making a difference magazine || fall 2006

GEORGIA GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Real Homes. Real Careers. Real Learning. Real Influence. Real Supports.

FALL 2006

HiringBeyond Disability

www.gcdd.orgwww.gcdd.org

Getting to Work

GCDD Awards

Meet theCandidates

Getting to Work

GCDD Awards

Meet theCandidates

Features8Getting to Work:Employment InstituteExpands Job ProgramAgencies join to ensurecustomized employment practices are put to usethroughout Georgia.

13Hiring Beyond Disability:Discovery Day Appeals toHearts and Bottom LineGCDD shows how people withdisabilities can contribute to the bottom line.

18GCDD AwardsLegislators, media and advocatesare recognized for theircommitment to the disabilitycommunity.

20Transit Options VaryAcross GeorgiaNo statewide plan is in place toaddress issue.

22Who Will You Vote For?Candidates share their thoughtson disability issues.

24Working Like a DogService animals contribute toindependence, confidence.

4GCDD ViewpointReal Careers are MoreAvailable, but SomeBarriers Still ExistSupports needed to assuresuccess.

5Disability Day 2007Mark your calendars forthis annual rally.

6Around GCDDSeasoned self-advocateKate Gainer joins GCDDstaff; Drelda Mackeyprovides assistance; GCDDmember Phil Pickens isremembered.

16PerspectivesTwo people share theiremployment experiences.

26Expert UpdateAccommodations researchhelps people go to work.

27Mia’s SpaceMia adjusts well to work.

28Straight TalkAssistive technologyhelps GCDD member at his job.

DepartmentsIn Each Issue3 Letter from

Governor Sonny Perdue

29 CalendarEditorial Cartoon

30 Resources

2 Making a Difference • Fall 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

pg. 24

NEW!

www.gcdd.org 3

FROM THE GOVERNOR

Volume 7, Issue 2 Fall 2006

A quarterly magazine of theGovernor’s Council on

Developmental Disabilities

The Governor’s Council on DevelopmentalDisabilities collaborates with Georgia’scitizens, public and private advocacyorganizations and policymakers to

positively influence public policies thatenhance the quality of life for peoplewith disabilities and their families.

GCDD provides this through education and advocacy activities,

program implementation, funding andpublic policy analysis and research.

Tom SeegmuellerChairperson

[email protected]

Eric E. JacobsonExecutive Director

[email protected]

Valerie Meadows SuberEditor-in-Chief &

Public Information [email protected]

2 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 26-246Atlanta, GA 30303-3142

Voice 404-657-2126Fax 404-657-2132

Toll free 1-888-275-4233TDD 404-657-2133

www.gcdd.org

Valerie Smith BuxtonManaging Editor

O’Neill Communications, [email protected]

O’Neill Communications, Inc.Design & Layout

Brandon D HuntCartoonist

To Georgia’s Disability Community,

I f you will take a moment and remember back to 2004 with me, a newemployment program focusing on customized employment was emerging here in the State of Georgia. That same employment program, that has been

successful in Cobb and Douglas counties, is blossoming across our state –allowing people with disabilities to identify the type of work they want andfinding ways to carve out just the right position for the individual based on hisor her abilities and interests.

This program, called the Employment Institute, broadlyintegrates the Georgia Departments of Education, Labor, HumanResources, Community Health and other state and community-based organizations into a network of professionals who findand create new job opportunities for those with disabilities.This statewide network blends its funding and will be placingresource specialists in cities around the state to help businessand community leaders better understand how they can play anactive role in helping people who are able and willing to workto find good employment. Local community, government andbusiness leaders are beginning to see new possibilities for smallbusinesses to bring new, customized job opportunities to realityfor their own benefit as well as for the benefit of our owncitizens with disabilities.

Customized employment is just one of Georgia’s many success storiesproviding support services on the individual level. A strong focus on theindividual improves the quality of life and continues Georgia’s progress towardshome and community-based services that allow individuals to becomeindependent and successful. In recent years, our community-based programs haveadded 1,500 Mental Retardation Waivers, 152 slots for Independent Care WaiverPrograms, and a $7.6 million allocation for the Katie Beckett Waiver program thatallowed so many of our citizens to enjoy their own communities.

My hope is that we will all continue to work together to offer Georgians withdisabilities the educational programs and job opportunities they need to buildand manage their own careers. We envision a Georgia that educates and employsall of its citizens who want to work, and this is becoming a new reality.

Cobb and Douglas counties’ customized employment program is a model andnational leader, and its replication across the state is one way we are movingtoward our goal of Employment First – where individuals with disabilities areeither employed or on a path to employment, giving them greater control andmore choice over their quality of life.

Sonny PerdueGovernor

G OV E R N O R ’ S COUNCIL ONDEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIES

J ohn Kretzman wrote in 1997 that “communities canonly be built on the strengths and capacities of thecitizens who call that community home. At the center

of the map, and of the community building process, lies the ‘gifts’ of individual residents, their knowledge, skills,

resources, values and commitments.” As the Governor’s Council on

Developmental Disabilities beginsimplementing its five-year plan for 2006-2011, we are looking to build communitiesthrough the gifts that each member brings.Over the next year, Making a Differencemagazine will feature individuals, families and communities that make up Georgia. Wewill tell the stories of “Real Georgians” whoare working, living, learning and playingwhere they call home. Each edition will focuson Real Careers, Real Homes, Real Learning,Real Support and Real Influence. Within each of these “Real Areas” we will attempt to bring to you new and innovative ideas,some that are happening in Georgia and

some in other places. This edition focuses on “Real Careers.” On September

21, 2006 over 100 people, representing over 20 companiesattended Discovery Day, held at The Home Depot’sheadquarters and hosted by The Home Depot, SouthernCompany and InterContinental Hotels Group. The purposewas for businesses and employers to understand the manyways employees with disabilities can contribute to thebottom line. It was about creating a diverse employee base,which in turn helps businesses be more productive and makegreater profits. It was also about understanding that thereare resources and supports to help businesses that areinterested in hiring people with disabilities.

I have heard many say that the attitude of the businesscommunity is that they do not want to hire people withdisabilities. Yet the message I hear from those in thebusiness community is that they are interested in hiring youif you have the skills and talents necessary to be a good

employee. We must remember that our society has neverguaranteed a job for every person. GCDD promotes access toopportunity for individuals who desire to go to work andoffer their skills and talents to potential employers.Leadership provided by the Jobs for All program andcompanies such as Briggs and Associates are helping manypeople with disabilities find jobs, establish new businessesand remain employed. We need more efforts such as thesethat recognize everyone’s potential and provide the supportsfor individuals to work.

However, in many cases the support systems that areneeded for individuals to succeed in the work place havefailed. If transportation is not available, people can’t get towork. If people are told they can’t work and are not givenopportunities to learn new skills, they can’t be hired. If job

coaches are not available to assist in building supportivejob sites, people may not succeed at a job. If people havejobs, but can’t get health care, people may find it difficultto remain employed. If people can’t get jobs, then they willfind it more difficult to be productive members of theircommunity. The American way is to work, and yet we havecreated lots of barriers to keep people from getting a job.

This edition of Making a Difference focuses on powerfulstories of those who have gone to work while it exposes theproblems that exist. While the first thing to do is focus onthe talents, skills, resources and values that individualsbring to our communities, we cannot forget thecommitments made by our society to forge a clear path forindividuals to realize their goals and dreams.

We want to hear from you. Let us know about yourexperiences trying to find a job or employing someone witha disability. You can reach me at 1-888-275-4233 or you cane-mail me at [email protected].

GCDD VIEWPOINT


Real Careers are MoreAvailable, but SomeBarriers Still Exist

Eric E. JacobsonExecutive Director, GCDD

“The American way is to work, andyet we have created lots of barriers to

keep people from getting a job.”

DISABILITY DAY

www.gcdd.org 5

Join the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities at the Georgia Capitol to:

• Rally on the Capitol steps

• Celebrate community, advocacy and friendship

• Enjoy breakfast or lunch with advocates and legislators from across Georgia

• Show legislators WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

For more information, visit www.gcdd.org or call 404-657-2126.

Disability Day at the CapitolFebruary 22, 2007

Letters to the EditorLetters should include the writer’s full name, address, phone number, and may be edited for purpose ofclarity and space.

Contact Our Editor:Valerie Meadows Suber,[email protected], 404-657-2122Fax 404-657-2132

or: 2 Peachtree Street, NWSuite 26-246Atlanta, GA 30303-3142

Audio or Large Print Versions:For an audio version of Making aDifference, please contact GCDD. A large font version is available fordownload at www.gcdd.org.

Sponsorship:For sponsorship opportunities contact:Christina Rosell at 770-578-9765 [email protected]

Subscriptions/Back Issues:Visit us at our Web site: www.gcdd.org or call us: 404-657-2126

It is our policy to publish readers’comments. Contents do not necessarilyreflect the opinions of GCDD, theeditors or state government.

HOW TO REACH US

G OV E R N O R ’ S COUNCIL ONDEVELOPMENTALDISABILITIES

ATTENDEE RSVP FORMDisability Day at the Capitol • February 22, 2007

Please register to attend the breakfast OR luncheon.

RSVP: 404-657-2126, Toll Free 888-ASK-GCDD, FAX 404-657-2132, TTY 404-657-2133, or www.gcdd.org

Name: ______________________________________________________________________

Organization: ________________________________________ Total # attending: ______

Mailing Address: __________________________ City: ______________ Zip Code: ______

E-mail: ____________________________________ Telephone: ______________________

I plan to attend _________ Breakfast _________ Lunch

Optional $10.00 donation per person to support breakfast or luncheon is appreciated, but not required. Total payment amount: ____________ Total amount enclosed: _______________

Please make check payable and return to:Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities • Disability Day Registration2 Peachtree St. NW, Suite 26-246, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Please note special accommodations we should be aware of: ____________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________


KATE GAINER

“Unemployable.” That was the label ascribed to Kate Gainer by a

rather unimaginative state vocational rehabilitationcounselor who declared her case closed almost 35years ago.

Gainer’s journey began before there was system-wide impact of the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1970, which offered the first legal definition ofdevelopmental disabilities and established stateDevelopmental Disabilities Councils; before passageof the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prohibitedfederally-funded programs from discriminatingagainst people with disabilities; and before the1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Actestablished the right of children with disabilities to a public school education in an integratedenvironment.

Even though Gainer had graduated near the topof her high school class, the counselor saw littlepromise. At that time, many counselors typicallylacked the imagination to envision greaterpossibilities than the two cents per hour workshopjob Gainer refused.

The counselor’s lack of imagination and lowexpectations may have been “the best thing thatcould have happened,” recalls Gainer. She eventuallycaught the wave of the disability rights movement.And, she caught fire as well.

The steady encouragement of a loving family,supportive community andthe emerging impact ofdisability rights laws on theAmerican landscape ignitedin Gainer a determinationand sense of advocacy whichbrought new opportunitiesthat she was rightlypositioned to explore.

Today among manyfirsts, Gainer distinguishes

herself as the only person to serve the GeorgiaGovernor’s Council on Developmental Disabilitiestwice. Gainer was a council member from 1983-1993. Now she joins the staff of GCDD as its newAdvocacy Director, effective October 1.

