PinPoint: a podcast from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

About PinPoint: a podcast from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

PinPoint focuses on the stories of Georgians with developmental disabilities and how policy, community, and societal issues can impact their everyday lives. The podcast is produced by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and is a part of its quarterly magazine, Making a Difference.

Publisher

Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Apr 2023

Latest episode

15 Aug 2024

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Aug 2024

   25 Years since Olmstead: Has it made a difference?

   2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the Olmstead decision, which was a legal ruling that determined that everyone has the equal right to choose where they live and how they participate in their communities. And for those with disabilities who need support in their day-to-day living, Olmstead established the right to have access to those services. In this episode, four guests share their personal and professional knowledge of how Olmstead has prevailed or failed in the last 25 years. The e...

2. 

   13 Feb 2024

   IPSE Spotlight: EXCEL at Georgia Tech

   Inclusive post-secondary education programs, commonly shortened to IPSE, are popping up throughout the country and the state of Georgia. In this episode of Pinpoint, we zoom in on one specific IPSE program, the EXCEL program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. EXCEL stands for Expanding Career, Education and Leadership and has an impressive track record among its graduates, with 92% of them gaining and maintaining meaningful employment. In this episode, we highlight voices of students, graduates, faculty and staff, talking about everything from the impact of internships, post-graduation dream jobs, and the structure that makes the program successful. Internships and their impact: 1:57 Student spotlight: Itzel 3:40 Student spotlight: Martha: 7:13 Graduate spotlight: Sam: 9:23 Program structure: 14:15 Conclusion: 19:43 Student insight and advice: 22:41 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

3. 

   12 Jan 2024

   Legislative Priority Deep Dive of 2024

   It’s a new year, which means a new season for ADVOCACY! The 2024 legislative session is upon us, so GCDD has made sure that this Pinpoint episode has everything you need to know to feel prepared to advocate to your community and legislators. This year, GCDD has three legislative priorities. These include increasing waivers and DSP wages, employment opportunities and fair pay for people with disabilities, and to fully fund inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) scholarships. In this episode, GCDD turns to its internal talent and subject matter experts, Charlie Miller, Legislative Advocacy Director, and Charlotte Densmore, Public Policy Director, to detail the proposed legislation and to share why each one is so important. Guests Charlie Miller, Legislative Advocacy Director Charlotte Densmore, Public Policy Director Resources 2024 Advocacy Days calendar and event registration (https://gcdd.org/public-policy/legislative-priorities/2024-advocacy-days.html) GCDD full events calendar (https://gcdd.org/calendar-of-events.html#year=2024&month=1&day=12&view=month) Topics and Timestamps 3:38 Summary of 2024 legislative priorities 4:16 Georgia as a Model Employer (GAME) 5:16 DSPs and HCBS waivers 13:57 Importance of IPSE 30:23 Ending 14C Certificates 31:15 Real Jobs for Real Wages 37:39 Key messages and takeaways 42:28 How to get involved 42:40 Advocacy Days schedule The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

4. 

   4 Jan 2024

   The Direct Support Professional: Taking a Walk in Their Shoes

   What is it like to be a Direct Support Professional in Georgia? With crisis that was existing even before the pandemic - and accelerated due to it - the lack of staff and low wages are impacting individuals with DD across Georgia and their families. Pinpoint shares the stories of DSPs and caregivers in Georgia and why we all need to advocate for better wages for those who support people with disabilities to live in the community of their choosing. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

5. 

   11 Oct 2023

   The State of Employment for People with Disabilities

   Did you know that in America it is perfectly legal for an employer to pay workers who have disabilities less than minimum wage? Section 14(c) of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act is an exception for people with disabilities that lets them be paid less for doing the same work as their peers. This law was passed in 1938 and most people will admit that it was a “different time,” which it was, but as of this year, 2023, only 12 states have taken action against this kind of discrimination. Georgia is not one of them, but they are taking steps toward ending subminimum wage. Across the country, institutions called “sheltered workshops” are specifically employing people with disabilities and paying them not just less than the federal minimum wage but way less. Research in Utah and Missouri reveal some workers make 50 cents an hour. In Georgia, there are people making only 22 cents an hour. With the federal minimum wage currently sitting at $7.25 an hour, that’s roughly 1/33 of what they could be making if it weren’t for Section 14(c). Today’s episode is about the state of employment in Georgia… what’s gone wrong and how we’re going to fix it. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

6. 

