the release of the Governor’s plan is just the beginning of the process. In addition to the budget, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) will be supporting other legislation. It is going to be a very busy session!

GCDD has changed the process for constructing its legislative agenda, and this year we aligned the legislative agenda-setting process with our new five-year plan for “The Administration on Developmental Disabilities.” Though some issues in our five-year plan will not be legislative activities this year, they may need to be on the agenda next year. Working within a five-year framework gives us the flexibility to take things up when it is time.

The strategic goal for public policy in GCDD’s five-year plan covering FY 2011 to FY 2016 is to:

Promote public policy that supports communities that welcome all people and better serves the interest of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, as well as promote revisions in the systems that provide services and supports that result in authentic choice, opportunities for self-direction and enhanced capacity for the care-giving efforts of families.

The agenda items will continue to be assigned priority levels as follows:

•    Tier I: GCDD initiates, GCDD is the lead agency
•    Tier II: Another agency is the lead, but GCDD assists
•    Tier III: GCDD allows use of its name, but no action otherwise
•    Tier IV: GCDD has a neutral position, won’t fight or support
•    Tier V: GCDD opposes, fights against

Additionally, we will still organize the public policy activities in the REAL area that GCDD promotes for integrated life in the community. Below, we summarize the legislative, budget or policy issues that will engage us during the upcoming legislative session in each REAL area.

REAL Supports: Budget

TIER I: Request Appropriations to support people with disabilities to live in the community. Maybe we shouldn’t call it a “waiting list” because that implies that people can or will wait. The current number of Georgians with disabilities who have officially applied for support from the State hovers around 6,000. However, we know that due to the fact that Georgia’s population is now over 9,000,000 and we have over 80 counties considered in “persistent poverty,” the waiting list should be much higher. There are states smaller than Georgia that have thousands more people in services than us and our best estimates are that the waiting list should really be closer to 18,000 people. This figure is also supported by the fact that the Challenges in Developmental Disabilities: State of the States, State of the Nation, 2011, published by David Braddock, Ph.D., executive director at the Coleman Institute, University of Colorado, estimates there are over 17,000 older individuals with developmental disabilities living with caregivers over the age of 65. If something happens to one of these caregivers, these folks are extremely vulnerable.

Currently we are getting some lift from the Department of Justice Settlement agreement requirements, which set out conditions the State must satisfy. This results in 150  Comprehensive Waivers for individuals moving out of State hospitals, another 500 families receiving family support, additional funds to build out the crisis system and crisis respite and other benefits related to training and quality assurance. The agreement also supports 100 waivers for people living in the community who are at risk for institutionalization. Yet, this 100 is only a fraction of the emergency services that may be needed for the size of the population needing support.

•    100 NOW waivers annualized in the FY 2012 amended budget …$5,944,066
and 150 COMP waivers annualized in the FY 2012 amended budget
•    100 NOW waivers in the FY 2013 budget (wait list)…$8,969,943
and 150 COMP waivers in the FY 2013 budget (hospital transition)
•    Services for 500 new families in State-funded family support …$1,872,000
•    Mobile crisis, crisis respite and nursing services… $5,122,963

Waiver services are usually only funded for six months in each budget since individuals do not all go into services at the same time, but are staggered throughout the year. The second budget figure, 150 COMP and 100 NOW, are for the new waivers for 2013 fiscal year.

The following list is the package that the Unlock the Waiting Lists! campaign will be advocating for in addition to what the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) has included in their budget. The list addresses the unmet needs of several populations.

The first item annualizes waivers for youth aging out of foster care, which is made possible by the legislative appropriations in the last budget, and the following item funds 40 more waivers for those youth. Thanks to good collaboration between the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) and the Division of Developmental Disabilities, children getting ready to age out of DFCS and into adult services receive planning, assessment and transition services well in advance of their 21st birthdays.

The next item specifically references a population we heard a great deal about while out in the communities this fall – youth leaving high school with no support services in place in the community. Without any support, parents’ ability to work is often compromised. The next item intends to provide resources for those “most in need” in the community, above and beyond the 100 waivers listed in the settlement agreement. For this item, we are planning for older adults with disabilities living with caregivers who are themselves elderly. Following that, the ICWP budget items request funds to annualize the 33 ICWP waivers funded last year and requests new funds to eliminate that waiting list.