“It is recognition that people with disabilities

can guide, lead and achieve, in spite of limitationsimposed upon us by the unimaginative expectationsof many in the general society,” Gainer explains.

“When I was hired, I did not intend it as astatement of disability recognition. It wasrecognition of talent, perseverance and hard work.”

For Gainer doing well in school was importantearly on. Born with athetoid cerebral palsy, she waspartially mainstreamed into regular elementaryeducation classes which helped prepare her forsuccess in high school.

“The teacher told us that we could do anythingwe wanted to do, but she always insisted that what-ever we did, we do it well, whether it was a classproject, a school play or our homework every day.

“As kids will do, as you get to know yourenvironment, you begin to test your limitations tosee how far you can test the rules. So social studiesand science turned into going to music and havinglunch with my friends,” Gainer recalls.

“The kids took over.” The football team and band members organized

themselves to meet her at every class to escort her…carrying her books and typewriter to her next class.This was managed without prompting by teachers,counselors or the principal. “Kids are wonderful ifonly adults will leave them alone,” she insists.

School was one matter. Finding a real job withreal pay was another.

“I would go into interviews and all of a suddenthere would be no jobs. So I ended up sitting home.

“You might lick your wounds for a minute butyou pick yourself up and start all over again,” saysGainer.

A lengthy hiatus ended when a supervisor shesought out agreed that Vocational Rehabilitationwould pay her tuition if she could get accepted tocollege. She did. “I think I surprised him by doingexactly what he asked me to do,” she said. Gainerattended Atlanta Junior College (now Atlanta Metro-politan College) and continued her college career atGeorgia State University, majoring in marketing andadvertising. At Georgia State, she was the foundingpresident of the Disabled Students Association andpresident of the creative writing club.

Gainer believes her activism is naturally linkedto the civil rights movement as she witnessed herparents’ stand against Jim Crow attitudes. Thatspirit for social change found Gainer joining up withADAPT in protests for civil rights for people withdisabilities. At one such protest in Orlando, Fla. shewas among 74 people arrested as they demon-strated to call attention to Medicaid funding needs.

Seasoned Self-AdvocateKate Gainer Joins GCDD

By Valerie Meadows Suber

“Kate is still on amission, and that’sgood for all of us.”

Gainer has been on the forefront of Georgia advocacy.

www.gcdd.org 7

AROUND GCDD

“Kate is still on a mission,and that’s good for all of us.She is the consummateadvocate, and her knowledgeof GCDD has prepared her wellfor her duties as advocacydirector,” said Eric Jacobson,GCDD Executive Director.

Gainer will expand grassroots advocacy networks and coordinateGCDD’s leadership and advocacy skills development initiatives. She willalso help review and analyze policy proposals, proposed regulations andlegislation and position papers, as well as manage special projects andnew programs.

According to Jacobson, “It’s the kind of work Kate has been doing for25 years, and we look forward to her contributions.”

Gainer has served as Disability Affairs Coordinator for the City ofAtlanta, Information Specialist for the ADA Resource Center and AssistantCoordinator for Georgia Voices That Count.

She is chair of the Long Road Home steering committee, a member ofAtlanta ADAPT and Atlanta People First. Among numerous awards, she is arecent recipient of the Community Advocate of the Year by All Children AreSpecial, an organization for parents of children with developmentaldisabilities.

As a GCDD council member, Gainer chaired the committee responsiblefor the creation of Partners In Policymaking in Georgia. She is a formerpartner of Georgia Disability Advocates, a for-profit consultingorganization that dealt with disability sensitivity and awareness.

Kate Gainer is the advocate’s advocate with many life lessons toshare, “No matter what task I am taking on, I can reach back through myhistory and realize I did that before. It may not have been called that, itmay not have been as complicated, but the essential parts of the problemare the same. You just have to figure it out, and you have to have enough

confidence in yourself to hang in there.” l

Mackey Helps GCDDRun More Efficiently

Drelda Mackey has joined the Governor’s Council onDevelopmental Disabilities as the newadministrative program associate.She will provide programmatic andadvanced administrative support tothe fiscal and executive directors bycomposing proposals for contracts andconsulting agreements.

Additionally,Mackey willcoordinate andfacilitate contractreimbursementwith accountspayable for basicexpenditures aswell as partial payments fromcontracts; assist staff and council withgrant and project development andimplementation; conduct research forpolicy analysis; and provide technical

assistance to contractors. Mackey previously worked as an

administrative assistant to the generalmanager for the Houston Rocketsbasketball team in Houston, Texas.She assisted with player contracts,relocation packages, agents, fans andthe NBA draft. Mackey can be reachedby calling (404) 657-2119 or throughemail at [email protected].

Disability CommunityLoses Advocate

Former Georgia StateDirector of Special Educationand member of the Governor’sCouncil on DevelopmentalDisabilities Phil Pickens diedSeptember 23. After 26 years of service in the GeorgiaDepartment of Education,Pickens retired and was workingpart time consulting with theAlabama Department ofEducation and the SoutheastRegional Resource Center inMontgomery, Ala.

In 2001, Pickens foundedthe Georgia Parent MentorPartnership, in which parents of students with disabilities arehired by local school systems to develop collaborationbetween parents and educators,leading to improved studentachievement.

“Phil helped Georgiaimprove its efforts to provideeducation to students withdisabilities in the leastrestricted environment. Hisleadership will be missed,” said GCDD Executive DirectorEric Jacobson.

in mem

oriam

Gainer participates in the Long Road Home march.


Todd Register has a passionfor cars. With the help from a grant called Jobs

for All, a job was carved out forhim at a Hyundai dealership inDouglas county.

“Todd had worked in service industry jobsbagging groceries. In this job, he gets to workaround other men and develop relationships,”explained Director of Customized Employment for the Cobb-Douglas Community Services Board(CSB) Doug Crandell.

Register’s job coach at the Cobb-Douglas CSB helped Register find the job by going to thedealership and discussing its needs withmanagement. Through this process, called jobcarving, Register’s job coach, Gail Harris,determined the dealership needed help keeping thecars in the showroom clean, and someone whowould peel the coating off new cars and put thedealer plates on them.

“The salespeople were doing these tasks. Wehelped the employer solve a problem by hiringTodd,” Crandell said.

Job carving is just one of the methods of aninnovative approach to finding jobs for people withcognitive disabilities, called customizedemployment. In all methods, the first step is simple– start with the individual.

Once a person’s abilities and desires areidentified, the customized employment team tries tofind a job to match those abilities through jobcarving, or three other methods:

• RESOURCE OWNERSHIP – a resource (such asequipment or a computer) is purchased thatthe employee brings to his or her job toperform tasks more productively.

• BUSINESS WITHIN A BUSINESS – a jobseeker starts a small business thatcomplements an existing business.

• MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT – the jobseeker starts his or her own small businessafter developing a business plan andidentifying funding sources.

The customized employment process started atthe Cobb-Douglas CSB five years ago as a result of agrant. The grantprovided funds for theorganization topurchase equipment,provide businesstraining or hire supportpersonnel as necessaryto help its clients findmeaningful employ-ment. Since then, theCobb-Douglas CSB hasfound other ways tofund these supports to ensure clients continue tofind meaningful careers, even without grant funds.

The result was procuring employment for peoplewith significant cognitive disabilities who werethought to be unemployable by more traditional jobplacement agencies.

In the last year, the remaining funds of thegrant will be used to create an EmploymentInstitute that will help Georgia replicate thesuccessful customized employment program; sustainand create innovations at local levels; collect anddisseminate data; provide organizational structureand training; transform viewpoints and attitudes;build networks and train leaders; and work with thestate to help form policies, find funding, createregulations and overcome obstacles.

Employment Institute ExpandsSuccessful Jobs Program

REAL CAREERS.By Valerie Smith Buxton

In all methods,the first step is simple –

start with the

individual.

GettingtoWork

www.gcdd.org 9

Through job carving, a Douglasville car dealershipcreated a job suited to Register’s talents.

The institute will help bring the state one stepcloser to its Employment First goal of ensuring allpeople with disabilities are employed or on the pathto employment instead of being placed in dayprograms.

Governor’s Council on Developmental DisabilitiesDeputy Director Patricia Nobbie, D.P.A., said, “Thenew MRDD waiver rate structure change requiresproviders to change day services to a morecommunity setting. A lot of providers are alreadygetting people out.”

Now providers and other members of thecommunity will be able to turn to the EmploymentInstitute as a valuable resource.

“The Employment Institute will helpstakeholders learn how they can have an active rolein helping people find employment,” explained RichToscano, a part time public service faculty memberat the Institute on Human Development andDisability at the University of Georgia in Athens.

The institute plans to put resource specialists inseveral areas of the state, potentially includingColumbus, Macon, Savannah, Rome, Valdosta and thenorth mountain area near Athens.

“Resource specialists will connect individualsand their families/providers to supports available intheir local area,” Toscano explained.

Ideally, the specialists would work withtransitioning high schoolers, bringing togethercounselors from the Department of Labor’sVocational Rehabilitation Program (VR), employers,benefits navigators and others to develop anemployment plan that would identify the supportsthe student would need for successful employment.

“It’s important to involve VR early because itgives students the opportunity to try jobs,” advisedNobbie. “Students can request VR support when theyturn 18.”

As part of this process, funding sources wouldbe identified that would pay for the supports theperson would need, from purchasing resources, tojob coaching, to transportation and assistivetechnology. Once the institute is operational, theStatewide Independent Living Council will hold these

funds in an IndividualTraining Account for thejob seeker. “The account might hold

already allocated dollars or be a virtual account -the identified amount of money that could becomeavailable on behalf of the individual,” Toscano said.

This will also help protect the job seeker’sSupplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid benefits in the early stages of formalizing acustomized employment approach because themoney wouldn’t be in their own bank account untilthe business or employment venture becomes viableand self-sustaining.

Potential funding sources might include moneyfrom the family, VR, Medicaid, etc. Resourcespecialists might also find alternate ways to achievesupports. For example, if no money is available for ajob coach, a potential employer might already havesomeone employed who would be qualified to helpshow the job seeker how to do the job.

Because the Employment Institute will beinterdisciplinary, working with the Departments ofEducation, Labor, Human Resources, CommunityHealth and others, one of the goals is to develop acommon language across the systems to make theprocess easier.

The end goal of the institute is to helpcommunities across the state create CustomizedStrategic Action Plans for people with disabilitiesthat identify type of work, specific employers, howequipment will be funded, etc.

Currently, the Employment Institute is beingfunded through a Workforce Action grant, the GeorgiaDepartment of Labor’s Vocational RehabilitationProgram, the Department of Human Resources’ Div-ision of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities andAddictive Diseases, the Governor’s Council on Develop-mental Disabilities and the Georgia Advocacy Office.

Toscano said if enough local and state funds areraised for the institute, it could receive up to fourtimes the amount in matching federal funds.

“Blending funding sources can help us get moreresources to people,” he said.

REERS.