   9 Oct 2023

   Hanging On to a Shadow of the Past - Viewpoint w/ D'Arcy Robb

   Welcome back to Season 3 of PinPoint! This issue of the magazine is focused on employment and its many different forms. We’re bringing information on the DSP workforce crisis, the state of the disability workforce, and the disbanding of sheltered workshops just to name a few. Don't worry if that all sounds overwhelming, this is the perfect place to start. In this episode, GCDD's Executive Director D'Arcy Robb explains many of these issues at an introductory level for those who may be totally unfamiliar. And now is the best time to start getting educated, as there are large changes on the horizon that disability advocates and those in the community will want to know about. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

7. 

   24 Aug 2023

   Reimagining Accessibility: An Interview w/ WheelChariot

   In today’s episode we’re going deep into a new, accessibility-focused company called WheelChariot. Here’s the skinny: it’s a Yelp-style reviewing website built entirely around the accessibility of different businesses, from physical barriers to entry through over-stimulating environments. I am personally fascinated by this idea, and I love the way it engages the disability community in a non-intrusive but still very impactful way. My co-producer Laura and I had a conversation with WheelChariot’s founders, Tori Stopford and Gabriel Jones, who originally conceived their business idea in a business class they were taking at Georgia Tech. I was very impressed by these two, and although they are not people with lived experience they have clearly put a lot of effort into engaging the disability community for guidance and feedback. This interview was recorded a few months ago, so some of the mentions of timeline will be outdated. As of this episode’s release, their website is fully operational with plenty of new information and ways to get registered. They have not yet launched their app, but that is the next big step in their plan. Hopefully we can catch up with WheelChariot when the app officially releases to give you all an update, but for now here’s Gabriel and Tori. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

8. 

   10 Aug 2023

   IPSE Spotlight - East GA State College CHOICE Program

   Today is the long-awaited IPSE Spotlight on East Georgia State College’s CHOICE program. My co-producer Laura Schroeder and I went down to Swainsboro, GA a few months ago to get the scoop on this Inclusive Post-Secondary Education program and I must say, I was very impressed. They had a group of probably 20 students up at the crack of dawn and waiting at the door to welcome us to the school. It was an awesome experience. I’ll keep it 100 with you… this is not the first iteration of this episode. I had an entire separate script written and recorded, but as I went back and re-listened to my interview with the CHOICE Program Executive Director, Theresa Davis, I couldn’t find a single thing that I could cut out. So do you know what I’ve decided to do? I’m not cutting anything. Those of you who have been keeping up with this podcast have probably noticed that I like big, elaborate stories with as many voices and ideas as possible. But this time we’re keeping it short and sweet. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

9. 

   26 Jul 2023

   Reflections on 33 Years of the ADA

   Some of you may know that July marks the anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, also known as the ADA. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990 making this the ADA’s 33rd birthday. To celebrate, we’re going to do a history of disability legislation in America and show some love to the most important players. We’re going to be hearing from several different people across the country today, starting with Sheryl Matney in Washington D.C. She is the director of ITACC, the Information and Technical Assistance Center, which provides support to disability councils on a national level. She explains the DD Act, what is effectively the precursor to the ADA, and why it’s so important. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

10. 

    13 Jul 2023

    How Advocacy Made College for Students with Disabilities a Reality

    Charlie Miller, the Legislative Advocacy Director for GCDD, and Ben Harrison, a disability advocate and student at the University of Georgia’s Destination Dawgs join PinPoint to discuss the latest bill that supports college students with disabilities. These two advocates were standing behind the IPSE bill pushing it along every step of the way to be signed by Governor Brian Kemp. A quick disclaimer, this episode was recorded on May 22 of 2023 so some parts of the conversation may be outdated. However, the meat of the episode is about House Bill 185 which is set in stone and unaffected. Stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear a teaser for what’s coming up next. Here’s my conversation with Charlie and Ben. GCDD Making a Difference Magazine - Summer 2023 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

11. 

    13 Jul 2023

    Advocating During the “Home Season”

    GCDD’s Executive Director D’Arcy Robb is back on PinPoint. Her voice is one our listeners will hear often. This episode, she cover sa few different topics, some of which you may already have read in our newsletter or magazine. She talks about the new Council Chair, Lisa Newbern, and the previous Chair, Nick Perry, who is now the Vice Chair. She tells stories about these two great people and why they’re so qualified to hold their positions. We also reflected on the 2023 legislative session and discussed next steps as we move into what she calls the home season. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

12. 

