History of the Agency

1918 - The Soldiers Rehabilitation Act was passed. Designed to rehabilitate disabled veterans following WWI.

1920 - The Smith-Fess Act (or Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act) was passed. Total appropriations were $500,000 for 1920, $750,000 for 1921, and $1,000,000 for each year thereafter.

1920 - The Georgia program was inaugurated after the General Assembly passed a bill accepting federal funds made available under the Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act.

1927 - The National Rehabilitation Association became official in Memphis, Tennessee.

1935 - Vocational Rehabilitation law was made a part of the Federal Social Security Act. Appropriations, $841,000 annually for Vocational Rehabilitation for the years 1936 and 1937. The amount was added to the appropriations made in the act of 1920. The amount was again authorized in 1938 and was increased to $3,500,000 in 1939.

1936 - Randolph-Sheppard Act was passed. Enabled blind persons to operate vending stands in federal buildings.

1937 - Georgia Legislature passed House Bill No. 114 which established the Georgia Factory for the Blind.

1938 - Wagner O’Day Act was passed. Allowed the federal government to purchase products made by blind people.

1943 - Barden-LaFollette Act was passed. Amended the Civilian Rehabilitation Act of 1920. This 1943 law authorized payments for physical restoration to reduce or eliminate disabilities and permitted service to those facing emotional or mental challenges.

1945 - WWII ended which led to an increase in physical medicine and rehabilitation to meet the needs of disabled veterans.

1945 - President Harry Truman signed into law the National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week for October 7-13. The name was changed in 1962 to the President’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped under President Kennedy. The program continues today as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

1948 - Paul Barrett, Georgia Director, elected President of the National Rehabilitation Association

1949 - Georgia Factory for the Blind opened the first plant in Bainbridge, GA.

1951 - Mary E. Switzer became Director of the National Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

1953 - Georgia Factory for the Blind opened the second plant in Griffin, GA.

1954 - Vocational Rehabilitation Act was passed. Public Law 565 was designed to provide a stronger financial structure and improve administration for the State Federal Program. Provided for extension and improvement grants, improved workshop buildings, and increased the opportunity for staff training.

1954 - Vocational Rehabilitation Act was passed. Public Law 565 was designed to provide a stronger financial structure and improve administration for the State Federal Program. Provided for extension and improvement grants, improved workshop buildings, and increased the opportunity for staff training.

1959 - Georgia Rehabilitation Association was created. John S. Prickett served as the first president.

1963 - Evaluation Center for the Deaf established at Cave Spring, GA

1963 - A.P. Jarrell Pre-Vocational Center was established in Atlanta, GA.

1963 - Gracewood Vocational Rehabilitation Center was established in Augusta, GA.

1963 - Central State Hospital Rehabilitation Unit was established at Milledgeville, GA (Yarborough Rehabilitation Center).

1964 - Dr. A.P. Jarrell, Georgia Director, was elected President of the National Rehabilitation Association

1964 - Georgia Rehabilitation Center in Warm Springs, GA, opened on property provided by the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation.

1964 - Civil Rights Act was signed into law.

1965 - Vocational Rehabilitation Act is amended. The Laird Amendments made it possible for State Agencies to accept contributions from private, nonprofit sources, as the State share, in establishing workshops and rehabilitation facilities under the control of the donor.

1965 - Vocational Rehabilitation Center was established in Alto, GA.

1965 - The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency was one of the first state agencies to establish halfway houses for the mentally ill.

1965 - Georgia Mental Health Institute Rehabilitation Unit was established in Atlanta, GA.

1966 - Atlanta Employment Evaluation and Service Center was established in Atlanta, GA.

1967 - Alexander Porter Jarrell Pre-Vocational Center was established in Rome, GA.

1967 - M.S. McDonald Evaluation and Training Center was established in Rome, GA.

1967 - Southwestern State Hospital Rehabilitation Unit was established in Thomasville, GA.

1969 - A computerized information case service system was introduced by the Georgia Department of Education for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

1970 - Bainbridge State Hospital Unit was established.

1970 - The Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act was passed.

1970 - Golden Anniversary – Fifty years in Rehabilitation – 150,032 clients rehabilitated in 50 years in Georgia.

1972 - Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act for Employment of Veterans was passed.

1972 - The Department of Human Resources (DHR) was formed. Department of Public Health, Department of Family and Children Services, and Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services all combined under the umbrella concept of DHR.

1972 - Georgia Factories for the Blind transferred to Vocational Rehabilitation under Governor Carter’s Reorganization Action. The name later changed to Georgia Industries for the Blind in 1982. New Industry was established in Atlanta in 1982.

1973 - Deaf Program begins. Coordinator of Services for the Deaf position was created in the State Office and specialized counselors were designated and trained in the districts.

1973 - Title V of the Rehabilitation Act established Civil Rights for the disabled.

1973 - The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was passed. Increased emphasis on services to severely disabled persons. Section 504 mandates that all programs and services receiving federal funds must be accessible to disabled persons.

