Georgia Families Concerned Federal Budget Cuts May Affect Programs That Serve Georgians with Disabilities
Written by Tianna Faulkner on .
July 29, 2025 - (Atlanta, GA) – Congress should decide before the end of September whether Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) will continue to get funding. Without these services, individuals with disabilities could face reduction in needed services, including institutionalization, fewer legal protections, reduced educational and employment opportunities, and an increased risk of harm. These proposed cuts could set back the progress of the work of Georgia’s Developmental Disability (DD) Network and shift higher costs to already-stretched state systems.
P&As and UCEDDs include the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) & the Center for Leadership and Disability (CLD) at Georgia State University (GSU) and Human Development and Disability (IHDD) at the University of Georgia (UGA). These agencies support individuals and family members of people with disabilities throughout the state of Georgia.
The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) is focused on training future leaders and professionals to better support people with disabilities. One of its initiatives is the AUCD Leadership Academy, a week-long program designed to enhance the skills of current and emerging leaders from the disability network to build coalitions to improve systems of supports and services. The Georgia Association for Infant Mental Health: Birth to Five: GA-AIMH, another CLD initiative, supports a range of early childhood professionals who address the social, emotional and developmental needs of young children and their families.
The Georgia Advocacy Office advances the legal, civil, and human rights of Georgians with disabilities. It organizes resources and follows values and legal mandates which substantially help people in Georgia who have significant disabilities and mental illness. Two Georgia families share how they have benefited from support from the Georgia Advocacy Office. Metro Atlanta resident Maria Manning said GAO has supported her in getting supports and services for her son Jaylen who has a disability.
“I am a divorced single mother who had no support and was caring for my son Jaylen who needed 24/7 support. I had to quit working to care for him,” Manning said. “A friend told me about The Georgia Advocacy Office who provided me with the resources and information I needed to get the support and care for my son who grew out of the school system. Jaylen is now at home receiving nursing support.”
Teresa Heard, from Dougherty County said, “The Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) has been a champion of our family for several years. There is no question about the importance of the work done by GAO. They brought so many people into our lives who are part of the grassroots network of support that has helped our family thrive. The IDECIDE Georgia program with GAO illustrated to my son success in understanding his own rights and how he can live a successful independent life.” Heard explained, “My son has had success as an entrepreneur because GAO gave my son the tools and the opportunity to be a public speaker. He now can advocate for his own small business and the need for employment options for people with disabilities.”
The federal committees on Appropriations will analyze the President’s annual budget request and make funding decisions. The budget request proposes the funding cuts to P&As and the total elimination of UCEDDs, putting the UCEDDS continued existence in jeopardy.
Georgia’s DD Network is calling on Georgia’s disability community, including people with developmental disabilities to contact their state and federal representatives, letting them know how these cuts would impact their lives. People can help by sharing their stories with state and federal representatives, attending townhalls, and spreading the word about the potential funding cuts on social media.
For more information about the DD Network in Georgia, click the following link:
https://gcdd.org/news-a-media/making-a-difference-magazine/june-2025/what-is-the-dd-network
About the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities: GCDD’s mission is to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for the wide spectrum of diverse Georgians with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, lead, work, play and worship in their communities.
About the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities: The mission of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities is to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for the wide spectrum of diverse people with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, lead, work, play and worship in their communities. www.gcdd.org
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