    12 Jun 2023

    Advocating with Intention

    When we were writing the magazine, my boss Devika Rao sent me the transcription of her interview with Sheryl Arno, the Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta. I get a lot of long documents in my inbox and, I’ll be honest with you, sometimes I just skim through them for relevant information. But when I got this transcription I read all 30 pages front to back because it was just such an incredible and insightful conversation. Sheryl tells it like it is, and she’s been connected to the community for so long that she knows exactly how it is. I’m taking a backseat in this episode because Devika did this interview, and I want to let this conversation play out almost in its entirety. But stick around until the end of the episode to get a teaser for what’s coming up next for PinPoint. In the meantime, here’s Devika Rao with Sheryl Arno. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

13. 

    18 May 2023

    Advocacy Days 2023: The Retrospective

    Hello and welcome back to PinPoint, for the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities I am your host Wes Nelson. Our episode today is going to work a little differently than usual. During the Spring of 2023 GCDD organized three Advocacy Days at the Georgia state capitol, and I had the pleasure of attending all three. We did a ton of short interviews with different people and I want to include as many voices as possible. I’ve done my best to tie them all together into a cohesive story. GCDD Making a Difference Magazine - Spring 2023 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

14. 

    5 May 2023

    IPSE Spotlight - Columbus State University GOALS Program

    Today we’re going to be hearing from three different faculty members at Columbus State University who are in charge of the GOALS program. This is an inclusive post-secondary education or IPSE program that provides college education and experiences to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I’m going to split this episode into two parts because I had two different conversations that I believe should both be included. First up will be my conversation with Dr. Toni Franklin, the Co-Director, and Dr. Stephanie Marshall, the program manager of the GOALS program. After that we’ll have a quick intermission before we hear from Dr. Greg Blalock, the Director of the GOALS program. All of these individuals are doing great work and I really believe that Columbus State is at the forefront of inclusive education in Georgia. You can hear more about their students in our IPSE Spotlight video or read about them in our IPSE Spotlight article. But before we really dive into this episode, I have some important news to share with you! It’s May 3, 2023 as I record this and as of last Thursday, April 27, a bill was passed which makes IPSE students eligible for state scholarships. This means that the HOPE scholarship which many traditional students rely on to attend college is now available for IPSE students as well. This was a huge focus for many advocates during this past legislative session, and it’s been made a reality through their work and the help of House Representative Houston Gaines who’s importance to the disability community cannot be overstated. This is a huge victory and I hope everyone takes a moment to pat themselves on the back. During my conversations at Columbus State we talked about this bill and IPSE funding quite a bit. Obviously the bill hadn’t passed at the time of my visit and I considered cutting these parts of the conversations out, but I’ve decided to leave them in to highlight the importance of the bill and show just how much it means to these programs. Just keep that in mind when you hear about that topic. That’s more than enough from me, let’s get on with the episode. I hope you enjoy and stick around until the end to hear a teaser for our next episode. GCDD Making a Difference Magazine - Spring 2023 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

15. 

    17 Apr 2023

    The Next Generation of Advocacy

    I had the privilege of going to the Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University to meet with some of their heads. Mark Crenshaw is their Assistant Director and Molly Tucker is their Training and Advocacy Manager. They’ve also brought on Darien Todd as their Community Advocate Specialist in 2021, and I got to meet him at the beginning of this year at the Georgia State Capitol so it was nice to see a familiar face. We did several interviews while at the CLD offices, but my favorite part by far was getting to sit in on an impromptu meeting between these three brilliant minds. They discussed the need for young advocates, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and many other important issues with refreshing candor and intelligence. Some quick context, this was a natural conversation that we’re going to start in the middle of. I made a comment to Mark about the ability for advocates to connect with local legislators and relate, then the CLD crew took it from there. You’ll hear some references to a woman named Sharonda; she is a young advocate who has participated in some of the CLD’s programs and you can hear from her in our Next Generation of Advocates video or read about her in our Next Generation of Advocates article. GCDD Making a Difference Magazine - Spring 2023 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

16. 

    14 Apr 2023

    The Magic of Advocacy featuring GCDD Executive Director D'Arcy Robb

    Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities new Executive Director, D’Arcy Robb was brought in as the Executive Director in Fall of 2022, but she’s been with the council for almost a decade in total. During our conversation, we talked about Advocacy Days, her career with GCDD, and how she got connected with the disability community in the first place. A quick warning, this episode was recorded a few months ago, so some of the policy updates may be outdated. For more current news, you can check out this magazine issue’s Public Policy story provided by Aaron Quick. GCDD Making a Difference Magazine - Spring 2023 The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Plan (2017-2021) goals of education; employment; self-advocacy; Real Communities; and formal and informal supports. The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

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5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Contact PinPoint: a podcast from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

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