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.