To receive an IDA account, interested individuals need to apply for the program and be accepted, open a custodial account in a partner bank, create a financial plan for the amount they will deposit and what they want to spend it for and complete 12 hours of financial literacy education.

•    Annualize waivers for youth aging out of DFCS… $1,299,996
•    Fund 40 new waivers for youth aging out of DFCS… $590,410
•    Fund 750 NOW waivers for youth graduating from high school… $3,255,937
•    Fund 280 COMP waivers for “most in need” in the community… $4,132,870
•    Fund 70 NOW waivers for “most in need” in the community… $303,887
•    Annualize 33 ICWP waivers from 2012 budget… $545,543
•    Fund 130 ICWP waivers for people with physical disabilities in the community waiting for support… $2,149,109
•    Fund 10 housing monthly subsidies for individuals living in the community to make safe, affordable, integrated housing possible… $48,000

The last item referring to housing subsidies addresses the challenge that providers have making safe, integrated housing options affordable for individuals with developmental disabilities who only have their SSI payment for room and board. Ten years ago, the State supplemented housing supports, but has not since then. This is just a small amount. An extra $400 a month would make it possible for 10 people to afford a place in a typical neighborhood.

REAL Support: Legislation

TIER 1: Pass State Individual Development Account (IDA) Legislation that enables individuals with disabilities to save toward an accessible vehicle, assistive technology, communication devices or home modifications that ensure safety and access. This session, the Center for Financial Innovation and Independence is working with us on the IDA legislation. Last year, Governor Deal vetoed this legislation after expressing concern about a few items that we have since clarified.

Currently, IDA accounts enable low-income individuals (300% of poverty or less) to save toward the purchase of a first home, post secondary education or to finance a business.  This State IDA legislation would expand the uses of those savings to pay for assistive technology devices that are expensive and often not covered completely or at all by Medicaid or Vocational Rehabilitation.

This addition will assist individuals with particular needs to stay in school, continue working or stay in their homes. To receive an IDA account, interested individuals need to apply for the program and be accepted, open a custodial account in a partner bank, create a financial plan for the amount they will deposit and what they want to spend it for and complete 12 hours of financial literacy education. When their plan is completed, they can withdraw money, which has been matched by a nonprofit or foundation funding partner, and make their purchase. The program aims to increase the capacity for people to become economically self-sufficient. People with disabilities participate in IDA programs at a much lower percentage than the total population, despite the fact that according to the US Census more than 25% of those individuals live in poverty. This legislation should encourage more participation in asset building.

TIER II: Support the passage of The Family Care Act enabling parents with paid sick leave to use it to care for sick children or aging parents (with Job Family Coalition, 9to5 Atlanta, Co-age and others).

Many large, successful businesses in the Atlanta area (Delta, Federal Home Loan Bank and Suntrust) have recognized that when workers can be flexible with their own sick leave, they can keep children with the flu at home, keep other workers from getting sick, reduce their worry level and actually perform better on the job when they know they have that flexibility. Most importantly, this does not increase benefits or costs to the business.

To receive an IDA account, interested individuals need to apply for the program and be accepted, open a custodial account in a partner bank, create a financial plan for the amount they will deposit and what they want to spend it for and complete 12 hours of financial literacy education.

Sidebar: Other Items of Interest
The Transit Governance legislation is not formally on our agenda, but we have worked very hard to inform our community about the transportation referendum (T-SPLOST) and its potential to bring better transportation options to our population and everyone in general. The Transit Governance legislation is another piece of this, and this bill will establish how transit will be planned, governed and administrated in the metro area and potentially in the rest of the State. Stay tuned for information on this as the spring progresses.

REAL Homes: Legislation

TIER II: New home access legislation would increase accessibility in all new, single-family homes on slabs by requiring one zero-step entrance, 32” wide interior doorways and blocking to support grab bars in the bathroom. GCDD will assist Concrete Change and the SOPOS Housing Coalition in supporting this legislation. In addition, the Metro Fair Housing Coalition recently released a report, funded through a settlement from a lawsuit against A.G. Spanos Companies entitled, “Shut Out, Priced Out, and Segregated” that explores the barriers to community integration, accessibility and affordability. The Department of Justice Settlement agreement requires the State to make it a priority for individuals to have a choice to live in their “own home or family home,” before a provider-operated home or group home. However, there is a real scarcity of accessible homes in the community for individuals moving out of State hospitals under the settlement. Finally, Georgia has one of the top 10 fastest growing aging populations in the country. To meet this need and the preference for aging citizens to stay in their homes as long as possible, we must change the residential building policy.

