My name is Julia Bowen and I work as a professional for a contracted MHDDAD (Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Diseases) Medicaid waiver provider as the State Intake Coordinator. The program I work for is a residential program for people with developmental disabilities. To learn more about our program, please visit www.lsga.org or feel free to call me at 770-256-2988.
I am a Psychology major and was educated in South Carolina, even though I'm a native Atlantan. I've had a long career in the disability and advocacy communities in Georgia, spanning about thirty years, professionally, as a parent, and on a volunteer basis. The one that has been the most fulfilling has been, by far, raising two children with developmental disabilities. My children with disabilities are 32 and 16. Both are Medicaid waiver recipients - residential for one; physical therapy and supports in my home for the other. My daughter has Trisomy 13, a genetic chromosome disorder resulting in profound mental retardation and various other medical anomalies. My 16 year old has Autism and Sheurmann's Disease, a spinal cord disease affecting tissue growth and strength. I am so proud of both of these incredible children, can you tell? I also have a disability called Stargardt's Disease with co-occurring rod-cone dystrophy. I received this diagnosis 16 years ago and have been very fortunate to experience a slower progression than any of my doctors predicted.
I graduated from the Partners in Policymaking Program in 2002 and have since served on the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, first as an ex-officio and currently as a full Council member. I also am the State Coordinator for Family Voices, a National network established to provide assistance and information to families of children with special health care needs. A large portion of my efforts have been centered around Education as a Board member and past Chair of the Statewide Education Committee of The Arc of Georgia. I'm also a past Board member of the Dekalb Community Service Board, another contracted MHDDAD provider. Currently, I facilitate a meeting between the Department of Human Resources, Office of Developmental Disabilities, and an advocacy community made up of families and providers. I also provide advocacy and resource networks for families of children with disabilities through several online efforts.
Please feel free to call me at 770-256-2988.