The Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) works to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities by helping to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act. These federal laws guarantee that people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else: to live, learn, work, and participate fully in their communities.
As Georgia’s Protection and Advocacy system, GAO uses many tools to fight discrimination and make sure people with disabilities are treated fairly. Our work often begins with direct advocacy, where we speak up for individuals by working with schools, employers, service providers, or government agencies to solve problems. If talking things through doesn’t lead to a fair outcome, we may file a complaint with federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Justice or the Office for Civil Rights or even take legal action in court.
Both the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act require that people with disabilities receive services in the most integrated setting possible. This means people should have the chance to live in the community and not be isolated in institutions.
In addition to helping individuals, GAO works to change systems that create barriers or discrimination on a larger scale. We do this through:
- Policy advocacy and legislative work to improve state laws and practices
- Public education to raise awareness about disability rights
- Monitoring programs and services like hospitals, schools, group homes, and jails to ensure they meet accessibility and civil rights standards
These efforts help make sure people with disabilities have full access to essential parts of everyday life like housing, transportation, education, healthcare, and employment.
By identifying patterns of mistreatment and pushing for broad reforms, GAO helps ensure Georgia’s public systems follow the law and promote equality, independence, and dignity for all people with disabilities.