Research indicates that AT LEAST 25% of all built homes will house someone with mobility impairments over the lifetime of the house.

REAL Influence: Legislation

TIER II: Continue to support legislation to streamline the Medicaid appeals process, so that appeals move from the Office of State Administrative Hearings directly to the Superior Court and work on legislation that requires implementation of the Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment  (EPSDT) mandate of Medicaid for children.  This legislation was developed by students in the Health Law program at Georgia State University, with assistance from the Georgia Advocacy Office, and makes the EPSDT mandate explicit in State law. Further, if an administrative law judge rules on a Medicaid appeal in favor of the family or child, the Department of Community Health cannot overturn that decision.

Watch List

There are always a few things we watch.  The Olmstead Planning Committee will reconvene on January 5 under the auspices of the Governor’s Office of Disability Services and the Ombudsman, Corinna Magelund, so we are hopeful this is the first step toward implementation of the plan.

We will also watch for any legislation that would impact the implementation of the settlement agreement between the US Department of Justice and the State of Georgia.

The Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness has convened again, and we expect there will be some form of Tax Reform legislation.  We will be watching for this and assess its impact on middle and low-income Georgians.  These proposals are also being closely watched by 2020 Georgia and the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

Although we do not expect any legislation or budget items related to Managed Care for Aged, Blind and Disabled and the Medicaid redesign to appear in this legislative session, we still plan to keep a close eye on this policy arena.

Speak Up, Stand Up, Show Up

At the Women for a Change Legislative and Policy Event held in November, Rep. Stacey Abrams (Dist. 84) exhorted attendees to speak up on issues, stand up for what they believe in despite the cross current and to show up and make their voices heard.  Every person in the community who needs assistance whether it is home and community support, a visitable home, assistive technology to help them stay in a job, Medicaid access, transportation, etc., needs to call, write or visit their legislator.  In order to stay up-to-date and involved, make sure you sign up for Moving Forward, the legislative newsletter or feel free to come down to the Capitol and we will assist you to meet with your legislator.  Let us know how we can help!

The contract period is for one (1) year with four (4) additional one (1) year options to renew.  The Annual renewal dates of the contract shall be based on the availability of funds and the Candidates successful contract performance the preceding year.

Funding Range: $25,000 – $32,000 depending on experience

Family Support Facilitator Description PDF file

General Summary:

Through this grant, GCDD will fund a facilitator for family support to help with the planning and tracking of the families served through the Family Support through Community Access Federal Grant. As part of the grant, GCDD is required to serve at least 50 families intensely and 100 families informally each year.  There are currently seven communities that are participating in this effort.  It is important for us to work with families in each of these areas and to tell their stories and show the outcomes that happened for them as a result of the community building collaboration.  Families served intensely will have a personal futures plan and will work to build circles of support composed of community members around their families.  Families served informally will either receive resource and referral information or training to address their concerns. The Community Builders in each area will help identify families to participate.  (See attached for overview of Real Communities)

Responsibility Number 1

Assisting Real Communities Community Builders in finding, connecting and tracking families receiving informal and intensive family supports

The Family Support Facilitator will assist 50 families to receive intensive family supports, utilizing such tools as person centered planning, the creation of a circle of support, developing self-determination skills, assisting the family in accessing state-funded family support services or becoming eligible for other state and federally-funded services as appropriate, in addition to helping them make connections with their community in their areas of need and preference.

The Family Support Facilitator will assist an additional 100 families to receive informal family supports through such tools as providing information, connections to other families, community resources, referrals, as appropriate.

The Family Support Facilitator will review Person Centered Plans and assist with facilitation of plans as requested;

Responsibility Number 2

Performs administrative and general program monitoring functions as assigned by Program Director

The Family Support Facilitator will be responsible for providing programmatic oversight according to guidelines for Council projects that are assigned by Project Director;  will establishes time frames needed to complete projects according to federal and Council deadlines; will track the families encountered and assisted for the purposes of the grant, and assist with the preparation of the quarterly report to the Administration on ADD; and will work with Principle Investigator and External Evaluator to document outcomes including providing data and information as requested

Responsibility Number 3

Documents stories of families who have received support through this initiative

The Family Support Facilitator will be responsible for working with External Videographer and GCDD staff to document stories of families in the Real Communities areas that detail the supports received and outcomes; will prepare stories for Council publications, websites and other social media; and will develop relationships with organizations, groups and individuals outside the disability community and assist families with disability to connect with these groups.