FEATURE

Federal Research Shows Positive Impact ofCustomized Employment

Georgia’s revolutionary customized employmentproject would not have been possible without agrant the Cobb-Douglas Community Services Board(CSB) received from the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) toimplement the strategy.

“ODEP is now identifying very promisingpractices from its experimental projects, such ascustomized employment, located in Career OneStopCenters, such as the program in Cobb county,”revealed Susan Parker, director of the Office ofPolicy and Research for ODEP. “Our job is to identifyways to increase the employment rate of peoplewith disabilities. We do it through evidence-basedresearch. We are not a regulatory nor anadjudicatory agency.”

The department funds grants that are used atlocal levels, then measures the impact the grant hadon finding jobs for people with disabilities.

“The Department of Labor is interested intaking on various practices that serve to increase

employment forpeople who wantto work anddon’t,” Parker said.

When ODEPfinds a programthat works well, itshares informationabout the successof the programduring workforcedevelopmentconferences,briefing sessionsand workshops.Georgia’scustomized

employment program is one of those.“Montgomery (a county in Maryland) Works and

Cobb county are absolutely the most promising,”Parker said.

In June, 2006, ODEP released research resultsof a study of 536 people who received customizedemployment services as a result of ODEP grants.

“All the people we’ve worked with incustomized employment have severe

disabilities,” she said. The research revealed some positive trends.

“Of the 536 people surveyed, only a very tiny percent worked in jobs that are traditionallyreserved for people with disabilities,” Parkerrevealed.

Other key findings included:

• The average salary was $8.60, and only onerespondent earned below minimum wage

• 63% had a position with career advancementpotential

• 33% had been in their jobs more than 12months, while 23% had been in their jobs forsix – 11 months

• 60% didn’t make application forSupplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits,and 2% went completely off the SSI roles

• 68% did not apply for Social SecurityDisability Income (SSDI) benefits, and fivepeople went off SSDI rolls

ODEP continues to monitor the progress ofpeople who receive customized employment servicesand is planning to release more results in January.“These results show the positive effect customizedemployment has to help people with disabilitiesenter and stay in the labor force,” Parker said.“These are people who had done little or no workbefore and had been previously bypassed for jobs

because they have significant disabilities.” l

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

“Our job is toidentify ways to

increase theemployment rateof people withdisabilities.”

NATURE OFaccommodations

OFFERED

69% Flexible Scheduling

23% Job Coaching & Natural Supports

19% Special Equipment

9% Assistive Technology

34%

20% Worked 21-34 Hours

Worked Full Time

46% Worked Less Than21 Hours

Hours WorkedPer Week:

A fter seeing many students with cognitivedisabilities have a difficult time findingmeaningful employment, parent and

former member of the Governor’s Council onDevelopmental Disabilities, Sharon O’Prey, wasn’ttaking any chances with her daughter, Adrienne.

By age 16, Sharon O’Prey had her daughtervolunteering at three different places: herdentist’s office, herorthodontist’s officeand her church.

“Since Adriennewas in 7th or 8thgrade she wanted towork in the medicalprofession,” hermom said.

One day, Sharon O’Prey hadan insight at thedentist’s office. “Our dentist alwaysgives patients a bagwith a toothbrush,toothpaste and flossin it to take home. Iasked, ‘Who makesthose bags?’ I found out the hygienists do. Iasked if Adrienne could do it, and they said yes,”she explained.

Similarly, their orthodontist, Dr. MichaelWilliams, handed out bottles of candy to patientswho had their braces removed. Adrienne O’Preystarted filling the candy bottles in January 2005.

Sharon O’Prey invited members of the staff atWilliam Orthodontics to participate on herdaughter’s person-centered planning team, and asa result, discovered they thought she couldperform other tasks around the office, if shecould learn to properly put on surgical gloves.After learning to do that, the staff taught herhow to sterilize equipment, stock wax andmouthwash and clean exam areas after patients

leave.She

performed thesetasks on avolunteer basis,under thesupervision ofoffice staff, forone hour a week.

Last spring,Williams wasinvited to attendAdrienne O’Prey’sperson-centered planning session where teammember Jenny Keller gave a presentation aboutcustomized employment. Williams shared that heoften hired teenagers during the summer to helparound the office.

Keller prepared a presentation aboutAdrienne O’Prey’s strengths and presented it toWilliams. “She said, ‘here’s what Adrienne canbring to your business. What can you give toher?’” Sharon O’Prey said.

“It’s easy for me to ask people to allowAdrienne to volunteer. As a parent, I couldn’t bethat straightforward and ask for her to be paid,”she said.

Williams increased her hours to 7.5 andagreed to begin paying her in June, if she had ajob coach to support her. Jobs for All currentlypays for her job coach, and eventually, SharonO’Prey hopes the Georgia Department of Labor’sVocational Rehabilitation Program takes over the

payment of a coach, until her daughter no longerneeds one.

The O’Preys homeschool their daughter,allowing her to work three days a week. “Adrienneworks Mondays 10 – 12:30; Wednesdays 7 – 9:30;and Thursdays 2:30 – 5,” her mom said.

Adrienne O’Prey says she enjoys her job andhas become friends with other members of thestaff. She knows exactly what she wants tosave her paychecks for, her favorite car,

“a slug bug – cream,” she said. l

Teenager Goes from Volunteer to Employee

By Valerie Smith Buxton

Adrienne O’Prey readies sterilized tools for use.

www.gcdd.org 11

Adrienne O’Prey says she enjoysher job and has become friendswith other members of the staff.

Dr. Michael Williams beganpaying O’Prey in June.


L ast year, Glen Friedman found a job heenjoyed, helping plan and run activities forthe residents at EdenBrook Nursing Home in

Dunwoody. Now Friedman, who is only working four hours

per week, is looking for a second jobwith the help of an employmentspecialist, Mary LaLiberty, from theJobs for All program. Jobs for Alluses the principles of customizedemployment – starting with clients’

dreams, then finding a job that fits those dreamsusing a number of different methods (see page 8).

Friedman has some specific ideas in mind forwhat type of job he’s looking for. “Office work,” hesaid, “Receptionist, I guess you’d say.”

When a potential job opened at a bakery,LaLiberty and Friedman met with Kara Whitney, a

counselor who works with the Georgia Department ofLabor’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program (VR), tosee if the agency could provide a job coach andtransportation to the job.

“It’s not unusual for us to work with othercommunity organizations,” said Jennifer Hudson,regional director for Region 3A of VR.

Unfortunately, the job at the bakery did notmaterialize, so now both VR and LaLiberty arelooking for a job for Friedman.

Hudson said, “We will blend his needs andwants with his physical capabilities,” she said.

Friedman has since had a vocational evaluation,and will also undergo a psychological evaluation.“Once the information is in, we’ll develop a plan ofwhat his vocational goal will be,” Hudson said.

“They’re finding out what my weaknesses andstrongnesses are,” Friedman said.

LaLiberty hopes working together with VR willhelp lead to system change. “VR looks at the regularlabor market and plugs a person into a job,according to their skills and abilities,” she said. Thisprocess can eliminate the potential for a job forsome people, who may not possess the skills to doevery part of a job.

“We go in and carve a job – take parts of thejob description that the client can do,” sheexplained. “We want Glen to find a career, not just ajob,” LaLiberty said.

Assistant Commissioner of RehabilitationServices Peggy Rosser said the department isstarting to use the customized employment modelmore often after using the method successfully withCobb Works in Cobb county. “One of our counselorssaid that customized employment enabled peoplethe opportunity to work at something closer to theirinterests in dreams. We recently secured the servicesof Dr. Michael Callahan, considered the premierexpert in the field of customized employment, toprovide training to VR teams to increase theirexpertise, competence and utilization of a

customized approach,” she revealed. l

EMPLOYMENT

Jobs for All, VR Team to Find Man Second Job


Friedman at his graduation from Georgia Voices that Count - an advocacy training andsupport project in Atlanta in February 2004. Photograph by George Andl.

“We want Glen to find acareer, not just a job.”

In the past year, VR hasfound jobs for 4,477people, 2,606 of whom ithas identified as havinga cognitive disability. Thedepartment has codified1,893 of them as havingthe following cognitivedisabilities:

1,893 COGNITIVE DISABILITIES

708Specific Learning Disability

28Traumatic Brain Injury

173Personality Disorder

131Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder

853Mental Retardation

Photo courtesy of disABILITY

LINK

.

www.gcdd.org 13

After the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers signedJackie Robinson, the first

African-American Major LeagueBaseball player, Robinson and histeammates experienced discrimination,especially during spring training inFlorida. The community kept thetalented player from participating withhis teammates socially, and manage-ment saw this as a problem – theydidn’t want him to quit because theyvalued him. So they built Dodgertown,a complex including restaurants,bowling alleys, golf courses and moreso that the Dodgers were trulyinclusive of all their players.

Neil Romano, member of the President’sCommittee for People with Intellectual Disabilitiesand founder of America’s Strength Foundation, usedRobinson’s situation to illustrate how businesseffects social change during the Governor’s Councilon Developmental Disabilities Making a DifferenceDiscovery Day on September 21.

“Business heals its own problems until societycatches up,” Romano said, comparing what theDodgers did for African-Americans with whatbusiness could do for people with disabilities.

Romano believes business can be more effective

than the government at giving people withdisabilities opportunities for real jobs, and naturally,for all of the things that follow – real homes,education, transportation and more. But, he said,organizations first need to be convinced that hiringpeople with disabilities is good for business.

“For too long, the model for employment thathas been used for people with disabilities has beenwhat I call the ‘day old bread’ model. ‘Please takethis loaf of bread – we’ll give you a discount onit ’…Does that sound like a sale to somebody? Doesthat sound like you’re trying to move goods thatnobody wants? And isn’t that a mindset that theemployer then hears and thinks, ‘Why, why should Ibe the one?’ It’s the wrong statement. And by theway, it doesn’t work.”

Romano’s company, America’s StrengthFoundation, The Gallup Poll and businesses acrossthe country teamed up to survey Americans on howthey felt about businesses that employ people withdisabilities.

They found that 87% ofconsumers would prefer to give theirbusiness to companies who hirepeople with disabilities. They alsofound that 71% of Americans workwith someone with a disability andconsider the value of their work equal or better thanthat of their colleagues without disabilities. Thesurvey also found that after several years, peopleforget their co-workers even have disabilities.

“People with disabilities have value. They havetalents,” Romano said. “Business wants a good solidbottom line, and they want a good solid base ofemployees to help them get that.”

Discovery DayAt the sixth annual Discovery Day, sponsored by

The Home Depot, the Southern Company and theInterContinental Hotels Group, Georgia professionalswere introduced to business leaders who spoke onwhy hiring people with disabilities is good for busi-ness, and heard from employed people with disa-bilities about their contributions to their companies.

Discovery DayAppeals to Heartsand Bottom Line



By Christina Rosell

“People withdisabilities have value.

They have talents.”

Neil Rom

ano


FEATURE

“One of our main purposes heretoday is to have a dialogue aboutcreating a diverse employee base,which helps you as businesses bemore productive in having employeeswith disabilities that can help youbuild your businesses,” GCDDExecutive Director Eric Jacobsonexplained.

