About I DECIDE Georgia

I DECIDE Georgia believes decision-making is a fundamental human right. We support people with disabilities, supporters, allies, family members, and other advocates to promote and enjoy this right.

Supporting dignity, autonomy, and self-determination.

I DECIDE Georgia is a coalition of advocates, organizations, and allies who believe in the dignity of every person.

In 2018 the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) and Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) embarked upon a multi-year project to advance alternatives to guardianship. Central to the group’s efforts was the belief that every adult has the right to make life decisions, to direct their life as an autonomous adult, and that guardianship is restrictive and should be avoided.

An advisory council of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), parents, guardians, and legal and human services professionals was created. In 2021 Sangha Unity Network (SUN) joined our project as we were selected to participate in the Administration on Community Living’s Center on Youth Voice Youth Choice. This national project connects us to a network of state practitioners and other experts while training youth with I/DD to become Youth Ambassadors to promote alternatives to guardianship and work for change in their states.

Our Purpose

I DECIDE Georgia exists so that all Georgians, including people with disabilities, can make decisions, supported by people they trust, in order to live a life of dignity and autonomy.

Our Vision

I DECIDE Georgia’s vision is to be Georgia’s first and preferred option for decision-making resources, tools, and coaching that provides viable, sustainable alternatives to guardianship

Our Tenets

We will do this by engaging in compelling storytelling, offering quality training, and securing pathways to self-determination.
We will work to center and amplify the stories of people whose right to make their own choices and direct their lives is threatened. When we show that true support can be achieved despite barriers, it motivates others to consider decision-making options that do not undermine dignity and autonomy.
We will provide high-quality, accessible training by experts with lived experience and acquired knowledge. We will promote practices based on our values while relying on evidence to create positive outcomes.
We will remove and redress the many obstacles to self-determination experienced by people with disabilities. Through our work we will inform people of their rights and the availability and variety of decision-making options. We will work collaboratively to create new laws and policies in support of autonomy.

Our Values

We believe in the dignity of every human being.
We affirm that everyone learns, grows, communicates, and makes choices.
We honor people’s voice; we listen and trust people as the experts in their own lives, regardless of age or ability.
We believe everyone has the power and the right to make their own decisions.
We respect the right of people to choose the supports and supporters that work best for them.
We understand that we all benefit from opportunities to fail safely and learn from those experiences.
We believe our communities are at their best when everyone belongs, and their gifts and talents are celebrated.