Responsibility Number 4

Serves as link for families and communities

The Family Support Facilitator will respond to inquiries about the family support from the families and others seeking services and support either resolving or referring complaints to the appropriate department or agency; will serve as a link between local communities and family support providers; will serve as a link to the Department of Behavioral Health and

Developmental Disabilities; and  will respond to inquiries from the general public, agency clients, and public officials.

Responsibility Number 5

Presents findings and participates in Real Communities Activities

The Family Support Facilitator will be responsible for presenting findings of work to a variety of audiences including GCDD, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities and others; will participate in Real Communities activities such as Initiating Committee and Community Builder trainings are identified by Project Director; and will facilitate and participate in family support training as requested.

Minimum Qualifications:
The Candidate should provide a vitae which provides evidence of at least five years experience in family support services, social work, education, or fields related to providing information, support and referrals to families with a member with disability.  Knowledge of existing services and agencies that support people with disabilities is required.  Excellent verbal and written skills a must.

The Candidate will provide a list of references for whom similar services have been provided during the past three years.

The Candidate will also disclose any services terminated by the organizations and the reason(s) for termination.

Please email your resume/vitae to eejacobson@dhr.state.ga.us

Preferred Qualifications

It is preferred that the candidate have had direct training in the principles and practices of family support including person centered practice, futures planning and self-determination and self-advocacy development and practices of cultural competency.

Overview of Real Communities

The purpose of the Real Communities Initiative is to connect people with developmental disabilities and their organizations to other citizens and their associations to act collectively on community issues while being guided by Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) principles and GCDD values to achieve four major results:

Create real positive changes that improve life in the community for all, based on a thoughtful and well informed answer to the question, What does our community need from us?

Build strong bridges to community associations, leaders, and alliances that reach outside the boundaries of disability so that a wider network benefits from the energy and gifts of people with developmental disabilities and their families, so that people with disabilities will have more people to count on.

Create a sustainable model of community-based family support that is based on collaboration and Asset Based Community Development which appropriately addresses the needs of un-served or underserved families with developmental disabilities inclusive with their non-disabled community partners.

Learn about how to make real changes in a way that moves from “me” to “we” and creates a great awakening to the assets that every community has.

Sets of Practices to Build Real Communities

We are Person Centered: We are dedicated in finding ways to provide individualized supports, directed by the person and allies, that assist the person in having valued roles in community life and build more inclusive community settings.

We are Community Centered: We are dedicated to build associations and alliances that allow citizens to make productive connections around what they care about, mobilize existing community assets, and make those assets productive by taking part in meaningful action.

We take part in Purposeful Learning: We are dedicated to generating social innovation through a reflective learning process.

Asset Based Community Development (ABCD)

(The following information is provided by Mike Green of the ABCD Institute www.mike-green.org)

Asset Based Community Development is about local people working together for the well being of their home place. ABCD is primarily relationship building for action for a collective purpose, a path to organize groups and people in a community to act together for the common good. The focus is upon building power (the ability to act effectively) through relationships.

ABCD is an approach to discover local community assets. This mapping is mostly what people do in the name of ABCD.

Second and more importantly ABCD is “practices and principles” for mobilizing a local community to move into action with residents at the center… not outsiders. The community is the principal actor not the client. ABCD is a path to “organize an organization” or community partnership of local people and their stakeholder groups to find, connect, and make productive a growing circle of local assets working for the common good.

Discover what people care about enough to act on in your local community. What will people commit to act on? Discover ‘motivation to act’ through learning conversations out in the community. What is the motivation to act? What is the collective purpose that a wide circle of people will act on together? Who is committed to act?

Find and engage specific connector leaders (people who are leaders in a community sense meaning people with trust, influence, and a circle of relationships to call upon) to form a connector leaders group. This is the core group for collective action that can use their connections and relationships to engage a wide circle of the local community working together. ABCD is community organizing; principles and practices to bring people into committed relationship for collective action towards what people really care about–enough to act.

