Council on Developmental Disabilities

Comment on the next Five-Year State Plan Draft

Over the past 18 months, the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities partnered with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, the University of Tennessee Center on Developmental Disabilities, and Disability Rights Tennessee (our state’s Developmental Disabilities Network) to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis to inform the Council’s next 5-year state plan.

We gathered input from nearly 1,500 individuals across the state—including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), family members, state agency representatives, and community stakeholders—through surveys and focus groups. We also analyzed relevant federal and state data to ensure a well-rounded understanding of current needs and opportunities.

Through this process, the Council identified the following priority areas for our work: grassroots advocacy and systems change.

At our November 2025 Council meeting, members and staff drafted goals, objectives, and activities for the next five years. We are asking for the public to give us feedback on this drafted plan.

The Council is accepting public comment until February 15, 2026.

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