He pointed out that 49+ millionpeople with disabilities and theirfamily members make up a $3 trillionmarket, something that should catchthe attention of any goodbusinessperson.

Dave Altman, vice president of corporate communications at the Southern Company, one of thesponsors, challenged business leaderssaying, “It’s most important that we

create action coming out of here…how do we getpeople engaged and act and create opportunities and jobs?”

Another sponsor, The Home Depot, is a goodexample of just how to do that. “For many years,we’ve understood the importance of hiring peoplewith disabilities,” said Gloria Johnson Goins, vicepresident of diversity and inclusion. She explainedthat the do-it-yourself giant has an Olympic JobProgram, where athletes are paid a full salary withbenefits, but only work 20 hours a week so they cantrain for the Olympics and Paralympics. She pointedout that if The Home Depot was a country, it wouldhave taken 16th place in the last Paralympics.

Ralph Green, a member of the U.S. Paralympics2006 Alpine Ski Team, is one such employee. His left leg was amputated as a teenager, before hediscovered his interest in competitive skiing. Now he works 20 hours a week as a Home Depot paint

specialist inColorado andtrains for compe-titions the rest ofhis time. “Withoutthat, I wouldn’tbe able to skirace,” he said.

The Home Depot started working with anotherwork adjustment program called Deaf-2-Work inAtlanta in 2000. “There was a high turnover rate fordeaf associates,” said Layne Thome, director ofassociates services. “We wanted to see if we couldovercome the barriers.” The turnover rate for employ-

ees hired through this program is only 20%, a drasticreduction for people with hearing disabilities, whonormally have a substantially higher turnover rate.

A freight team associate, Curtis Coggins,communicates with co-workers and supervisors onpaper and with pagers. “I did have my concerns inthe beginning because of safety issues,” saidOperations Manager Steven Kouvaris. “But Curtis isone of my hardest workers; he puts in 150%.”

Supported Employment“What jobs are people getting? Food and

cleaning,” said Jennifer Briggs, president andfounder of Briggs & Associates. “That’s not choice!”

An employment service for people withdevelopmental disabilities, Briggs’ company matchesjobs and seekers based on the applicants’ interestsand companies’ needs. Nearly two years ago, shepartnered with Al Blackwelder, chief operating officerat Emory Crawford Long Hospital, to do just that.She found that nurses and other medically trainedhealth care staff also had the responsibilities ofstocking carts, cleaning equipment and escortingpatients and their families throughout the hospital.But the staff was needed by patients, carts wereempty, machinery needed repair and patients andfamilies were often lost in the halls.

“It involved takingjob descriptions andtaking things out andcombining them,”Blackwelder said. Hepraised Briggs for doing most of the workand helping himreorganize withoutexpense.

One resulting jobwas IV pumpmaintenance. And ayear later, Blackwelder

is saving significant dollars on pump maintenance.“I’m doing nothing more than what’s good forbusiness,” he said.

Briggs’ program is expanding to other hospitalsincluding Piedmont Hospital, as well as to otherbusinesses in completely different industries such asSunTrust and Atlanta Public Schools.

According to Katherine McCary, SunTrust Banksvice president of human resources, it was thediversity of the bank’s customers that caused thebank to consider hiring a more diverse workforce.She claimed that if the bank staff doesn’t reflect the

Eric Jacobson

“For many years, we’veunderstood the

importance of hiringpeople with disabilities.”

Ralph Green

Gloria Johnson Goins

www.gcdd.org 15

HIRING BEYOND DISABILITY

diversity of the population, people will find otherplaces to bank.

Job CarvingAnother

employment agencyfor people withdisabilities focuseson customizedemployment, or jobcarving. Kate Brady,Institute on HumanDevelopment andDisability (IHDD)program associate atthe University of Georgia and project coordinator forCobb Works said, “We are always looking toindividualize the opportunity so it positively affectsthe employer’s business.” She explained that theright job fit relates to job satisfaction, leading tolow turnover. “Any HR person knows that’s goodbusiness practice,” she said.

One example of a customized job fit is onebetween Takeiya Bell and her employer, RoyaltyChildren’s Wear.

Ella Scott, a job coach at the Cobb-DouglasCommunity Services Board learned Bell’s dream wasto become a fashion designer. Bell and Scottsearched for a job where she could cultivate herpassion for clothing.

In discussions with Cylinda Nesmith-Mahari,owner of Royalty Children’s Wear, it was discoveredthat the shop owner was losing time on projectsbecause she had to outsource embroidery work. Bellnegotiated a position where she could learn, but alsoprovide skills and a resource – an embroiderymachine – that would help the shop save money andtime while completing a higher volume of projects.

“Almost any job can be developed and carved ina way that is a win-win,” said Rich Toscano, IHDDpublic service faculty at UGA, and Jobs for Alldirector of employment projects.

Education and Disability Career Services

According to Sarah Helm, coordinator for careeropportunities for students with disabilities at theUniversity of Tennessee, the unemployment rate forcollege graduates with disabilities is about 40%,compared with only 4% for graduates withoutdisabilities. She also discovered that students withdisabilities were far less likely to utilize careerservices on campus.

“These students are really falling through thecracks,” Helm said, adding that students are morelikely to get jobs if they have had internshipexperience, but students with disabilities often lackthat as well.

After these startling statistics were discovered,the university realized a better link was neededbetween UT Career Services and the Office of Disa-bility Services. So the Disability-Careers office wascreated as a liaison between the two existing depart-ments. As a result, students with disabilities arereceiving career path assessments, counseling andinterview preparation as any student would, but theyare also learning about self-advocacy, self-disclosureand requesting reasonable accommodations in theworkplace. The office also communicates the impor-tance of internships and helps students find them.

Michael Boyce, a student with a disability at theGeorgia Institute of Technology is in his fourth yearand recognized the importance of work experienceearly on. He recently completed a 12-week internshipwith IBM.

Boyce realizes that people in the workplace maybe uncomfortable with him at first, but he sees thatas a challenge to show them he’s capable.

“I never say I can’t do something,” he said. “Isay ‘How will I do this?’”

Booz Allen Hamilton, a global consulting firm,founded Emerging Leaders, a program that placescollege students with disabilities in summerinternships. For more information, visithttp://emerging-leaders.com. A national organizationthat helps qualified college graduates withdisabilities find jobs is Career Opportunities forStudents with Disabilities (COSD) with over 450employers in the network at www.cosdonline.org.

GCDD chairperson Tom Seegmueller reminded thecrowd, “People with disabilities are part of ourcommunity and if given the chance, they can sharewith you the many gifts and talents they have.”

At the end of the day, at least one participanthad made a true discovery. Al Vivian, president andCEO of Basic Diversity in Fayetteville plans to expandhis diversity counseling to include training on thevalue of people with disabilities in the workplace.“We’re about to have a mass shortage of people inthe workforce – 10 million fewer. There’s going to be a need, yet we’re still overlooking people withdisabilities.”

Jacobson ended the day by daring business leadersto think differently about their workforce, “I want tochallenge you to hire one or two people with

disabilities over the next six months.” l

Takeiya Bell

“People withdisabilitiesARE PART OF OUR

community and if given the chance,

they can sharewith you the manyGIFTS and TALENTS

they have.”


Man Starts Nonprofit with Customized EmploymentBy Christopher Coleman

I was pronounced dead at birth. After 15minutes of no oxygen, through the power ofGod I was brought back to life. Why do I openup an article about employment with asentence like that? It is simple! My career

path has always been my destiny. Everyone has what Iwould call a Vocational DNA. This DNA is what makesthem come alive, energetic and excited to work in acertain profession. What I like about the term DNA is itdoes not matter if you are black or white, fat orskinny, disabled or not, we all have it. We all have aVocational DNA. When this is found, CustomizedEmployment becomes a reality. To find my VocationalDNA I had to answer the question: “What do I want todo physically as well as emotionally for a lifetime?”

Today, I am a keynote speaker and evangelist. Iuse my life to challenge, motivate and encouragepeople to a triumphant lifestyle. I share my ups anddown, victories and defeats, and life lessons with

churches, schools, disability groups, corporations andcivic groups across the country. My profession not onlycalls me to be integrated, involved and included in mycommunity; I am responsible for influencing thecommunity as well. This is all accomplished through anonprofit organization called Empowered MinistriesInc., of which I am the founder, program director andchairman of the board of directors. Try selling that toyour Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselor.

I have been fortunate over the past year to workwith a VR counselor and supervisor who believeeveryone has a dream and a contribution. Therefore; I

was given an opportunity to achieve my full potential.I still hit a brick wall with Vocational Rehab. Theirpolicies and procedures consisted of a traditionaloutlook on microenterprise. I needed a program thathad a non-traditional outlook and believes inindividualization. Sally Atwell, at the Shepherd Center,encouraged me to apply for a grant administrated byCobbWorks/Project Exceed. Frankly, I did not think itwould be beneficial. I was surprised when I did not runinto another brick wall.

The grant has been wonderful. One thing neededwas a career coach in my area of expertise. One whounderstood the speaking profession and could visualizethe contribution I can bring to this industry. Throughthe grant, I was given the opportunity to work withthe best in my industry. I had the opportunity to workwith Juanell Teague, a freelance speaking coach whowas on the forefront of Zig Ziglar’s career and wasinstrumental to where he is today.

I also have been given the privilege of workingwith two other coaches. One who specializes inbusiness plans for nonprofit, and another whospecializes in nonprofit boards and the role of the CEO.When you have a disability, you often wonder if anyonewill give you a real shot at becoming all that you canbe. This grant has done just that for me. l

Christopher Colemanbelieves that his disabilityis a gift from God, and he wants to use it tomotivate, encourage andchallenge individuals tolive a life beyond wherethey’re living today. Hehas spoken to people atCoca-Cola, Atlanta CityHall, Harry NormanRealtors and more,spreading his belief thatwhen a person reachesbeyond the challenges,adversities, circumstancesand misfortunatesituations of life, he will have joy in the palms of his hands.

“I use my life to challenge, motivate and encourage people

to a triumphant lifestyle.”

www.gcdd.org 17

Two People Make the Most

of their Talents at Jobs they Enjoy

My Road to EmploymentBy Tameeka L. Hunter

Tameeka L. Hunter ispursuing a Masters degreein Rehabilitation Counseling at Georgia State University,and is currently employed as the Disability ServicesSpecialist for Georgia Instituteof Technology. Hunter wasrecently reappointed to theGovernor’s Council onDevelopmental Disabilities.Prior to serving at GeorgiaTech, Ms. Hunter wasemployed as the DisabilityAffairs Coordinator the City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office.

Ms. Hunter has acongenital disability, cerebralpalsy, and has dedicated herlife to serving the disabilitycommunity. She is a proudmember of Delta Sigma ThetaSorority, Incorporated, andenjoys cooking and reading in her spare time.

