SR399: SR399 Side by Side Clubhouse Day; recognize March 11, 2025

This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia Senate honoring Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Inc., a nonprofit based in Stone Mountain Village in DeKalb County that has helped people recovering from brain injuries since it was founded in March 2000. The resolution describes the organization's history, its founding by Cindi Johnson with support from the Shepherd Center and Emory Healthcare, and its use of the 'Clubhouse model,' which treats participants as members of a community rather than clients or patients. The resolution states that Side by Side has served more than 800 Georgians over 25 years and is Georgia's only brain injury clubhouse. The Senate formally commends the organization and designates March 11, 2025 as Side by Side Clubhouse Day at the state capitol. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the organization. It does not change any Georgia law or provide funding.

• Formally commends Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Inc. for 25 years of work supporting Georgians recovering from brain injuries.
• Designates March 11, 2025 as Side by Side Clubhouse Day at the state capitol.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the organization.
• Does not create any new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial recognition only.

Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Inc., its founder Cindi Johnson, and the roughly 800 Georgians with brain injuries the organization has served since 2000. It also involves the Georgia Senate and the Secretary of the Senate, who handles distribution of the resolution copy.

The resolution carries no legal or funding changes but gives official state recognition to a DeKalb County nonprofit's 25-year record of helping people recover from brain injuries, which can raise public awareness and community visibility for the organization's work.

• Whereas clauses describe Side by Side's founding in March 2000 and its support from the Shepherd Center and Emory Healthcare.
• Whereas clauses note that Side by Side follows the 'Clubhouse model,' where participants are called members and guaranteed a right to meaningful work.
• The resolved clause commends the organization and recognizes March 11, 2025 as Side by Side Clubhouse Day at the state capitol.
• A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available to Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse Inc.

1. 2025-03-18Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-13Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)Primary sponsor
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)

• brain injury support
• DeKalb County
• Georgia Senate resolution
• disability services