Community development that works best is not about manufacturing anything, but about bringing out the basic goodness that is there in each local community. Every community is a place filled with gifts to be given and care to be discovered. The song of community is,” We need you. We need you. Join us.” There is no one we don’t need.

How the Council supports Real Communities projects:

It is the goal of each Real Communities project to have a local Community Builder whose role is to build the group, support implementation of the work, and create sustainability and accountability. Successful community builders work toward the goals of empowerment – helping people mobilize, obtain resources, and develop strategies that promote their interests or causes.

We support the training and development of each local Community Builder via coaching and mentoring by Council staff and Real Communities consultants. We also provide community builders with regular training and learning opportunities to sharpen skills and add new tools to their organizational toolboxes.

We provide ABCD training opportunities for members of each local Real Communities project.

We work with local projects to create an evaluation plan that works for their unique project and local environment. Each community defines what success means to them and create steps to reach those goals.

We provide opportunities for Community Builders and local groups to take part in “learning journeys.” These journeys give groups an opportunity to travel to places where innovative community work is happening, so they can learn on the ground and do participatory research on what might work for them. We feel this process helps to avoid “recreating the wheel.”

Real Communities includes an ongoing Learning Circle of local community initiatives and committed community members in Georgia who want to learn together about building more inclusive welcoming communities where people with disabilities have good lives as contributing community members. The Learning Circle seeks to intentionally cultivate innovation and creativity in practical terms by letting go of old ideas, reflecting on our new experiences, and experimenting with new action approaches. The Learning Circle is a container to hold the organizing and learning components of Real Communities. It will be an ever evolving process as we learn together and from each other. We seek to be a trusting circle of support where each of us can share our insights and our success, as well as our confusion and challenges. We are ‘creating the road as we walk it’ towards more welcoming communities where people with developmental disabilities are valued members.

Current Real Communities projects:

Fitzgerald
Located in south central Georgia, Fitzgerald and the surrounding Ben Hill County area is a small rural community. In 2008, Ben Hill County had a poverty rate of 23.2%. Locally, residents have been organizing around the issue of transportation for nearly two years, and in the past year have been working with the GCDD as part of Real Communities. The core organizing group in Fitzgerald consists of everyday citizens with and without developmental disabilities; family members of people with developmental disabilities; representatives from People First of Fitzgerald; the Jessamine Place (local service provider); East Central Technical College; the city of Fitzgerald; and Ben Hill County, among others.

In Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County, there are very few options for transportation outside of privately owned vehicles. This greatly limits opportunities for recreation and social activities, medical access, educational and employment opportunities, as well as everyday errands a resident may have. In the past year, one individual using a wheelchair was killed by a motorist while trying to travel on a street with no sidewalks. The issue of transportation impacts all who live in the area, regardless of disability. The core group is particularly interested in community-based responses to transportation. Models currently being explored include formalized ride share and carpool programs, transportation co-ops, church van co-ops, and time banks.

In July 2010, Ben Hill County and the City of Fitzgerald successfully passed a Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) which includes $250,000 specifically earmarked to provide seed funding for community-based transportation models being explored as part of the Real Communities Initiative.

Korean Coalition
This group was initially formed in response to a needs assessment done by the Center for Pan Asian Community Services via an innovative grant from the GCDD. The Korean Coalition is in the beginning stages of forming an organization of Korean families who have family members with disabilities. In our purposeful learning process, we have seen that often starting as a family group can be a powerful and empowering first step in building a group to act in the larger community. Most of the families participating live in the Duluth area.  Once parents have the opportunity to connect with others facing similar barriers, access basic services, and build some strength as a smaller group, they are better able to reach out to the larger community.  The Korean Coalition participated in a learning journey to Madison, Wisconsin where members experienced adults with disabilities leading active, productive lives.  It expanded the possibilities that were even imaginable.  They are planning a second learning journey to Kalamazoo, where they will visit and learn about an inclusive YMCA that provides a creative after school program.  Families in the Korean Coalition had little to no experience with successful inclusion but have been exposed to learning opportunities both in GA and outside GA that are helping them believe that inclusion is possible and preferable.