G rowing up as an African-Americanwoman with a congenital disability, my status as a “triple-minority” mademe acutely aware that my road toemployment would be a bumpy one or

at least, the road less traveled. While in school, I was“mainstreamed,” and I distinctly remember attending a career counseling program in high school where thepresenter said, “You can always work as a server tomake extra money while you are in school to makeends meet.” Since I have a cerebral palsy and usecrutches to walk, working as a server would not be an option for me - even as a temporary solution whenmoney was tight. Although the presenter’s commentwas harmless, it was obvious that he had notconsidered the possibility of there being a person with a physical disability in the audience. Thisexperience (along with many others) reinforced mydesire to obtain an education and also to work in a capacity where I would be able to advocate forincreased awareness and sensitivity about disability-related issues.

When I graduated with my first degree, I found itdifficult to find work. Based on some of the commentsI received during interviews, I began to realize that inmany cases the reason I was not extended the job offerwas because I had disability. My painful andunsuccessful job search efforts only served tostrengthen my resolve to educate myself aboutdisability laws and issues. In one of many efforts toget more disability-related training, I attended aGovernor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities-supported program, Partners in Policymaking. Thisexperience proved invaluable for many reasons. Whileparticipating in this program, I became acquaintedwith the program coordinator. She knew that I hadbeen working in the field of disability for some time bythen and was interested in working with students withdisabilities, specifically. She mentioned that there wasa job that sounded perfect for me on the Georgia TechWeb site. While exploring their Web site, I noticed thatthere was a position as Disability Services Specialist for

the Access Disabled Assistance Programs for TechStudents (A.D.A.P.T.S.) Office. I applied, went throughtwo rounds of interviews, and was ultimately offeredthe job, which is in the Division of Student Affairs.

The A.D.A.P.T.S. office has over 213 studentsregistered. The majority of A.D.A.P.T.S. students have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder,learning disabilities, and/or chronic health conditions.My experiences at Georgia Tech have helped me tofurther develop as a professional. I have been workingin this role full-time for five years, and in my currentrole, I provide disability-related accommodations for

students with disabilities. Some of my essentialfunctions include: reviewing neuropsychologicalevaluations, providing counseling to students andsupervising one full-time administrative assistant andfour undergraduate assistants who work in theA.D.A.P.T.S. Testing Center as proctors. I meet withstudents and their families, provide disabilitysensitivity and awareness training and co-chair theDisability and Diversity Week committee. Early in mycareer, my primary focus was on the plight of peoplewith physical disabilities; however, I have realizedpeople with hidden disabilities, (i.e. learningdisabilities) face a challenge that people with physicaldisabilities do not: I am never asked to legitimize mydisability.

According to the Center for Career Strategies(1989), 63.3% of people find work informally, like I did, through networking. Given this, the biggestpiece of advice I can offer to people searching for work is to network, network, network – tell everyoneyou know about your career goals because you neverknow which conversation could lead to your next great opportunity. l

“...the biggest piece of advice I canoffer to people searching for work is

to network, network, network.”


T he year 2006 was a landmark for disabilityadvocacy and legislative success. The singlelargest addition to the Independent Care

Waiver Program (ICWP) funding was approved duringthe 2006 legislative session. An unprecedentedapproval of millions of dollars from the FY‘06supplemental budget was awarded to recipients ofthe Deeming or Katie Beckett Waiver to reinstatetheir supports that had been cut off withoutwarning. And 1,500 new supports were budgeted forindividuals with disabilities through the MentalRetardation Waiver Program (MRWP).

These landmarks were celebrated at the annualGovernor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities(GCDD) 2006 Making A Difference Awards Ceremonyat the Renaissance Atlanta Hotel on July 20. GCDDChair Tom Seegmueller welcomed advocates, mediaprofessionals and legislators to the award ceremony,including Fox 5 reporter Lisa Crane, civil rightsactivist Kate Gainer and gubernatorial candidate MarkTaylor. “Tonight we celebrate our successes and hardwork toward achieving a common vision of includingall people in all parts of our communities,neighborhoods, cities and state,” Seegmueller said.

Legislative AwardsAfter a moving performance of “You Raise Me

Up” by GCDD’s own Scott Crain with Vanessa Oxley,Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas) was presented withthe Legislative Leader of the Year award. As the chairof the Health Appropriations Subcommittee, Gogganssupported the ICWP funding which amounted to $3.3million. “Sen. Goggans came through on his commit-ment to provide funding for 152 ICWP slots, virtuallyeliminating the known waiting list for this waiver,which was extraordinary considering that the budgetcontained no funds for these waiver services at thebeginning of the legislative session,” said awardpresenter Rita Spivey, president of ARC of Satilla.

Goggans responded, “It is a good feelingknowing that you, in some small way, have been ableto help improve one’s quality of life.”

Next, Sen. Regina Thomas (D-Savannah) was alsorecognized for being an invaluable legislative leader

in 2006, when she sponsored a floor amendment tothe FY’06 supplemental budget to add $3.6 million forfamilies who had been denied access to Medicaidthrough the Katie Beckett Waiver Program. The fundswere later matched by the House of Representatives,totaling $7.6 million for families who had been deniedservices. GCDD council member Lynnette Braggpresented the award, saying, “Thank you Sen. Thomas,for taking a stand for families who need a little helpin raising their children with special needs.”

Thomas said that when she found out she wouldbe honored with the award, she wondered what shehad done that was out of the ordinary. “Naturally Iwas humbled and pleasantly surprised,” she said. “Ijust know that helping those who need it the most issomething that I enjoy doing,”

A third legislative leader was honored for hiswork as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee,and the extraordinary time and interest he investedin meeting with Unlock the Waiting Lists!, ICWP andKatie Beckett Waiver advocates. GCDD member Dr.Lee Tian said Rep. Ben Harbin (R-Evans), “...alwaysmade time to hear from advocates, even if we justpopped in to the Appropriations offices.”

Media Awards“We started a Media Professional of the Year

award several years ago because we recognized therole that the media plays in informing people aboutthe issues and providing us with information on whatis taking place,” Eric Jacobson, GCDD executivedirector, explained.

Gracie Bonds Staples, a reporter for the AtlantaJournal-Constitution and Lisa Crane, reporter andweekend anchor at WAGA Fox 5 News were namedOutstanding Media Professionals of the year in 2006.

“As a journalist, my goal every day is to make adifference,” said Crane. “In the stories I did on theKatie Beckett Waiver issue, I knew it was animportant issue that needed to be explored.”

Crane received the award for accurately and re-sponsibly presenting the Katie Beckett Medicaid issue.

Vallorie Butler, GCDD vice chairperson, presentedthe media professional award of the year, saying,

By Christina Rosell

GCDD awardslegislators, media professionals, advocates

“It is a goodfeeling knowing

that you, in somesmall way, have

been able to helpimprove one’s

quality of life.”

GCDD awardslegislators, media professionals, advocates

Lisa Crane, reporter/weekendanchor at WAGA Fox 5

with Vallorie Butler, GCDD Vice Chairperson

Cheryl Laurendeau receiving the C. Anthony

Cunningham Council Memberof the Year award

www.gcdd.org 19

“The media attention created by Fox 5. . . helped to create thepressure that led to the legislature’s appropriation of $7.6million to begin to address the needs of families who would nolonger be eligible for Medicaid under Katie Beckett.”

Kate Gainer, advocacy coordinator for disABILITY LINK,presented the award to Bonds Staples for being the “lone jour-nalist” to spend an entire day on the road with GCDD, delvinginto the issues of unemployment of people with disabilities.“She is a prolific columnist and news writer whose distinctivestyle of story telling has made a significant impact on the waythe newspaper covers the matter of race and the lives of everyday people, including persons with disabilities and their fam-ilies,” Gainer said. “I’m told Gracie even spent considerable timeworking through ‘people first language’ to get it exactly right.”

Advocate AwardsNext, Charles Hopkins with the Georgia Department of

Human Resources’ Office of Developmental Disabilities presentedthe Advocate of the Year award to Al Duvall for his personaltestimony on HB 633 known as the Children’s Freedom Initiativeand his work as a motivational speaker for independent living.“Children should be free,” Duvall said. “No one should have tolive in an institution.”

Partners in Policymaking graduate Linda Wilson was alsohonored as an Advocate of the Year for her work on Unlock theWaiting Lists! and her work as a parent advocate in the CowetaSchool System. “Receiving the Advocate of the Year award wassuch an honor. The recognition helped me to realize that peopleare taking notice of these advocacy efforts. And, it isencouragement for working even harder,” she said.

The last honor of the evening, the C. AnthonyCunningham Council Member of the Year award, wasbestowed upon Cheryl Laurendeau. Appointed to GCDDin 1998, she has chaired theProgram Implementation andFunding committee, served onthe Executive Committee andalways volunteers wheneverand wherever she is needed.

“The difference we all make, one by one, iscreating positive changesfor everyone with adisability in Georgia,”

Laurendeau said. l

Georgia advocate and poet Gail Bottomsread a few of her poems at GCDD’sMaking A Difference Awards Ceremony inJuly. Eric Jacobson, GCDD executivedirector, also read one of her poemsabout the MRWP waiting list.

unlock the waiting list

Unlock the waiting list,

what’s it about?

Why do we talk and why do we shout?

Why do people work into the night?

And get up early at morning light?

Why do we go to the State Capitol steps?

What is our reason?

Why do we do it?

I will tell you why.

People with disabilities are the reason why.

So they can live in the community is why we try.

Institutions are not places to be.

People with disabilities want to be free.

Free to live, work, and play where they choose.

To try their hand at many things.

To risk, win or lose.

To unlock the waiting list is the way this

can be done.

Therefore, we will work until civil rights

for all people will be won!

“The difference we all make,

one by one,

is creating positive changesfor everyone with a disability

in Georgia.”

Sen. Greg Goggans with Eric Jacobson Al Duvall

Sen. Regina Thomas and Lt. G

ov. Mark Taylor


Lack of transportation is one of the biggest obstaclesto employment for people

with disabilities. Even in cities with mass transit, people findthemselves unable to get to work, the grocery store or social engagements. Rural areaswithout transit can be even worse.

In Georgia, local governments are in chargeof finding transportation for their citizens. The state Department of Transportation only plays a limited role, according to spokespersonDavid Spear.

Georgia’s gas tax, which pays fortransportation projects, is structured so that itcan only be spent on road and bridgeconstruction andmaintenance. With thislimitation, the DOT isinstalling audiblewalk/don’t walk signals sopeople with visualimpairments can moresafely cross the street. Inaddition, some walk/don’twalk signals are equippedwith a timing device.“This helps people in wheelchairs know how muchtime they have to safely cross the street.”

These pedestrian improvements are installedat the request of local governments andsometimes individuals, as funding allows.

However, the DOT does receive some federalfunds that can help. “We provide funds for localgovernments to buy rolling stock that is ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant,”Spear said. Under this program, the DOT haspurchased buses for MARTA as well as rural transit systems, but “the operating cost andmaintenance falls to the local government. We can’t give sustained operational support,” he said.

While the state doesn’t have an overall plan for transportation, the Atlanta RegionalCommission (ARC) is in the beginning stages of a comprehensive plan for the 18-county metroAtlanta area, according to Senior Planner David Schilling of the ARC TransportationPlanning Division.

