“You can’t underestimate the impact it has on a parent of a child with disabilities when it looks like someone else cares just as deeply for your child as you do.”

Respite programming gives families and caregivers a chance to refresh, relax and recharge from their responsibilities as full time caregivers. DIDD is looking to our community organizations, houses of worship, and 501©(3) nonprofits to create and build respite programs to provide relief to those impacted by I/DD.

Apply now for up to $25,000 in grant funding, and take the first step in opening your doors to a family looking for fellowship and support.

Application: https://bit.ly/3wLi4Y9 

Small changes can make a world of a difference in someone’s life! Melinda Thacker has been stuck inside her home for years. She had a small ramp that she had to carefully navigate her wheelchair down before making her way through 6-foot tall grass filled with snakes and bees. On a freezing, snowy evening, her wheelchair flipped off of the tiny ramp, forcing her to army crawl through the snow and ice to get back into her home. When First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging & Disability came to her with their Options 2.0 program, it was life-changing. This program provides funding for small projects like yard work, chores, repairs, and more. They used the Options 2.0 funds to build a porch and ramp that she can enjoy safely. They also continue the upkeep on her yard so she and her grandson can enjoy the outdoors without fear of what’s hiding in the grass. This program has been a godsend for Melinda. Thank you, First Tennessee AAAD, for the work you do to help seniors in northeast Tennessee!

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) and TennCare are pleased to announce a virtual event on Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, to share information on post-secondary programs and internship opportunities throughout Tennessee. The event will begin promptly at 9am Central Standard Time. Our goal is simple. To share information to people and families to assist those with disabilities in accomplishing their educational and vocational goals. Post-secondary and internship programs from across the state of Tennessee will be presenting program-specific information from curriculum to enrollment. Additionally, local disability resource agencies such as Vocational Rehabilitation will be presenting to discuss services and supports for job seekers. We look forward to your attendance!

Please RSVP at the event website to see the full agenda and receive a link to the event: (https://web.cvent.com/event/9d11a1a5-2e52-493b-8b45-80ce57bcc239/summary)

As the result of the passing of Public Chapter No. 688, effective July 1, 2024, the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) will merge to become the Department of Disability and Aging (DDA). As part of the transition process, all TCAD and DIDD contracts currently under the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, will be transferred to the Department of Disability and Aging. 

For DIDD contracts

Section C.5 in your current contract will change to the information below, as of July 1, 2024.

Accounts Payable

Department of Disability and Aging

315 Deaderick Street, UBS Tower, 8th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

DIDD.Invoicing@tn.gov Submit invoices to this email address.
For TEIS Invoices submit to: TEIS.Invoices@tn.gov 

Section D.8 in your current contract will change to the information below, as of July 1, 2024. Please note, your contact information will remain the same.

Department of Disability and Aging

315 Deaderick Street, UBS Tower, 8th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243 

For TCAD contracts

Section C.5 in your current contract will change to the information below, as of July 1, 2024.

Accounts Payable

Department of Disability and Aging

315 Deaderick Street, UBS Tower, 8th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

Aging.IFR@tn.gov Submit invoices to this email address.

Section D.8 in your current contract will change to the information below, as of July 1, 2024. Please note, your contact information will remain the same.

Department of Disability and Aging

315 Deaderick Street, UBS Tower, 8th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

The department is looking forward to continuing and strengthening the current relationships with all the TCAD and DIDD vendors and service providers. You make these wonderful programs possible with the dedication and hard work you provide each day. We are thrilled to merge these agencies together to become part of the DDA family and are excited to partner with you in this effort to ensure a better future for Tennessee.

This week we recognized the profound impact Service Coordinators have on Tennessee children and families. Check out our Facebook and Instagram posts highlighting the amazing work of Service Coordinators and commend their dedication to early intervention in Tennessee.

West TN, Enabling Technology Coordinator, Sherrita Addison presents information to My Tech For All attendees on innovative ways enabling technology can enhance their independence, in their home, community, and workplace.

The Division of TennCare is participating in the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) E-Badge Academy, which offers Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Frontline Supervisors (FLSs) the ability to earn national certification through stackable electronic badges. These badges demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and values that direct care professionals in Tennessee utilize every day.

As of this month (May 2024), there are 106 DSPs/FLSs participating from 21 different HCBS provider agencies. These DSPs and FLSs are quickly receiving badges and working toward receiving their certifications and bonuses. During the first quarter, 15 DSP’s and two FLS’s earned incentive bonuses by achieving certifications. Additionally, during this quarter a total of $51,000 was paid out to providers and their staff for participation in E-Badge Academy!

All Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) provider organizations in Tennessee (i.e. CHOICES, ECF CHOICES, 1915© Waivers, and Katie Beckett) can now participate in the NADSP E-Badge Academy.

