April 2022

From the Executive Director's Desk

Dear readers,
 
April has been a joyful month around here: we celebrated this year’s graduating class of Partners in Policymaking® scholars, who managed via Zoom to forge the same type of strong connections that make the program so special. I got to hear reflections from each scholar and was moved to tears several times. What sticks with me the most is hearing scholars reflect on the calming, safe space created by our Director of Leadership Development, Cathlyn Smith, and the renewed optimism and hope they feel because of participating in the program. That is more important than any other impact, in my view.

Internally, as staff, we are continuing to focus on team building after two years of virtual meetings plus a leadership transition. Several of us gathered at a Nashville Sounds game this week to hear Cathlyn’s daughter, who identifies as Deaf-Blind, sing the national anthem. If you haven’t heard about Tyler, you can listen to her speak for a 2020 AbleVoices "I AM DETERMINED!" virtual exhibit event or a podcast interview with her on “The Landscape”. We’re so proud to count her part of our Council family!

We still have much to look forward to, with the changing tables bill nearing the finish line and our first in-person Council meeting on Friday, 4/22. If you have never attended a Council meeting, check out our upcoming dates.

Thanks, as always, for supporting the Council and reading this newsletter. Wishing everyone a Happy Spring!

Lauren Pearcy, Executive Director

Partners in Policymaking Leadership Institute Class of 2021-22

We're so proud to welcome the following Partners graduates into our alumni network of the more than 600 graduates of TN's Partners in Policymaking program. These leaders, who are all Tennesseans with disabilities and/or family members of Tennesseans with disabilities, are a diverse group of people living across the state who will be working to improve our communities become more accessible, welcoming and inclusive to people with disabilities and families. 

Read below from just a couple of neat stories about how these graduates are already making a positive impact and supporting one another!

  • Molly Anderson
  • Allan Burtt
  • Carrie Carlson
  • Pisanach “Peach” Chinratanalab
  • Desiree Dyer
  • Rhonda Gaston
  • Michelle Gross
  • Nerressia Harris
  • Chrissy Hood
  • Teaka Jackson
  • Jacquelyne Kancir
  • Jamelle Leggs-Jemison
  • Brittney Manis
  • Teresena Medlock
  • Deborah Norman
  • Cynthia Parker
  • Dana Saywell
  • Allie Schmidt
  • Tamara Tuckson
  • Omegbhai Uriri
  • Mehret Wellelegne
  • Emily Whitson
  • Shirley Williams

Partners Graduates Advocating Together

Council staff interviewed Pisinach (Peach) Chinratanalab and McKenzie Tuckson about how they’ve worked together on advocacy for themselves and others. McKenzie responded to questions using her assistive communication device. McKenzie’s mom, Tamara Tuckson, also participated in the interview.

Peach and Tamara are brand new 2022 Partners graduates!
 
How did you meet?

McKenzie: I met Peach, my bestie, through an Employment and Community First CHOICES “Members Only” self-advocacy program. Peach said, “Take my number and I’d be more than happy to help with anything you need.” She has left no stone unturned to assist me with life after high school.

Peach: We do this quarterly [ECF CHOICES] meeting. That’s how I met McKenzie, via Zoom. And then, next thing I know, her mom is looking at the Next Steps [Vanderbilt inclusive higher education] program and talking to me about how it might benefit McKenzie. They visit me at work every Sunday at Bubble Love. Her mom and I have been in the same Partners class.
 
How are you working together to grow your self-advocacy?

McKenzie: Peach has been instrumental in my joining Best Buddies, the Arc’s People First, and Special Olympics. She was instrumental in helping me work at Bubble Love. She gave me the courage to ask if I could work there. She lets me know that if one door closes, another will open.

Peach: I get frustrated sometimes, but McKenzie’s like, “Girl, seriously. You can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t get nervous.” I spoke to Harold Love, her representative, on Disability Day on the Hill. And she’s like, “If you can speak like that, you can do anything.”
 
What are some things you’ve learned from each other?

McKenzie: I have a friend who understands me. She understands that I’m nonverbal, that I communicate with a communication device, and that it doesn’t make me any less. She accepts my mom talking for me sometimes when it’s difficult to communicate.

Tamara: Peach was instrumental in McKenzie applying to the IDEAL [inclusive higher education] program at Lipscomb. She’d call and say, “I’ve got the interview questions for McKenzie. You’ve got this. You go ahead and you try.” The day of the interview, she called as we got out of the car, saying, “You’ve got this!” She even told McKenzie, “If you don’t get in, I will try my very best to get you into the Next Steps program [at Vanderbilt], and I will be your advisor and your mentor. I’m there for you.”

