We’re Georgia Options, an Athens-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering adults with diagnosed developmental disabilities to live in their own homes and have typical life experiences. We believe it’s our responsibility to raise awareness about the very fruitful lives of adults with disabilities - including, but not limited to, the invaluable contributions they make to our communities on a daily basis.

Nearly 30 years ago, Georgia Options was founded by a group of dedicated and tenacious families following the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a federal act barring discrimination against persons with disabilities in public accommodations, private employment, and government services, who believed their adult children, diagnosed with a disability, deserved a life of opportunity and choice. At that time, the options were (and continue to be) a large institutional facility or a group home model where multiple adults were living in the same home - sharing staff and negotiating and compromising their own happiness and lives as they were forced to live in tandem with others who didn’t necessarily share their same interests, hobbies, and life dreams. The fact of the matter is, these group homes were not ideal for most adults with developmental disabilities. It was clear that there was a sore lack of living alternatives that supported autonomy and interdependence for adults with disabilities. So, Georgia Options was born.

Our origins are rooted in being an alternative to the status quo, and we’re okay with that because we’ve seen firsthand the way this in-home model of support has positively affected individuals in our community and the forward trajectory of their lives. From the beginning, we knew it was crucial to build an organizational culture that supported a model of self-determination - supporting adults with disabilities to use their tools to reach their own, unique goals while attracting like-minded and curious Direct Support Professionals.

Georgia Options employs over 100 Direct Support Professionals across our 11 county service area, who provide support in all areas of a person’s life, enabling each individual to hone their skills and passions to pursue their dreams. This team is at the heart of our organization, acting as bridge builders, working to shift the harmful narrative around disability in our community, while connecting those we support with the world around them.

While the support that we provide is the foundation of our efforts, community inclusion is the catalyst of our work that enriches the local government, workforce, and economy. We know many people don’t realize that adults with disabilities work, pay taxes, volunteer, and otherwise contribute to local communities... just like everyone else. Bringing this awareness to the forefront is paramount to our mission.

Georgia Options is currently the only organization in the state that exists solely to support adults with disabilities in their own homes, regardless of the severity of his or her disability, and the demand for our services is certainly on the rise. But we can’t do it alone. Galvanizing our community around disability justice and building a system of community support will allow our organization to become less dependent on Medicaid and government funding to provide services and increase our capacity to serve more individuals in their homes for years to come, ultimately making our communities stronger, more vibrant, and more inclusive.

You can probably tell we do things a little differently at Georgia Options. And we’re confident in our approach. With the voices and stories of those we support at the helm, we are dedicated to spearheading a revolution that will eradicate the harmful (and exclusionary) narrative that claims adults with disabilities can’t live purposeful lives.

Because at the end of the day, whether we spend our lives working, advocating, volunteering, or playing, we all deserve the right to live the life we choose.

Breaking Barriers. Building Bridges.

By Georgia Options

Breaking Barriers. Building Bridges.

Georgia Options