Inspired by solidarity, built for action

The campaign traces its roots to a rally of a few hundred advocates at the Georgia Capitol in March 1998. A small group of delegates — including Grace Covington-Fricks, Sarita Reddy, Andrew Hales, Catherine Stefanavage, Mark Johnson, Beth Tumlin, and Carol Jones — attended the "A Key of Our Own" training in New Orleans and brought the movement home to Georgia.

Today the campaign focuses primarily on people with physical and developmental disabilities, working alongside the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Advocacy is at the heart of the Unlock campaign. Every day, Georgians with disabilities and their families raise their voices to demand a system that values community inclusion over institutional placement. The campaign brings together self-advocates, family members, and allied organizations to share stories, meet with legislators, and push for policies that prioritize home and community-based services. Through coordinated action days at the Capitol, listening tours, and grassroots outreach, advocates are building a powerful coalition that refuses to accept the status quo. Real change happens when people speak up together, and that collective energy drives everything the campaign does.

Georgia's Medicaid waiver system offers a lifeline for people with developmental disabilities, yet thousands remain stranded on waiting lists that stretch on for years. These waivers fund essential supports such as personal care, respite, employment coaching, and home modifications that enable individuals to live independently rather than in institutional settings. The gap between the number of people who qualify for services and the number who actually receive them represents a fundamental failure of the system. Closing that gap requires sustained investment and a commitment to rebalancing how the state allocates its long-term care dollars.

The economic argument for community-based care is compelling. Institutional placements cost significantly more than home and community-based supports, yet Georgia continues to direct a disproportionate share of its long-term services budget toward nursing facilities and other institutional settings. Every dollar shifted from institutional care to community-based services not only saves money but also yields better outcomes for individuals and families. People thrive when they can live in their own homes, participate in their neighborhoods, and contribute to the local economy. Rebalancing the system is both a fiscal responsibility and a moral imperative.

Employment and education are essential components of a full community life. The Inclusive Postsecondary Education program and the Independent Care Waiver Program both support Georgians with disabilities in pursuing college, vocational training, and meaningful careers. When individuals have access to employment supports and educational opportunities, they gain independence, build skills, and contribute their talents to the workforce. The Unlock campaign champions these programs because they represent a vision of disability policy that focuses on ability, potential, and inclusion rather than limitation and segregation.

The legislative session is a critical window for advancing disability rights in Georgia. From January through March, advocates gather at the Capitol, attend committee hearings, and meet with lawmakers to make the case for increased investment in home and community-based services. Legislative days bring together people from across the state to share their experiences and put a human face on the waiting list crisis. The campaign tracks bills, sends out action alerts, and coordinates testimony so that the disability community speaks with a clear, unified voice during the session.

Direct support professionals provide the hands-on assistance that makes community living possible, yet Georgia's compensation rates remain impossibly low. When workers cannot earn a living wage, turnover soars and the quality of care suffers. The campaign advocates for meaningful rate increases that reflect the true value of this essential workforce. Without competitive pay, providers struggle to recruit and retain qualified staff, and people with disabilities face gaps in the services they rely on every day. Raising rates is not a luxury; it is a necessity for a stable and effective community-based support system.

Rebalancing long-term services and supports means fundamentally rethinking how Georgia cares for its citizens with disabilities. For decades, the state has poured resources into institutional settings while underfunding the community-based alternatives that most people prefer. The Unlock campaign works to flip that equation by educating policymakers, mobilizing grassroots advocates, and highlighting the data that proves community-based care delivers better outcomes at lower cost. This shift does not happen overnight, but every legislative session, every budget cycle, and every conversation moves the state closer to a more just and sustainable approach.

The Unlock campaign is powered by a growing network of organizations and individuals committed to disability justice. The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, along with a broad coalition of partner groups, coordinates strategy, shares resources, and amplifies the voices of people with lived experience. Supporters can stay connected through social media, email updates, and action alerts that provide timely information about opportunities to advocate. Whether attending a listening tour, sharing a personal story, or contributing to the campaign, every act of solidarity strengthens the movement to unlock the waiting lists and build a more inclusive Georgia.