BAYADA’s Government Affairs Office (GAO) is excited to announce its expansion into Georgia! BAYADA’s current footprint in Georgia includes two pediatric offices and one adult office, which employ 253 field staff and 28 office employees, and care for 131 clients combined. Expansion into the Peach State means that GAO can begin directly lobbying state lawmakers for better home care policies and reimbursement rates, and can begin to directly involve Georgia staff, clients, and families in advocacy efforts.

BAYADA had its first advisory council meeting with Georgia leadership on July 24th to discuss the issues that Georgia’s service office regularly face and how GAO can best support their needs. The advisory council is chaired by Chief Government Affairs Officer Dave Totaro and comprises of BAYADA leadership in the state, GAO Director for South Carolina and Georgia, Melissa Allman, and Area Director Lee Dobson. The advisory council meets regularly to determine legislative priorities, discuss progress towards our goals, and determine next steps.

Dahlia Division Director Tammie Craddock stated, “We are so excited to have the support of GAO so we can finally be the advocates that the adult nursing population in Georgia deserves!  We know that the choices are limited for clients who age out of the Georgia Pediatric Program, but the need still exists. We are hopeful with the help of GAO we can generate a greater impact on lawmakers and assist families by providing more options for in home care after the age of 21.”

Be sure to check out GAO’s biweekly Heartbeat to see new updates on our progress in Georgia!

Thank you to all our Advisory Council Members for your input and participation! We are excited to work towards better rates and policies on behalf of all Georgia’s staff and clients!