Moving Georgia Forward with GCDD’s 2027-2031 Strategic Five-Year Plan

Imagine a Georgia where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are not just present in their communities but truly belong.

Where people have friends, meaningful relationships, and opportunities to contribute. Where families feel connected and supported. Where young people leaving high school can see a future filled with possibilities. Where people with I/DD have a real voice in decisions that affect their lives—and where that voice is heard.

That is the future envisioned in the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities’ new five-year plan, which begins in October 2026.

Over the next five years and beyond, GCDD will focus on creating lasting change in the lives of Georgians with I/DD and their families. The measure of success will not be the number of meetings held or projects completed. It will be what is different in people’s lives.

All people want to belong and feel connected. Everyone needs to feel that they matter and have a place in their community. Yet people with I/DD can face barriers that make it harder to build relationships and feel connected. Together, we can tear those barriers down.

GCDD’s vision is a Georgia where more people with I/DD experience genuine belonging—where they have meaningful relationships, valued social roles, and opportunities to participate in everyday community life.

A good life means having choices about where you live, how you spend your time, who you spend it with, and what you want for your future.

Over the next five years, GCDD will work toward greater self-determination and leadership for people with I/DD. More people will have opportunities to advocate for themselves, participate in civic life, influence public policy, and help shape the communities they call home.

Economic opportunity is part of that picture, too. GCDD envisions more people with I/DD moving toward competitive, integrated employment, meaningful careers, and greater financial security. Young people should be able to leave high school with a pathway toward the future—not a cliff.

We want a Georgia that sees disability differently. Real change happens when attitudes change. GCDD wants more Georgians to understand disability, recognize the contributions of people with I/DD, and move beyond outdated stereotypes and assumptions. People are not heroes simply because they exist with a disability. The word “disability” no longer hides in the shadows – it’s part of the human condition. The word is no longer whispered. The disability community will not be sidelined.

We want a system that works for people. People and families should be able to find understandable, accessible information about the services, supports, and opportunities available to them.

These goals point toward something bigger than any single program or policy. They describe a Georgia where people with I/DD have stronger relationships, greater choice, meaningful opportunities, economic security, and a genuine voice in their communities.

That is the difference GCDD is working to make. And over the next five years, Georgians will have a chance to help make that vision a reality.

Find out more about GCDD’s 2027-2031 Five-Year Strategic Plan.