Waivers not walls!

NOW/COMP Waivers Fund services and supports that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live full lives in their communities - working in meaningful jobs, living in their own homes, building community connections, and making their own choices everyday.

During the 2026 Legislative

Session, Georgia legislators voted to invest $409 million to build a forensic mental health hospital, which will inevitably include a lot of people with IDD. There is also growing interest in Georgia and at the federal level in building or rebuilding facilities and institutional supports for people with

disabilities. Institutional settings mean restricted environments, limited choices, and isolation from the community. People lose independence and personal autonomy behind facility walls.

The GA Legislature is putting more funds toward facilities than community supports in the FY 2027 Budget. During the 2026 Legislative Session, $11.6

million was approved for 500

NOW/COMP waiver spots, and $409 million for the forensic mental health hospital for 300 people. While the forensic mental health hospital will serve people with and without IDD, the trend in where GA dollars are being invested is

alarming!

Waivers fund support for people in their communities so they live with dignity and choice.Walls in facility-based and institutional settings isolate people from their communities and their rights. UnlockGA advocates for inclusion, dignity, and choice for all Georgians with IDD, and we know those things only happen when people are supported in their communities. Join us in advocating for a support system in Georgia where everyone belongs.