Gwinnett Time Bank Project
This project was formerly housed within The Community Action Pioneers of Gwinnett (or CAP) which was formed in 2008. CAP is made up of Gwinnett County residents who are graduates of the Partners in Policymaking program and are all parents of children with developmental disabilities. Their beginning activities were focused on systems change and advocacy work, as well as a small project reaching out to a local religious congregation around accessibility. They had planned to develop a time bank where people can exchange supports and services with each other on an hour for hour basis, but recently, the group decided to focus on their original advocacy and parent support activities, and the Time Bank initiative has split off and will form a new core group to support its implementation.

City of Milton
The City of Milton is located in North Fulton County in the metro Atlanta area. Milton is a new city, formed at the end of 2006. Since its inception, the City of Milton has been extremely dedicated and intentional in ensuring accessibility and providing opportunities to involve residents with disabilities. When the city was founded, the Milton Disability Awareness Committee (MDAC) was created as an official committee of the City Council. MDAC has worked with City personnel to ensure they are familiar with the American with Disabilities Act, have a basic level of awareness of issues impacting people with disabilities and have also worked to reach out and educate the larger community.

The GCDD is currently working with MDAC and the City of Milton as part of Real Communities to ensure Milton is truly welcoming to all who live there and to provide opportunities for citizen engagement and involvement in community. We are currently working to develop a mini-grant program that would be administered by the City of Milton. The purpose of these mini-grants is to provide neighborhood groups and residents with resources to create community-driven projects that enhance and strengthen local community life, build avenues towards civic engagement and create avenues for the full participation of all residents, specifically those typically left out of community life. All projects are initiated, planned and implemented by local residents. Mini-grants support neighborhood improvements, promote neighborhood associations and fund projects that bring community members together and create avenues for inclusion. Engaged and connected residents are the greatest asset in any given community. By allowing residents to actively engage in improving their communities and making them more welcoming for everyone, we see great things emerge and a new relationship develop between residents and local government.

Centenary United Methodist Church
Located in College Hill Corridor in down Macon, GA Centenary Church was founded in 1884. Until the 1980s, the neighborhood and congregation of the church was mostly affluent and Caucasian. By the 1990s, the neighborhood was mostly African American and extremely impoverished. The congregation’s number dwindled. It became clear that both the church and neighborhood would not survive unless major changes were made. In 2005, the church began to work actively to reach out to and engage the surrounding neighborhood. The congregation is now extremely diverse and dedicated to addressing the concerns of the community in long-term and sustainable ways. The diversity of the congregation is something Centenary not only embraces, but is proud of.

Centenary has a Minster of Community Building on staff, has started a community garden, has a transitional housing program for men, a microloan program, support and house a summer camp for youth whose parents are incarcerated, in addition to other programs that actively support the community and address root causes as opposed to providing temporary band-aid type relief. Recently Centenary has been involved in a large effort to open a food co-operative in the College Hill Corridor of Macon.

The GCDD is exploring collaboration opportunities with Centenary as part of Real Communities. Centenary is very interested in exploring ways to welcome people with disabilities and their families into the congregation and offer opportunities for them to contribute.

Clarkston

Located in Dekalb County, Clarkston is one of the most diverse communities in the country. It is a hub for refugee resettlement and is known for the number of different countries and languages represented.  As a way to build community, an effort is underway to begin to use urban gardening as a means for bringing people together.  It promotes the use of people’s skills and talents as they move from other lands where farming was a way of life.  It also provides fresh, natural food sources that are healthy and affordable.  GCDD will be working closely with Refugee Family Services who will provide the community builder and work to do asset mapping and projects that will enhance participation of all members of their diverse community.

Savannah

Located on the coast of Georgia, Savannah is one of the oldest communities in the state. The center piece for the Real Communities efforts in Savannah is the coffee shop, the Sentient Bean.  The efforts there will also be focusing on growing food, supporting farmers’ markets, and involving neighbors who live around Forsyth Park.  This diverse neighborhood needs opportunities to bring people together in an effort to understand and appreciate each others’ gifts.

The Real Communities Initiative is a cutting edge approach both in Georgia and in the United States.  GCDD is very interested in making sure that there is documentation that will tell the story of how this initiative unfolds and how this approach can support families and build community capacity.

THIS IS THE WEEK TO START CALLING YOUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT GETTING MORE WAIVERS IN THE FY 2013 BUDGET. SEE THE MONDAY MORNING ALERT “KEYS TO THE CAMPAIGN!”

Moving Forward PDF File

Moving Forward Text File