A Human Services Transportation PlanSteering Committee had its first meetingSeptember 26 to discuss the issue, whichencompasses transportation for people with

disabilities, the elderly andpeople with lowerincomes. The committeewas formed as a result of the federal Safe,Affordable, Flexible,Efficient TransportationEquity Act: A Legacy forUsers (SAFETEA-LU)passed in August 2005.

“We need to find outwhat’s out there now, do an inventory of servicesand where they’re funded,” Schilling said. ARChopes to coordinate the services they find to savemoney for the affected counties and time forpeople with disabilities.


Transit Options VaryACROSS GEORGIA

“No one has looked at thisas regional or thought

about how to havecounties coordinate travelfrom Douglas to Fayette.”

Fulton DeKalb Cobb Gwinnett Coweta Cherokee Douglas Fayette Clayton Henry Rockdale Paulding Bartow Spalding Walton Forsyth Newton Barrow

Atlanta RegionalCommissionCounties

www.gcdd.org 21

“No one has looked at this as regional orthought about how to have counties coordinatetravel from Douglas to Fayette,” he said.

While many rural counties in Georgia strugglewith providing transportation toresidents with disabilities, Talbotcounty in central Georgia hasovercome the challenge. While thecounty only has about 6,500residents, it also has four accessible vans to helpthose who are transportation challenged getwhere they need to go.

The system has been in place for nearly 20years and has worked well for the residents whouse it. “We have four drivers and twosubstitutes,” explained Sandra Higginbotham, the program manager for the project.

Paid for with county funds and a matching

grant from the Federal Transit Administration, thesmall, but effective transit system covers acounty that is over 393 square miles big. Lastyear, 40,585 one-way trips were made on the

system. Rates for the trips varybased on how many miles aretraveled.

“Talbot has one of the bestsystems in the state,” Spear said.

As part of its five-year plan, the Governor’sCouncil on Developmental Disabilities wants toresearch and propose solutions to thetransportation problems in the state. Readers areinvited to submit their problems and/or solutionsto GCDD on its Web log (blog)www.gatransportationadvocates.blogspot.com or bycalling (404) 657-2126, TDD (404) 657-2133,

or 888-ASK-GCDD (1-888-275-4233). l

A growing frustration with late tripsand safety issues led Sandra Owen,

a Georgia State University faculty memberand paratransit rider, to form ConcernedParatransit Riders to address the problemwith MARTA.

Soon, 61 other riders joined theorganization, and the Disability Law andPolicy Center became involved.

“We’re not out to sue. We’re out tomonitor change where there’s been animpingement of ADA (Americans withDisabilities Act) law,” Owen said.

Owen, who uses a wheelchair, has hadissues with seatbelts and wheelchair lifts notworking properly, as well as vans notoperating on time.

Currently, the group has a good workingrelationship with MARTA. At a recentmeeting, the group was invited to see a van

MARTA was planning to buy, and theypointed out the van was not ADA compliant.

Paratransit riders who are experiencingproblems with the system, should report theproblem directly to MARTA Customer Serviceat 404-848-4800.

In the event MARTA is unresponsive toproblems experienced by paratransit riders,the group also works closely with the FederalTransit Administration’s Office of Civil Rightsthat monitors organizations that receivefederal funds to ensure they are incompliance with ADA regulations.

Paratransit riders who have hadunresolved problems with MARTA are urgedto document the problems by mailing orfaxing written summaries of the complaint,including date and time of incident, MARTAcomplaint number and the follow up to theFederal Transit Administration:

Mr. Akira SanoChief, Internal Operations

Office of Civil RightsFederal Transit Administration

400 - 7th Street, SW, Room 9102Washington, D.C. 20590

Fax: 202-366-3475

However, with the new group, Owenhopes most issues can be resolved locally,and said it has already had some success asa result of its advocacy efforts. “Things arebeginning to change – the vans are in bettershape. We just want safer, better service forchildren, adults and senior citizens. It’s been

an excellent experience in advocacy.” l

Consumer Group Advocates for Better Paratransit

“We’re not out tosue. We’re out tomonitor change

where there’s beenan impingement

of ADA law.”

“Talbot has one ofthe best systems in

the state.”


By Christina Rosell?Who will youVote for?

2006 CANDIDATES SHARE POSITIONS ON DISABILITY

Real Careers: A Question for Department of Labor Candidates

People with disabilities face a 50% unemploy-ment rate, and those who have severe

disabilities are faced with a staggering 70% rate of unemployment. As DOL Commissioner, what plans,steps or initiatives do you propose to assist peoplewith disabilities find and retain employment?

Incumbent Michael Thurmond (D): I will: 1)Enhance current relationships and build new bridgeswith businesses to meet workforce needs, 2) ImproveRoosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitationfacilities and infrastructure, including the newBlanchard Hall for therapies and a new dorm to houseVR students and 3) Develop more Vocational

Rehabilitation cooperative agreements with localschool systems to provide intensive transitionservices to more students with disabilities.

Brent Brown (R): A 50% unemployment rate isunacceptable. It’s time to transform the Departmentof Labor from a reactive office, dealing withunemployment, into a proactive one. I will: 1) Usesurpluses from Vocational Rehabilitation services topilot innovative services, 2) Leverage purchasingpower of the state government to create employmentopportunities for people with disabilities and 3) Builda team with broad aspirations that cuts acrossgovernmental departments.

Real Learning: A Question for State SchoolSuperintendent Candidates

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has shown significant results in assisting students

with disabilities take and pass standardized statetests. However, Georgia requires that all studentsmust take and pass a graduation test, which may not recognize the different learning styles of students with disabilities and may result in asignificant number of students not receiving any kind of exit document from high school, particularlythose with disabilities. A special education diplomaprevents students from entering college, most techschools and limits employment options. As StateSchool Superintendent, would you support andimplement policies that allow students withdisabilities to achieve a diploma through alternative or multiple routes?

Incumbent Kathy Cox (R): As we become more sophisticated and advanced in our state testing program, it is very important that we useperformance assessments that allow students todemonstrate proficiency in, and knowledge of, thestandards in ways other than multiple choice orwritten assessments. This diversity of assessment

Georgia Disability Vote ProjectS ome candidates have learned a lot about disability. And

others have a lot to learn. But the goal of the GeorgiaDisability Vote Project (GDVP) is not to educate the

candidates. Instead, they educate voters about the candidates.In 2004, a coalition of individuals and organizations in the

disability community formed the GDVP, committed to expandingthe participation of people with disabilities and disabilityadvocates in the election process. “All of us expressed an interestin voting and getting people with disabilities out to vote,” saidGretl Glick with the GDVP.

The group compiled a database of 53,000 people withdisabilities and their families and service providers in Georgia andhas been encouraging voter registration all summer long.

Now, the main focus has turned to educating registeredvoters on the candidates’ positions on disability inclusion,employment, education and more. GDVP mailed a Candidate Surveyand Voter Guide to the registered voters in its database thisOctober. The candidates’ abbreviated answers are printed in thisissue. Neither of the gubernatorial candidates responded to thesurvey by the time this issue was published. More information andcomplete candidates’ answers are available on www.gdvp.org.

AND DON’T FORGET TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 7!

VOTE!

Q

Q

Community InclusionIn light of the 1999 US Supreme Court Olmstead decisionproviding that individuals should not be segregated by

placing them in institutions if they are willing (and able) toreceive community based services, how will you work to ensurethat Georgians with disabilities have the opportunity to participatefully in all aspects of community life?

Jim Martin (D): As Commissioner of the Department of HumanResources, I led the state’s efforts to implement the Olmstead decisionand devised a plan to do so that met federal requirements. This planmust be revised to provide for the complete implementation of theOlmstead decision in the next four years, and the state should providethe funds necessary to achieve that result. As Lieutenant Governor, Iwill continue to fight for programs that allow people with disabilitiesto live independent lives in their communities.

Allen Buckley (L): I would need to consider this issue morethoroughly, which I will do if I am elected.

Incumbent Michael Thurmond (D): I will continue to: 1) Supportthe State Independent Living Council and other programs that addressquality of life issues, 2) Advocate for transportation solutions, 3)Provide vocational rehab assessments and individualized plans forcustomized employment, job carving, training and supports and 4)Collaborate with other state entities and community partners tonetwork and coordinate services that will enable more individuals tolive in the community.

Brent Brown (R): I support the 2005 recommendation of theGovernor’s Council for Developmental Disabilities to convene a workgroup composed of the Division of Mental Health, DevelopmentalDisabilities and Addictive Diseases to review the state’s waiting listpolicy and also support making sure that we are leveraging our Federalmatch dollars. The Department of Human Resources is the lead divisionin this matter. The Department of Labor has short-term funds that canbe used more effectively.

Incumbent Kathy Cox (R): I am a strong believer in the inclusionmodel and have visited many classrooms around the state where this isworking wonderfully. When a regular program teacher and a special edu-cation teacher work collaboratively and effectively, all students benefit.

Denise Majette (D): As a lawyer and former judge, I am fullycommitted to implementing the Olmstead decision. As the new StateSchool Superintendent, I will help school systems provide a supportiveeducational environment for children with mental and physicaldisabilities. We will provide greater access to adaptive devices andother assistance, such as connecting hearing impaired students withcourt reporting students who will use closed captioning technology fornote-taking in class.

David Chastain (L): As far as our schools go, I believe efforts arebeing made to increase awareness of services available to the disabledfor inclusion. Like most programs, there is probably room forimprovement.

www.gcdd.org 23

“...the goal of the

Georgia Disability Vote Project

(GDVP) is not to educate

the candidates. Instead,

they educate votersabout the candidates.”

Q

options will address the many ways in which students in our state learn, and will help our studentswith disabilities graduate with a meaningful diploma.

Denise Majette (D): Yes, students with disabilitiesshould be able to earn a diploma under circumstanceswithin their physical/mental limitations. Differentstandards and measures may be appropriate. Everychild does not learn the same way, but each isentitled to a high quality educational experience. Wemust work together to make the concept of“reasonable accommodation” a reality in educationand employment.

David Chastain (L): Yes. I believe the entiresystem needs to be adjusted to allow all students,disabled, special needs, gifted, etc., to have availablealternative paths to the same objective.

Transportation: Questions for LieutenantGovernor Candidates

Considering the transportation barriers facingGeorgians with disabilities, the elderly and

those in rural areas, what steps will you take toensure that transportation funds are delegatedappropriately?

Jim Martin (D): I have a long record of supportand advocacy for greater transportation choice, and Ihave always fought for greater access for people withdisabilities. As an early advocate for MARTA, I foughtfor disability access on all of the system’s buses andtrains and against fare increases. As LieutenantGovernor, I will work to provide funding to meet ourtransportation needs all over the state, and to ensuregreater mobility for people with disabilities.

Allen Buckley (L): I would take any and all stepswithin my power to ensure that transportation fundsare delegated appropriately.

Candidate Casey Cagle (R) had not responded to the survey by thetime this issue of Making a Difference magazine was published.

Q

The first time AndrewFernandez saw a picture of Lucy, he knew he had

to meet her.“He pointed at her and asked, ‘what’s her

name?’” his mom, Heidi Fernandez, explained.Lucy, a yellow Labrador Retriever, is a trained

service animal who assists people with disabilities.Andrew Fernandez’ therapist called Lucy’s owner andarranged for the two to meet.