Peach: Every time I get frustrated, McKenzie says, “Girl, seriously, you’ve got this. Get your life together. You know I support you.” Life can be stressful, but what I’ve learned from McKenzie is that I can do things that feel hard.
 
What advice do you have for other self-advocates?

Peach: Talk about what you’re passionate about. If you’re passionate about education, talk about that. Go to events like Disability Day on the Hill. Connect with your circle of support. Advocate, advocate, advocate. Keep up with your legislators. Help other people, support other people. Trust yourself and what you want to talk about. Practice, join a support group, and support other people.

McKenzie: My advice is to not let the title “self-advocate” make you feel like you have to do this alone. It’s okay to ask for help and to join self-advocacy groups. I’m fortunate to have Peach, my parents, and self-advocacy groups to help me in my journey. Self-advocacy can be learned at any age.

Tamara: I prayed for somebody like Peach. I asked God for a friend who could understand McKenzie and the way she communicates. Peach understands that McKenzie is aware of everything that goes on, she just has several different ways to respond.  At the end of the day, Peach has been an advocate for me, also. We needed Peach’s help. I’m a mom and have all these other responsibilities. I had just about mastered how to advocate for McKenzie in the school system, and now it’s time to transition into the adult services world, and it’s a big difference. We needed Peach’s help with ECF CHOICES [TN’s home and community-based services program for people with developmental disabilities] along with countless other resources. Peach has a wealth of knowledge, and she is eager to share it.
 
Tamara and Peach, how has Partners in Policymaking helped you grow your leadership and advocacy skills?

Tamara: I love that you have a network of people who are in class with you for several weeks and who are very open with sharing their stories. You also have educated and passionate people coming in to present and educate you about the resources that are out there. It taught me that there are so many people that are passionate about helping people with exceptional needs, and if they are unable to help, they will find someone who can.

Also, we participated in Disability Day on the Hill as part of Partners. McKenzie and Peach met with Representative Harold Love as part of McKenzie’s general education social studies class at Whites Creek High school. Her classmates got to see the friendship between McKenzie and Peach, but also see how McKenzie didn’t let anything stop her from advocating using her device. The teachers, Mr. Tidwell and Mr. Fox, were able to meet Rep. Love and make a lesson plan about the bills McKenzie and Peach supported.

Peach: I set up the meeting and arranged for it. Now I know McKenzie’s teacher! Partners in Policymaking taught me about Disability Day on the Hill. I wanted to play my part in the changing tables bill being successful.
Tamara: We were at Outback Steakhouse for my parents’ anniversary. I took a picture of the infant changing table. I took that photo so Representative Harold Love and McKenzie’s social studies classroom could see the issue first-hand: this is what advocacy looks like. I’ve also learned more about how ECF CHOICES works through Partners. It’s been great getting to know everybody in the class.
 
What’s next for your disability advocacy goals?

Peach: The main thing is keeping up with legislation. I have a new podcast, “Not So Speachless,” with support from my friend, Elijah, who is a special ed teacher. I’ve had McKenzie on. I’d like to have her on for a second episode.

McKenzie: I will continue to advocate for other individuals with exceptional needs and apply for colleges if I’m not accepted into the IDEAL program. I plan to increase my hours at work at my own pace. I am also in the process of writing two books about my experiences: “Why McKenzie Can’t Talk” and “How Is She Going to Cheer?”

Partners Graduates, Families "Out and About": Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Social Group

Tennessee Out & About is a community group for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users and their families, friends, teachers, therapists, and mentors. They welcome people who use AAC of all ages, using any communication device or language system. It's run by a collective group of parents, mentors, and speech-language pathologists whose mission is to engage AAC users in various community activities. Tennessee's Out & About group is modeled after similar groups located across the U.S. (read more about the history of the group here).

Along with 2 speech language pathologists (Brandi Wentland and Kaleena Smith), Tennessee's Out and About group is now led by 3 Partners in Policymaking alumni who plan and participate in virtual and in-person events:

  • Chrissy Hood (2022 Partners graduate; Council on Developmental Disabilities member; parent of a young adult AAC user)
  • Omegbhai Uriri (2022 Partners graduate; Autism TN staff; parent of a young adult AAC user); and
  • Courtney Johnson (2021 Partners graduate; peer mentor and AAC user)

Chrissy Hood reflected on the value of Out and About: "During our Partners in Policymaking Class, we learned about serving on boards and being involved in the community. Being involved in "Tennessee: Out & About: A Group for AAC Users" is one way I am taking the principles learned during Partners and putting it into action. 

