GCDD IMPACT - GCDD Receives Five Year Strategic Plan Feedback from Disability Community

During the months of August and September, GCDD hosted listening sessions and focus groups to hear from people around the state about what issues mattered to them. To make sure Georgians with disabilities, their family members, caregivers and community advocates shared what changes they’d like to see in Georgia, GCDD hosted three virtual townhalls; convened six focus groups; and opened a survey to collect detailed information from respondents. 

What did we find out?

Over 200 people attended the town halls and the audience had a diverse representation of ability, race, geography, gender identity and sexual orientation.

11 people participated in the focus groups for professionals

  • Gender
    • 9 cis women
    • 2 cis men
  • Race
    • 5 African American/Black
    • 6 white
  • Hometowns
    • Valdosta
    • Marietta
    • Smyrna
    • Fayetteville
    • Milledgeville
    • Tifton
    • Atlanta

11 people participated in the focus group for PWDD

  • Setting
    • 10 urban/suburban
    • 1 rural
  • Age
    • 1 - 18-24 year old
    • 8 - 25 - 44 year olds
    • 2 -45 - 64 year olds
  • Race
    • 8 white
    • 2 African American/Black
    • 1 Middle Eastern
  • Gender
  • 5 cis women
  • 4 cis men
  • 2 undisclosed
  • Sexual orientation
  • 8 heterosexual
  • 2 asexual
  • 1 prefer not to say

7 people participated in the focus group of family members

  • Gender
    • 6 cis women
    • 1 cis man
  • Race
    • 3 African American/Black
    • 3 white
    • 1 Native American

340 surveys received

  • 325 unique respondents
    • 23% said they had a disability
    • ~61% were family members
    • ~18% service providers
  • Top 3 Areas for Focus:
    • Waiver Services
    • Employment
    • Housing
  • Top 3 Barriers
    • Lack of knowledge on resources available
    • Waitlists
    • Lack of money

Through these various approaches, many common themes emerged as concerns for the disability community. Some included:

  • Employment
  • Transportation
  • Advocacy
  • Innovation
  • Diversity
  • Eliminate planning list
  • Coalition building
  • Transition planning
  • Peer support
  • Intersectionality
  • Technology
  • Advocacy training
  • Expanded services in rural areas
  • Integrated housing

So, what comes next?

With the feedback received, the council will now work to construct the Five Year Strategic Plan based on what we’ve learned from the community and our work to-date.

GCDD will analyze all the data gathered through focus groups, surveys and townhalls to decipher common themes. GCDD is excited about the powerful and intersectional experiences the community shared openly and candidly. After the review, the council will begin to craft goals across the domains of systems change, capacity building and advocacy where the council is charged with having impact.

If you were not able to participate, the Council will collect more feedback on the plan when it is completed and ready for public input in spring 2021. Stay tuned!

Read the entire Making a Difference - Fall 2020 

Tags: GCDD, Making a Difference, Developmental Disabilities