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Next Council Meeting: April 23-24, 2026 (Atlanta)

GCDD Advocacy Days

Every winter the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) hosts multiple Advocacy Days at the Georgia State Capitol. Advocacy Days are a great opportunity for members of Georgia's develomental disabilities (DD) community to connect directly with our state leaders. GCDD staff and volunteers support attendees to advocate on issues important to the DD community. Advocacy Days are a great opportunity for both new advocates and seasoned ones to have a real impact on our state's policies for people with DD.

Each Advocacy Day is about a topic of critical importance to the DD community. On Advocacy Days, participants meet with GCDD staff and volunteers to learn about the issues, then visit the Georgia State Capitol to speak directly with their legislators.

Advocacy Days at the Capitol support GCDD’s overall mission to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for persons with DD and their families to live, learn, work, play and worship in Georgia communities.

To help prepare for Advocacy Days, GCDD offers the following resources:

Advocacy Days 2026

NOW/COMP Waivers Advocacy Day
January 28, 2026

NOW/COMP waivers provide necessary care services and support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently, there are over 7,800 Georgians waiting for waivers. Waivers play a crucial role in offering pathways to employment and financial stability. Waivers also give people with disabilities a chance to fully participate in their communities.

NOW/COMP Waivers Information Sheet (PDF)

Education Advocacy Day
February 4, 2026

Join advocates from across the state to educate legislators on K-12 special education across Georgia. This year's event brings parents, educators, self-advocates, and community members to the Georgia State Capitol to meet with legislators and share their stories and their children’s stories.

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) Grant Information Sheet (PDF)

Georgia Roadmap to Student Inclusion (PDF)

Fund the 1,217/No Cuts to Care: I/DD Medicaid Advocacy Day
March 4, 2026

Join the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities for our Fund the 1,217/No Cuts to Care: Medicaid Advocacy Day. 

Over 7,800 Georgians with I/DD are waiting for basic services just to live safely in their communities. 1,217 people need waivers NOW — including people trying to leave institutions, aging caregivers at their breaking point, and young adults leaving school with nowhere to turn. The state budget currently funds only 100 of these 1,217 waivers. That is not enough. We are calling on the legislature to fund ALL 1,217. We cannot ask these Georgians to wait one more day. 

Medicaid is a lifeline for thousands of Georgians with intellectual/developmental disabilities, providing essential services including personal care, therapy, medical equipment, and community-based supports that allow people to live, work, and thrive in their communities. 

Your Voice Matters! When you join us, you'll meet with your members of Georgia’s legislature to share your real stories about how waivers and Medicaid support independence, employment, health, and quality of life for people with disabilities and their families. 

Registration to participate