“Lucy helps Andrew with finemotor issues and sensory issues. Hegrooms her and helps put her veston,” his mom said.

Andrew Fernandez is 12 and hasautism, and working with Lucy hashelped with more than physical andsensory therapy. “Lucy draws peopleto Andrew and encourages two-wayconversation,” she said. “The biggestgifts Lucy gives him are uncon-ditional love and self esteem. Hefeels confident when he’s with her.Sensory issues can be confusing, butLucy makes him feel relaxed.”

Because he enjoyed working withLucy so much, Andrew Fernandez now volunteers withGeorgia Canines for Independence, a nonprofitorganization that trains service animals. “He helpsmake the dogs aware of working with children,” hismom said. “He’s taken Lucy to Target, PetSmart andhis birthday party.”

Ramona Nichols, executive director of GeorgiaCanines for Independence, started the organization inlate 2002 with 10 dogs. Five have been placed, andfive are still in training. Most of the organization’s

animals aretrained tohelp people who havemobility or hearingissues and seizure disorders.Some are trained as therapy dogs forpeople with developmental disabilities. The dog’s ownabilities determine which direction the training takes.

“Internal motivation for tasks is important. Forexample, some dogs take naturally to alerting us tothe doorbell or phone – they’ll be great at hearingwork,” she explained.

Nichols, who has family members with epilepsy,also trains seizure alert dogs, who learn to lie on ornear a person for comfort during a seizure, alert acaregiver that a seizure is occurring or retrieve aphone or medication for the person. “Some dogslearn to predict a seizure and let their person know30 - 45 minutes before that a seizure will come.”

Nichols has found that Golden Retrievers andLabrador Retrievers make good service animals. “Theyhave great work ethics, they’re eager to please andintelligent. We also need their retrievingcharacteristic.”

The organization prefers to start training whenthe dogs are still puppies and work with certainbreeders to ensure they have extensive health and

behavior histories on the animals. She estimatestraining for each dog, which takes about two years,to cost about $15,000. Training also includes 120hours with the owner. Despite the cost, theorganization does not charge recipients for the dogor the training.

After training is complete, Nichols matches theanimals with owners in a process that is “partscience and part art.” First, she ensures that the dogis good at doing whatever the person needs. Thenshe looks at other factors, such as energy level,lifestyle and personality.

“Sometimes the dog picks the person – there’s

WorkingLike a Dog



WorkingLike a Dog

Service Animals HelpPeople Live Fuller Lives

Yellow Lab Lucy has helpedAndrew Fernandez become more confident.

“I prefer to have a dog rather than a cane.”

an instant connection and chemistry there,” she said.Recipients must go through an application

process that includes a medical evaluation, a writtenletter stating why they want a service animal and apersonal interview. If accepted, the person is placedon a waiting list. Nichols estimates seven millionpeople across the U.S. are waiting for a serviceanimal, and the normal wait is five to six yearsbecause there are a limited number of trainers.

Dawn Alford, a student at Georgia Tech inAtlanta and a member of the Governor’s Council onDevelopmental Disabilities, recently received hersecond service animal, McAllister, after retiring herfirst dog, Maggie, from Canine Assistants inAlpharetta. Alford, who uses a wheelchair, has moreindependence as a result of her dogs.

“McAllister picks up things I drop, opens doors,turns lights on and off and opens the fridge for me,”she said. These tasks help Alford move freely aroundher home, which she wouldn’t be able to do on herown. For those who need it, service animals can also

be trained topull wheelchairs.

But McAllisteroffers a service thatis even more valuable toAlford than the tasks he performs. “He breaks downsocial barriers. When people see I have a dog, itbreaks the ice, and they ask me about him.”

While Alford welcomes questions, she cautionsthat when you see a service dog with its vest on,“Don’t try to make sounds, call their name or petthem. It can distract them from their job and can putthe person’s life in danger. Ask the person first if youcan pet them. It’s nothing personal if they say, ‘no.’”

Willie Lee Jones, an advocate, peer supporterand computer instructor at Walton Options inAugusta, uses the services of a guide dog to help himget to and from work on the bus.

“Blind people must know where we are at alltimes. If not, we’ll get turned around – sometimes mydog will make that correction,” Jones said. “I preferto have a dog rather than a cane.”

After the dogs complete four months of harnesstraining, owners go through 26 days of training withtheir new dogs at Leader Dogs for the Blind inRochester, Mich., where Jones acquired his dog, Chase.

Both Jones and Alford said sometimes they havedifficulties gaining access to public places with theirdogs, especially restaurants. “There are a few pocketsof people who will complain,” Jones said.

The Americans with Disabilities Act protects theright to bring a service animal into public. Accordingto the U.S. Department of Justice, “Under theAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA), privatelyowned businesses that serve the public, such asrestaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters,concert halls and sports facilities, are prohibited fromdiscriminating against individuals with disabilities.The ADA requires these businesses to allow peoplewith disabilities to bring their service animals ontobusiness premises in whatever areas customers aregenerally allowed.”

For more information, visit www.gcidogs.org,

www.canineassistants.org or www.leaderdog.org. l

www.gcdd.org 25

“Sometimes the dog picks the person –there’s an instant connection

and chemistry there.”

Dawn Alford is able to live more independently as a resultof the services of Golden Retriever, McAllister.

Chase, a Yellow Lab,helps Willie Jones get to and from work.

Photo by David Scott


Has this ever happened to youor someone you know?

• You fall behind in your work because you haveMultiple Sclerosis and it is difficult to type on a regular keyboard?

• You are a person who is hard of hearing, and you have difficulty making and receivingtelephone calls at work because you cannotalways understand what the person on the other line is saying?

• You have a problem remembering appointmentsor detailed discussions at work because youhave a learning disability?For workers with disabilities, having access to

the right technology can be the difference betweensuccess and failure on the job. Sometimes makingminor changes in a workplace policy or procedure orfinding the right technology solves the problem andenables that employee to work more productively.These changes are workplace “accommodations.” Forexample, for the cases described above, a voice in-put computer system might help with keyboarding, a teletypewriter (TTY) would assist with phonecommunications and use of a personal digital assis-tant (PDA) helps with remembering appointments.

Finding the right assistive technology to aidemployees with disabilities in the workplace doesnot have to be complicated or expensive. Manyworkers have at least a general idea about whatsolutions can help them on the job. But there is alack of research on which accommodation will workbest, and sometimes “off the shelf” technologydoesn’t have all the access features a person needs.

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centeron Workplace Accommodations at the Center forAssistive Technology and Environmental Access(CATEA) at Georgia Tech is conducting research todetermine what accommodations work best in what

situations, and is also developing guidelines tocreate new accommodations and more accessibleproducts. CATEA’s Consumer Network (CCN), anational group of people with disabilities, provideresearchers with a disability perspective.

For example, 510 workers with disabilitiesparticipated in a survey on workplace accom-modations. Computer adaptations and special toolsand furnishings were among the most frequentlyused accommodations. In follow-up focus groups,participants identified specific strategies, such aspurchasing screen reading software or installingbetter lighting. Participants also recognized thatthey do not always tell employers about their needs

and that they do not know what solutions areavailable to them. These and other factors arebarriers to implementing effective accommodations.

Currently, CCN members are providing input onthe design of a cashier check out stand that willaccommodate seated workers. Individuals acted ascashiers. Their ability to reach and scan groceryitems was used to develop design guidelines.Another project involves designing a computer workstation that reclines to alleviate low back pain.Upcoming research studies include productevaluations for a new line of telephones.

CCN is looking for adults with disabilities whowill participate in surveys and focus groups toprovide assistive technology designers andresearchers with information about what they needin the workplace. For more information, visit:www.catea.gatech.edu/ccn/ccn.php or contact: R.L.

Grubbs at 800-726-9119 (voice/TTY). l

You Can Help Shape the Future of Technology in the WorkplaceBy Mary Morder

EXPERT UPDATE

Mary Morder is ProjectDirector for TechnicalAssistance Services for theRehabilitation EngineeringResearch Center onWorkplace Accommodations(Work RERC) and is a HelpDesk Specialist for CATEA.She produces newsletters,articles and otherpublications for the WorkRERC and Disability andBusiness TechnicalAssistance Center (SoutheastDBTAC). Ms. Morder is agraduate of Georgia Partnersin Policymaking, a disabilityrights advocacy trainingcourse and is a certifiedparalegal. Her professionalbackground includesexperience in disabilityrights law, writing, desktoppublishing, marketing andcommunications. She has aB.A. from Agnes ScottCollege in Decatur, Georgia.

Many workers have at least a general idea about what solutions

can help them on the job.

In the Fall 2005 issue of Making aDifference, Mia and I describedher journey to employment, but

the magazine went to print before wegot to the end of the story. At thetime, Mia’s school district had agreedto hire a job coach, and they werescheduled to meet with the hotelwhere she got a job to work out thetraining and support arrangement.

The district allowed me to choose thesupported employment provider, and we were allset to go. Mia began working two, 4-hour shiftsat the Holiday Inn, refilling salt and peppershakers, stripping tables, vacuuming ballrooms,polishing brass and doing some dishes. It washard work, and the pepper made her sneeze, butexcept for the time that her job coach found herin a ballroom annex sound asleep, (sittingstraight up and snoring no less!) she performedher duties responsibly. Even more gratifying washow proud she was – she told everyone she metthat she had a job at the Holiday Inn – she waswalking PR for the hotel!

But it wasn’t enough work to keep her busy,so her job coach, Jenni, started looking foranother job Mia could do on the days she wasn’tat the Holiday Inn. Not long after, Jenni calledme to say she had found something at theUniversity of Georgia Alumni Association, 20hours a week, helping out with the enormousnumber of mailings the Alumni Association sends.Mia called the Holiday Inn and gave them twoweeks notice. They offered to keep her on theirpayroll until she tried out this new job, and saidif it didn’t work out, she could come back to thehotel. I thought this was a great reflection onthe relationship that the job coaches had builtwith the hotel staff members who were learning

along with Mia, and on how hard Mia had worked. We went shopping for Bull Dawg clothes, and

Mia started at the Association in April. It hasbeen a wonderful experience. The staff is small,and Mia knows everyone. They of course know allabout our family since Mia is so social. Mia hasher own desk, and has learned the process forseveral types of mailings. She participates inDivision banquets and staff birthdays and bringshome fun Bull Dawg paraphernalia like minifootballs and stickers. A co-worker even bringsher home a few days a week since she livesaround the corner. We still have some issues withnodding off on the job, a problem related to herweight, sleep habits and diet. It’ll be a groupeffort, but the association staff is willing to workwith us. She has really found her niche.

