Advancing Inclusion and Advocacy with JAccess

JAccess, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, promotes an inclusive community that celebrates each individual’s uniqueness and amplifies the voices and experiences of people with disabilities. It plays a critical role in advocacy efforts to ensure people with disabilities have the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers and are fully included in all aspects of Jewish life.

Advocacy Highlights

• Increasing Support for Direct Support Professionals
  JAccess successfully advocated for increased funding to raise the pay for direct support professionals. This ensures individuals receive consistent care, reduces staff turnover, and improves overall quality of life for those supported.
• Expanding Medicaid Waivers
  With over 7,000 individuals on Georgia’s Medicaid Waiver waiting list—some waiting more than a decade—JAccess leads efforts to secure additional funding. Last year, JAccess helped increase approved waivers from 125 to 500 and continues to advocate for even more, aiming for 2,300 new waivers. Medicaid waivers provide critical resources for supported employment, daily living assistance, and achieving personal goals.
• Improving Quality of Life through Senate Advocacy
  JAccess attended Senate Study Committee sessions and provided expert consultation on issues impacting people with intellectual disabilities. These efforts contributed to recommendations that will improve the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.
• Leadership at the State Capitol
  Amy Murphy, JAccess Manager, leads advocacy efforts during Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities Advocacy Days at the State Capitol. She guides self-advocates and supporters in raising awareness of key issues by meeting with legislators and participating in policy discussions.
• Community Resource and Support
  JAccess serves as a trusted resource for community organizations, providing information, assistance, and guidance to better advocate for and support the disability community.

With JAccess at the forefront of advocacy and inclusion, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is creating a stronger, more equitable future for people with disabilities and their families.

Advocacy in Action: Partnering with GCDD to Amplify Voices

JAccess proudly participates in the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) Advocacy Days at the Georgia State Capitol every winter. These events provide an incredible opportunity for Georgia’s developmental disabilities (DD) community to connect directly with state leaders and influence policies that impact their lives.

Through GCDD Advocacy Days, JAccess supports self-advocates and community members in raising awareness about critical issues. Each Advocacy Day focuses on a specific topic of importance to the DD community. Participants begin by meeting with GCDD staff and volunteers to learn about the issues, then head to the Capitol to engage with legislators directly.

By collaborating with GCDD, JAccess helps to ensure that the voices and perspectives of people with disabilities are heard, advancing social and policy changes that create opportunities for individuals with DD and their families to live, learn, work, play, and worship as full members of Georgia’s communities.

The three 2025 Advocacy Day topics are:

1. GCDD Employment/IPSE Advocacy Day
2. Waivers and Wages Advocacy Day
3. I/DD Commission Advocacy Day