1974 - The Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan was introduced.

1974 - Georgia Interpreters for the Deaf Law was passed. Requires interpreters for the deaf in courts, hearings, and certain other situations. A contract between DHR and the Georgia Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (GRID) sets up the GRID office to screen, train, and evaluate interpreters and to coordinate the provision of interpreter services as requested.

1974 - John S. Prickett, Georgia Director, becomes President of the National Rehabilitation Association.

1974 - The Georgia Warm Springs Foundation conveyed the hospital and property to the state of Georgia and Governor Carter received the property at the conveyance ceremony.

1975 - Committee of Blind Vendors was established to assist and advise in the management of the vending stand program.

1975 - Public Law 94-142, Education for All Handicapped Children, was enacted.

1977 - White House Conference on Handicapped Persons report was completed.

1978 - Program to serve deaf-blind clients established at Warm Springs in conjunction with the unit for the blind and counselors for the deaf. New deaf-blind specialists were employed.

1978 - Vocational Rehabilitation Act Amendments authorized Independent Living Centers.

1978 - Client Assistance Program begins to assist clients in dealing with the system and resolving differences between counselors and clients.

1979 - Independent Living Program began at Warm Springs to train disabled persons to live independently in their home community and to advocate for themselves, etc.

1979 - Services for Deaf Individuals Unit in the Atlanta Rehabilitation Center was established with a federal grant and transfer of positions creating a specialized facility within a facility.

1979 - Order of Selection policy instituted as required by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in a time of critical shortage of funds.

1980 - On July 4th, Governor Busbee officially named the Warm Springs Rehabilitation Complex as the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.

1980 - Management Control Project was initiated (East District).

1980 - Computer Programmer Project was initiated as a joint effort between the Division of Rehabilitation Services, Goodwill Industries, and Georgia Tech to train severely disabled clients to become computer programmers.

1980 - Rehabilitation Secretary Program begins development.

1981 - International Year of Disabled Persons.

1981 - Atlanta Center for Independent Living received a federal grant and began services to enable disabled persons to live as fully and as independently as possible.

1981 - Program for services to Learning Disabled Persons begins.

1982 - Tom Gaines, Director of the Georgia Division of Rehabilitation Services, was elected President of the National Rehabilitation Association.

1982 - Name of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation changed to the Division of Rehabilitation Services. Factory for the Blind also changed to Georgia Industries for the Blind.

1982 - New Industry for the Blind facility opened in Atlanta.

1983 - State Office moved to Floyd Memorial Building (Twin Towers).

1983 - Georgia’s 250th birthday.

1984 - National Rehabilitation Association Conference, Hilton Hotel, Atlanta, GA.

1985 - Georgia legislature passed a resolution proclaiming Roosevelt Warm Springs a “Living Memorial” to FDR.

1990 - The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became a law.

1996 - Yvonne Johnson, Georgia Director, was elected as President of the National Rehabilitation Association.

1996 - Center for Therapeutic Recreation/Camp DREAM complex dedicated at Warm Springs.

1996 - Roosevelt Warm Springs Executive Director Frank Ruzycki received the Bell Greve Memorial Award from the National Rehabilitation Association.

1998 - First of three Roosevelt Cup competitions held at Warm Springs. The competitions brought together elite adaptive athletes playing basketball, tennis, and track and field. The United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and other countries were represented in the competitions.

2000 - First World Basketball Challenge held at Warm Springs. These international wheelchair basketball tournaments continued every two years until 2010.

2000 - Division of Rehabilitation Services moved from the Georgia Department of Human Resources to the Georgia Department of Labor.

2001 - National Rehabilitation Association created the Yvonne Johnson National Leadership Award in her honor after her passing earlier in the year.

2006 - The rehabilitation hospital at Warm Springs is split into a long-term acute care hospital and an inpatient rehabilitation hospital to meet new Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement regulations.

2008 - Blanchard Hall opens as the new hub for all outpatient services at Roosevelt Warm Springs.

2010 - Georgia Industries for the Blind opened the first service site at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, GA.

2010 - Groundbreaking held for new Cave Spring Center facility.

2011 - Georgia Industries for the Blind opens a second service site in Pendergrass, GA.

2011 - New student dormitory complex dedicated at Warm Springs and dubbed “The Roosevelt School.”

2012 - New Cave Spring Center facility dedicated.

2012 - Tom McCall, Georgia State Representative, introduced legislation that created the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency to manage rehabilitation services in the state.

2014/2015 - Georgia Regents Health System (now Augusta University Health System) assumes operation of the long-term acute care hospital and the inpatient rehabilitation hospital at Warm Springs.

2015 - The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act was passed. This Act was designed to assist disabled persons in finding employment by offering various employment, education, training, and support services.

2022 - Augusta University Health System signs letter of intent to merge with Wellstar Health System.

2023 - 50th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.