So “pre-employment” Mia is working a full 20hours, getting herself up in the morning, makingher own lunch and getting to UGA via her college

“entourage,” Maggie andBriana, who switch offdriving her as their schedule allows. Soon anotheremployment staff person will help her build someexercise into her schedule to hopefully improveher stamina and energy level. Mia is so proud. Iknew how seriously she took her job when thechurch asked her if she wanted to still come andset up tables for Wednesday night dinners, theactivity we started last year to get evidence thatshe was ready to work. She thought for amoment, and then she said, “I don’t think so. I

don’t want to miss my job.” l

MIA’S SPACE

Mia Adjusts Well to Work LifeBy Patricia Nobbie, D.P.A, Mia’s Mom

www.gcdd.org 27

“I don’t think so. I don’twant to miss my job.”


W hen I was a high school studentin the early 1970s, I was thrownout of a car as it sped down the highway. I sustained asevere brain injury and as a

result, my cognitive and physical abilities weresignificantly damaged. Although much improvementhas occurred over the years, many deficits still exist.For instance, my memory is affected. Rememberingvisual information is especially difficult, but myverbal recall requires extra time and effort, too. My physical skills are also diminished; tremors and incoordination hinder my ability to performfunctions requiring finite motor dexterity, such as writing, typing, shaving or putting on contact lenses.

Due to these and other limitations, learningand being productive in school and at work havebeen a problem. For what seemed to be an eternity,I felt I was just treading water concerning my job.However, with the aid of assistive technology, Ihave been able to improve my quality of life in asignificant way. Using a word processor and a taperecorder (and studying diligently) helped me attaina Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, beaccepted into a doctorate program and secure moremeaningful and better paying employment. Sometime later, when I decided to obtain professionalaccreditation (become a Certified RehabilitationCounselor), using these devices allowed me to study

more productively and pass the exam. That resultedin another pay hike.

In the mid 1990s, my employer, GeorgiaDepartment of Labor/Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)sent me to be evaluated at the Center for Rehabil-itation Technology at Georgia Tech. Consequently, Iwas fitted with an adjustable mobile chair, a slantboard, an arm brace with a Velcro strap, and a morepowerful computer. These accommodations enabledme to type with less effort and more accuracy.Following that, VR upgraded my computer to be ableto access a new network with Internet and emailcapabilities. Using the World Wide Web enabled meto research topics and draw illustrations muchquicker. This in turn enabled me to increase thenumber of presentations about traumatic braininjury I give to various groups from 80 in one yearto 208 the next. A 160% increase! And of courseemail allows me to communicate with my supervisor,co-workers and others on a much quicker basis.

Like most people, I use simple recordingdevices on my telephones at work and at home thatallow me to respond to messages received in myabsence. But I also carry a micro-cassette recorderin my pants or jacket pocket and can reach it in amatter of seconds when I want to record mythoughts. It was purchased by my employer afterthe state Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)coordinator evaluated me at my office. It is quite animprovement when compared to my old method ofsearching for a writing utensil, finding something towrite on and finally scribbling some abbreviatednotes on my thoughts.

Thanks to a recent AT assessment, the futureholds even more promise. I’m looking forward to thepossibility of additional computer modifications,including Dragon Dictate Naturally Speaking, aspeech to text software program that will allow meto more quickly send updates on job-relatedinformation to other staff. This will, in turn, helpthem place clients in jobs more quickly andefficiently. And that is the purpose of VR – to helppeople with disabilities reachtheir goals of findingand maintaining

employment. l

How Assistive TechnologyHas Improved The Way

I Work And LiveBy Tom Connelly

StraightTalk

“. . .with the aid of assistive technology,I have been able to improve my qualityof life in a significant way.”

www.gcdd.org 29

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

OCTOBEROctober 19-20Governor’s Council onDevelopmental DisabilitiesQuarterly Council Meetingand Public ForumSavannah, GA • 888-ASK-GCDD www.gcdd.org

October 29-November 1National Spinal Cord InjuryAssociation (NSCIA) –Spinal Cord Injury Summit(SCI) & SCI Hall of FameHyatt Regency • Bethesda, MD.www.spinalcord.org

NOVEMBERNovember 1-38th Annual GA WorkforceOpportunities & Touch TheFuture ConferenceClassic Center • Athens, GA770-423-6765www.dol.state.ga.us

November 3-5Abilities Expo – Real People Real ChallengesReal SolutionsSanta Clara, CA • 800-385-3085www.abilitiesexpo.com

November 8-112006 TASH ConferenceBaltimore ConventionCenterBaltimore, MD410-828-8274 • Fax: 410-828-6706www.tash.org

November 10-12National Coalition Building InstituteWelcoming Diversity/Prejudice Reduction – [email protected]

November 17-19Fall 2006 World Congress & Expo on DisabilitiesPennsylvania Convention CenterPhiladelphia, PAwww.wcdexpo.com

DECEMBERDecember 6-8Annual Federal DisabilityEmployment ConferenceHyatt RegencyBethesda, MDwww.grad.usda.gov/perspectives

JANUARYJanuary 2007Governor’s Council onDevelopmental DisabilitiesQuarterly Council Meetingand Public ForumAtlanta, GA888-ASK-GCDD www.gcdd.org

Why Guide Cats Never Caught On.

November 16 Sixth Annual Housing Georgia Conference and Magnolia Awards Program Cobb Galleria Centre Atlanta, GA404-679-0650www.magnoliaawards.org

Outstanding achievements in affordable housing will be celebrated this year bythe Georgia Department of Community Affairs during the Sixth Annual HousingGeorgia Conference and Magnolia Awards Program. The event will recognizeachievements in the areas of Affordable Rental Housing, Creative Partnerships,Homeownership, Neighborhood Revitalization, Special Needs and SuperiorDesign. A special “Housing Champion” award will also be given to recognize theongoing contributions of an individual or group in promoting affordable housing.

In addition to recognizing housing successes in Georgia, the conference providesan excellent opportunity for participants to interact with housing professionalsfrom many facets of the industry and to learn the secrets of success from awardfinalists. Workshops will be organized around the six award categories, withfinalists discussing their activities. The sessions will be followed by a luncheonand awards presentation, hosted by DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty and featuringa keynote address by Paul Vitale, a nationally known trainer and author of best-selling book, “Are You Puzzled by the Puzzle of Life?”


RESOURCES

pg. 8 pg.18 pg. 20pg. 13

Below, please find furtherresources of informationrelated to the articles inthis edition of Making aDifference magazine.

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD)www.gcdd.org 404-657-2126 or 888-275-4233 (ASK-GCDD)

State GovernmentDepartment of Community AffairsGeorgia Housing Searchwww.georgiahousingsearch.org877-428-8844

Department of Community Healthwww.dch.state.ga.us/404-656-4507

Department of Human Resourceswww.dhr.georgia.gov404-656-4937

Department of Laborwww.dol.state.ga.us

General Informationwww.georgia.gov

Georgia General Assemblywww.legis.state.ga.us/

Georgia House ofRepresentativeswww.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/house/index.htm

Georgia Senatewww.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/senate/index.htm

Georgia Governor’s Officewww.gov.state.ga.us/404-656-1776

Georgia Lieutenant Governor’s Officewww.ltgov.georgia.gov/02/ltgov/home/0,2214,2199618,00.html404-656-5030

EmploymentBenefits Navigators866-772-2726

Briggs & Associateswww.briggsassociates.org770-993-4559

Career Opportunities forStudents With Disabilitiescosdonline.org

Cobb-Douglas CommunityServices Boardwww.cobbcsb.com

Employment Institutewww.employmentfirstgeorgia.org

Employment First of Georgia www.employmentfirstgeorgia.org

Institute on HumanDevelopment and Disabilitywww.ihdd.uga.edu

Job AccommodationNetworkwww.jan.wvu.edu(V/TTY): 800-526-7234

National Center onWorkforce andDisability/Adultwww.onestops.info888-886-9898

Statewide IndependentLiving Councilwww.silcga.orgVoice: 770-270-6860Toll Free: 888-288-9780TTY: 770-270-5671

Political Candidates/ResourcesGeorgia Disability Vote Projectwww.gdvp.org

GubernatorialCandidatesSonny Perduewww.votesonny.com

Mark Taylorwww.marktaylor.com

LieutenantGubernatorialCandidatesCasey Caglewww.caseycagle.com

Jim Martinwww.jimforgeorgia.com

Allen Buckleywww.buckleyforgeorgia.com

Service AnimalsGeorgia Canines forIndependencewww.gcidogs.org404-735-DOGS

Canine Assistantswww.canineassistants.org800-771-7221 • 770-664-7178

Leader Dogs for the Blindwww.leaderdog.org888-777-5332

FAQs about ADA’s Protectionof Service Animalswww.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/qasrvc.htm

TransportationMARTAwww.itsmarta.com/accessibility/index.htm

Federal TransitAdministrationwww.fta.dot.gov

Disability Law and Policy Centerwww.dlpcga.org770-270-9964

pg.18pg. 13 pg. 20pg. 8

Disability Day at the Capitol 2007Mark Your Calendar…Thursday, February 22, 2007

Visit www.gcdd.org or call (888) ASK-GCDD

this fall for eventdetails...

RSVP required to attendbreakfast or lunch.

• Rally on the Capitol steps tocelebrate community, advocacy and friendship.

• Enjoy breakfast or lunch withadvocates from across Georgia.

• Show legislators WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

www.gcdd.org 31

SUPPORTING THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY

Albany ARC, serving our community

since 1963, promotes the general welfare of people withdisabilities and fosters

the development of programs on their behalf.

(229) 888-6852(24-hour on-call)

www.albanyarc.org

Albany AdvocacyResource Center

If you are interested in being a sponsor for

Making a Difference magazine,please call

Amanda Adams @ 770-578-9765

Thanks toOUR SPONSORSfor their Support.

Georgia Housing Search

Are you looking for an available, affordable rental unit?

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ Georgia Housing Search can help

and it is easy and convenient!

Equal Housing Opportunity

Log on and search for units at www.georgiahousingsearch.org

or call 1-877-428-8844

providing Georgians with access torental housing opportunities

770-394-9791 • www.childrens-services.com

“Complete developmentaloccupational therapy

for children –toddlers through teens.”

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities2 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 26-246Atlanta, GA 30303-3142404-657-2126, www.gcdd.org

Address Service Requested

The quarterly magazine of the GeorgiaGovernor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

Volume 7, Issue 2 • Fall 2006

GEORGIA GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Real Homes. Real Careers. Real Learning. Real Influence. Real Supports.

Hosted by the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) and moderated by formerCNN anchor Bobbie Batista, Discovery Day highlighted the value of people with disabilities aspart of the workforce and promoted ways for business leaders to incorporate these workers intotheir companies. Sponsored by The Home Depot, the Southern Company and the InterContinentalHotels Group, the day included high profile speakers such as Neil Romano, member of thePresident’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Ralph Green, a member of theU.S. Paralympics 2006 Alpine Ski Team. “The corporate world has the need for good, dependableworkers, and the employment agencies have the technical skills to assess the work environment,to match people with jobs, to train the workers, and to problem solve as issues arise,” saidDottie Adams, GCDD family and individual support director. “We just have to get these two worldstogether and there is no limit to what REAL CAREERS might be possible.” The following GCDDmembers participated in the success of Discovery Day: Tom Seegmueller, Vicki Gordon, MarleneBryar, Scott Crain, Tameeka Hunter and Millicent Powell.

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making a difference magazine || fall 2006

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