I love the group because my daughter Alaina has the opportunity to not only socialize while needing to stay at home for her safety, but we are also building on her communication skills and use of her AAC device, as well as seeing an AAC user, Courtney, in a leadership position - giving value to Alaina's voice/device. We all desperately want socialization during these times, and Alaina needs to practice her communication skills.

This month, we had a virtual meeting about gardening. The participants talked about what they like about spring, painted flower pots, discussed what they would plant in their flower pots, made dirt cups, discussed if they liked dirt cups, read a story, and took a family photo. We are planning an in-person event in June."

Courtney Johnson shared about the group: “I decided to get involved with Out and About for many reasons, including being able to socialize with other AAC users and to become more proficient with my device. However, I think the part that gives me the most joy is interacting with younger participants and being an AAC mentor.

I love to see their faces light up with excitement when they see a facilitator exclusively using AAC. Watching them build both confidence and friendships is absolutely wonderful!”

Get to Know a Leader: Kevin Wright, Assistant Commissioner, TN Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services

“And what do you do?” is often the first question that is asked when you meet someone for the first time, right after “What is your name?” As I prepared to graduate from high school, I didn’t know how I’d answer that question. What I did know was that because of my disability, I’d likely need a college education to do it. I knew that the Vocational Rehabilitation program (VR) could help me find my way and fund part of the journey. I also knew that I wanted to help people find their way, too.

Once graduating from college with VR’s assistance, I set out for the next part of my journey to answer that question and landed the first full-time job that paved the way for over two decades in public service.

Former Council Executive Director, Wanda Willis, saw my potential and passion for helping people help themselves. As the first-ever director of the Council’s Partners in Policymaking Leadership Institute, I could confidently answer the question, “And what do you do?” I also had the privilege of helping others help themselves by developing lifelong advocacy skills. In my 5 years at the Council, I witnessed the inspiring growth of people from all walks of life as they developed their skills to navigate complicated systems and then helped those who came after them.

I was humbled to be a part of many life journeys that took paths influenced by the Council’s work, and, in small part, mine.

After over 25 years in public service, my journey of helping people help themselves isn’t over. Recently, I had the honor of being entrusted with leading a fabulous team of dedicated folks who share my passion of supporting the journey of others with my appointment as Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Rehabilitation Services.

Our purposeful focus on person-centered, strength-focused, community-based services through a transformation in all of our programs, but specifically the VR program, over the last couple of years has been moving toward improving the customer’s experience.

While we have done a lot of work with a focus on customer success, we still have some work to do. I hope that you continue to allow us to be part of your journey as together we all help each other help ourselves.

Get to Know a Leader: James Dunn, Executive Director, TN Commission on Aging and Disability

I recently returned from a conference in Washington, D.C. focused on home- and community-based services. What I brought away from this conference is that Tennessee is not alone in experiencing a surge in our numbers of older adults and people with disabilities.
 
As a nation and as a state, we are no longer preparing for a historic demographic shift—we are in it. We are deeply immersed in the opportunities, challenges, realities, and necessities of a society with a rapidly growing number of older and disabled adults.
 
For those of you that have not met me, I was appointed last year by Governor Bill Lee to lead the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD).

Since starting my tenure, through conversations with stakeholders, it is apparent to me that we can be doing more for the populations we serve. In light of this, it is great to have Council Executive Director, Lauren Pearcy, serve as a member on our Commission. Her insight and point of view from the disability space is an integral voice as we look at priorities for our agency.
 
Over 20 years ago, the State created the OPTIONS for Community Living Program to serve older Tennesseans and adults with disabilities that do not qualify for Medicaid long-term care services.
 
Today, the program serves thousands of people across the state and helps Tennesseans remain in their homes around their family, friends, and community they know and love.
 
TCAD administers the OPTIONS program through our nine Area Agencies on Aging and Disability (AAAD) that are spread out across the state. AAADs are the single point of entry for all our programs and can provide information and assistance on a case-by-case basis.
 
In his Fiscal Year 2023 proposed budget, Governor Lee put forward an additional $11.6 million for the OPTIONS program. This additional funding will double the current size of the program, giving TCAD the ability to serve more Tennesseans and ensure we have a competitive work force to care for those who need our services.
 
Ensuring the independence of our aging and disabled populations is one of our top priorities at TCAD and it’s an honor to be an integral part in serving these communities.

If you or someone you know needs assistance through OPTIONS, contact your local AAAD for enrollment, or use the Statewide Toll-Free Line: 1-866-836-6678.

I am encouraged by the progress we are making in expanding programs and developing new systems in our space, and I hope you will join me in looking ahead to the future as our populations continue to grow.