United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) releases The Case
for Inclusion each year, tracking the progress of community living
standards for Americans living with intellectual and developmental
disabilities (ID/DD). The report examines data and outcomes for all 50
states and the District of Columbia (DC), ranking each on a set of key
indicators, including how people with disabilities live and participate
in their communities, if they are satisfied with their lives, and how
easily the services and supports they need are accessed. By taking these
factors into account, UCP is able to develop a comprehensive analysis
of each state's progress or failures in providing critical services to
individuals living with disabilities.
The findings for 2013 reveal that: 1) All states have room for
some improvement, but some have consistently remained at the bottom of
the rankings; 2) Despite economic strains, many states have made real
improvements in the quality of services being provided; 3) There is
still work to be done in ensuring that people with ID/DD can enjoy the
same freedoms and quality of life as all Americans.
I
am pleased that Georgia is not in the bottom ten but we remain in the
bottom 20! In many areas, our progress is flat and services to get and
keep people employed in the community are actually declining. You can
see the rankings and other data here:
http://www.ucp.org/the-case-for-inclusion/2013/state_scorecards.html