• If you are an HCBS Provider and want to participate, please complete this required Attestation Form and Survey

Provider perspective:

“I joined E-Badge to improve as a DSP. I also enrolled our organization, The Crumley House to bring recognition to my coworkers, improve self-esteem, and continue to learn new ways to provide care. DSPs are overlooked a lot of times for the work they do and the services we provide. The E-Badge Academy was another way to recognize those who are currently DSPs and hopefully encourage others to become DSPs. It is also nice to be nationally recognized—so no matter where life takes you, this recognition is not restricted to the current state you live in.” – Michelle Ferguson, Executive Assistant, The Crumley House Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center

By now providers should have received the Quality Assurance (QA) survey schedule for the 2024/2025 cycle, which begins July 1, 2024 and ends December 31, 2025. Providers may have noticed a distinction between QA surveys and a Qualified Provider Review (QPR). The QPR is used to monitor compliance with required background and registry checks as well as required training for provider staff. For the 1915c waivers, information captured from the QPR is utilized for reporting to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on waiver performance measures. The QPR is completed by a member of the QA team, however it is a separate component focusing on staff qualifications. Providers receive a copy of their QPR once completed and should be familiar with the document. While surveys now run on a 12 to 18 month cycle, the QPR must still be conducted on an annual basis. Therefore, some providers will undergo the Qualified Provider Review outside of their QA survey. DIDD and TennCare are in discussions with CMS on modifying the QPR schedule so it will align with the 12 to 18 month cycle. Once approval is received, we hope to align these processes shortly thereafter. Please reach out to your regional QA contacts or Elisha Horn at Elisha.Horn@tn.gov with any questions.

Have you used Tennessee Disability Pathfinder within the last year? Help Pathfinder understand what they do well and what they can do better by completing this brief feedback survey (3-4 minutes). Share your experience! 
  
Click here to share your thoughts: https://redcap.link/pfwebsite24 

We are thrilled that Gov. Bill Lee has once again declared this week TEIS Service Coordinator Appreciation Week! Our TEIS Service Coordinators have a profound impact on Tennessee children and families.

Their work is crucial to getting infants and young children with disabilities and developmental delays the support and services they need. Service Coordinators work directly with families to arrange therapy and other services, help families find resources within their community, and support families in becoming advocates for their children.

Thank you TEIS Service Coordinators! We want to recognize the incredible work you do for Tennessee families and children. Commissioner Turner is grateful to have you on our team, as we make a lasting impact on our state and future generations of Tennesseans!

This free webinar is being sponsored by Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD). Everyone has rights! And when it comes to the human services field, Human Rights Committees (HRC) play an integral role. These committees promote and protect the human, civil, and legal rights of people with disabilities who are receiving services. So what are the roles and responsibilities of an HRC? Who should all be the members of it? How can you avoid common pitfalls in both establishing and maintaining the committee? In this presentation, you’ll receive answers to all these questions and many more! We share strategies you can use for creating your committee, ensuring it’s asking the right questions, and avoiding ‘danger signs’ that regularly occur in the disability services system. We’ll also share some eye-opening data about the relationship between fair treatment and overall quality of life. You’ll leave this presentation with specific action steps you can put in place “right” away!

* CQL will be using Zoom’s built-in live transcription (closed captioning) features during the webinar. If you need any additional reasonable accommodations, you can share those in the registration link below. Any requests need to be submitted at least two weeks prior to the date of the webinar.

The training will be held on Jun 6, 2024, 1:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada).

Registration link for the training: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lAUjrK8eSi6F7zZqn_FPBA

The next cycle of Quality Assurance surveys will begin in July. As many are aware, the previous 18-month cycle was a pilot for the new aligned Quality Monitoring Process for 1915c, ECF CHOICES, and CHOICES CLS/CLS-FM services. In the next 18-month cycle, new scoring will be implemented now that providers are aware of new expectations. Scoring, however, will not be made public for this next cycle and a Survey Protocol will be available on the website in the next few weeks that outlines the process in detail. We are excited to see how the new survey tool and reports showcase the great things providers are doing for people receiving 1915c and 1115 waiver services in Tennessee! Several resources are also available on the DIDD website relative to some of the newer expectations in the tool. For any questions on Quality Topics or Indicators, or to request training, providers are encouraged to reach out to the Quality Management Resource Specialist, Ashley Riggleman at Ashley.M.Riggleman@tn.gov.  

The schedule for the next cycle is in its final stages of development, with each region working together and collaborating with other units to make the best attempt at avoiding any overlap; as such, the 2024-2025 QA survey schedule is anticipated to be released by May 15th. 

We had a successful open house at our East Tennessee Seating & Positioning Clinic!

Guests met with occupational therapists and medical equipment fabricators to learn how S&P solutions can improve quality of life for Tennesseans of all ages and abilities.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ab99Nd

Our Planning & Policy Councils collaborate and advise the Commissioner of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities on issues affecting the department, providers, families, and advocates, and play an important role in the development and improvement of DIDD programs and policies.  If you are interested in joining one of the DIDD Planning & Policy Councils, please refer to the links below: 

West Planning and Policy Council (WPPC)

Statewide Planning and Policy Council (SPPC)

East Planning and Policy Council (EPPC)

Developmental Disabilities Planning and Policy Council (DDPPC)

What an honor it was to attend the historic bill signing that will create the Department of Disability and Aging (DDA)! DIDD and TCAD will become DDA effective July, 1st. We’re ready to hit the ground running as we tackle important issues about caregiver support, housing, transportation, and more. Let’s get to work elevating the voices of older adults and people with disabilities! To view the post on Instagram click here.