UnlockGA and the HCBS Stronger Together Coalition

The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities’ (NLC) mission is to equip those with a passion for disability justice with the necessary skills to become great leaders and advocates. In the past, the NLC has found success with initiatives such as establishing the UnlockGA Coalition, an advocacy network dedicated to advocating for the advancement of home and community-based services (HCBS) for individuals with developmental disabilities. Now, the NLC would like to develop and expand UnlockGA by creating today what is known as the HCBS Stronger Together Coalition.

Kristen Loomis“The HCBS Stronger Together Coalition is going to become a group that people can join and become members of. By being a member of the HCBS Stronger Together Coalition, people will get information and resources about HCBS advocacy opportunities and priorities in Georgia,” said Kristen Loomis and Caitlin Bailey, co-directors at the NLC and co-leaders of the UnlockGA. “They will also have opportunities to learn from experts around the country about HCBS, strategies for effective advocacy, and more. Members will also inform the strategy of the Coalition in the future, so a lot of what the group entails will be decided by its members.”

Currently, Loomis and Bailey are working to keep people already involved in UnlockGA informed and to engage new people who want to join the coalition. The duo notes that, because they are still in the planning phase, much of their work is behind the scenes. Although the pair were not involved in the initial creation of UnlockGA, they understand the importance of advocacy for HCBS on a state level.

Caitlin Bailey“While HCBS is federally mandated, it is interpreted and implemented vastly differently depending on the state,” said Loomis and Bailey. “A Coalition formed to hold state systems and legislators accountable for the goals and intent of the rule—ensuring people are fully and meaningfully included in their chosen communities, supporting people to have total control over their lives and services, making sure people design their services by way of person-centered planning that they are in charge of—is so important. We are honored to be able to support it.”

Although Loomis and Bailey are focused on planning for the new expanded coalition, they are also looking forward to the future of the HCBS Stronger Together Coalition and the resulting progress from the group’s advocacy.

“We hope that [the HCBS Stronger Together Coalition] will become a thriving group that has the resources, support, connections, and leadership needed to advance HCBS regulations and policies,” said Loomis and Bailey. “All of our work comes from a strengths-based perspective, so we are excited to build on the strengths of advocates across the state and support their advocacy and systems impact to advance HCBS. We know that there is so much power in connection and collaboration, so we see our main role as providing backbone support to elevate the advocacy strength and leadership that already exists in Georgia.”

The HCBS Stronger Together Coalition is supported with funding from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities. For more information, see GCDD Current Projects - Systems Change.

Photo credit: Pamela Harvey Photography