Sue Gaffney, a resident of Evans, joined ranks with more than 1600 other advocates for disability rights in Atlanta for Disability Day 2006 yesterday, and had the opportunity to speak to a state representative who truly understands her requests for more services for people with developmental disabilities.
"Both husband and I attended Disability Day, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were able to talk with Rep. Ben Harbin, as well as Rep. Sue Burmeister, and Senator Jim Whitehead," said Gaffney, who is a 1997 graduate of Partners in Policymaking, a program in self-advocacy training led by the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities (AADD).
"We have been in touch with Ben for almost 10 years. Our son Matthew is now 27, and has been living in the community for the last seven years. Ben has always been so supportive, saying that Matt and others with significant challenges deserve the right to live and work in the community," said Gaffney.
"We talked with Ben yesterday about the 1500 waiver slots and told him we were worried about funding for only 750; we want the governor to fund the 1500 slots. He said he understood, and that he would do the best he can. We really believe that he will," Gaffney added.
"More than 6,400 people with disabilities are on the waiting list for services right now," said Dave Blanchard, Director of Education and Public Policy for AADD. "If advocates and families are successful in telling their stories, we could gain the 1,500 services we are asking for for Georgians who are in desperate need," Blanchard added.
Rose Mary Bradley's son Michael is one of those individuals waiting for help. His mother traveled to the Capitol for the first time in her life last Thursday because she decided she could no longer wait for others to advocate for her family. Michael, 16 years old, has been denied the Katie Becket waiver and are waiting for their appeal process to be reviewed.
Rose Mary explained that she decided to come to Disability Day this year because of her son, saying, "this was my first time to the Capitol and it really left me wanting to get more involved." Michael is also one of those thousands of people waiting lists for adult services now. "If we dont get help I'm afraid he will regress, no one knows how much," say Rose Mary.
According to state budget figures, Georgia is experiencing an unexpected windfall in revenues. Blanchard said of this, "It is important that Georgians with disabilities be remembered and that as a group, we work for an increase in the 2007 budget that shows that our needs are a priority to the legislators in good times and bad. We need to make sure we use this time to give so the thousands of families waiting hope."
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