February 2022

From the Executive Director's Desk

Dear readers,

I am excited to share a few highlights about our work this month:

On Monday, February 14, we presented our budget to the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee. You can watch on this link; we begin at the 1 hour 6 minute timestamp. You can download a copy of the materials we shared (PDF). (Click here to download a text-only version).

To read more about the Council’s core work, see:

Tennessee Disability Pathfinder’s new website, now integrated into the state’s official app, MyTN.gov
5 year state plan
Annual Report 2022

Tomorrow, February 18, we are officially welcoming three new Council members who were appointed by Governor Lee at the end of last year with “new member orientation.” These new members are:

Kezia Cox, East Tennessee Development District
Will Edwards, East Tennessee Development District
Diamond Grigsby, Member At-Large

All of our members will come together at our next meeting, scheduled for February 25. All of our meetings are public. You can find information about our meetings on the Council’s website. We hope to see you there!

Lauren Pearcy, Executive Director

New Council Members Appointed by Governor Bill Lee: Kezia Cox, Will Edwards and Diamond Grigsby

Keiza Cox lives in Knoxville, TN and has been appointed to our Council by Gov. Lee to represent the East Tennessee Development District. Kezia works at the University of Tennessee Medical Center as an Environmental Services Assistant. She graduated from the Project SEARCH internship program hosted at the hospital. (Read more about that program below!) She is also involved with the statewide self-advocacy organization People First of Tennessee, coordinated by The Arc Tennessee. Kezia feels passionate about disability advocacy, enjoys public speaking, and loves giving back to her community.

Will Edwards lives in Knoxville, TN and has been appointed to our Council by Gov. Lee to represent the East Tennessee Development District. Will and his wife Becca have two children, Brayden and Benton. Benton is autistic. Will is an attorney at Long, Ragsdale and Waters. He also serves as a governor-appointed member of the Tennessee Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder, President of Ronald McDonald Charities of Knoxville, and Director of Project Gabriel. He’s invested in improving education and employment for Tennesseans with disabilities.

Diamond Grigsby lives in Murfreesboro, TN and has been appointed to our Council by Gov. Lee as a member-at-large. Diamond is a 2018 graduate of the Next Steps at Vanderbilt University inclusive higher education program. She is a 2021 graduate of the Council’s Partners in Policymaking ® Leadership Institute. Diamond works at Ashley HomeStore as a retail support specialist on their guest response team. She is a co-owner of Plant for A Change, a native plant business, where she is also Chief Sales Manager. Diamond became involved in disability advocacy through the statewide self-advocacy organization People First of Tennessee, coordinated by The Arc Tennessee. She enjoys legislative advocacy and speaking up about issues that she cares about, like affordable housing, healthcare, and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities.

Council Member Brigham Scallion Helps Launch TN's First Inclusive Community College Program

You might have seen the news that the TN Dept. of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is giving money to 4 colleges to increase access to inclusive higher education. The name of this grant program is Tennessee Believes.

Dyersburg State Community College is one of the 4 schools getting a TN Believes grant. Brigham Scallion, our Council member from Bells, TN, is a professor of biology there. He has a teenage daughter, Alayna, who has Down syndrome. Brigham was key to getting an inclusive higher education program started on his campus.

We asked him some questions about why he was passionate about helping Dyersburg State get involved in the inclusive higher education movement.

Council: You’ve been a professor at Dyersburg State Community College for some time. When did you first start thinking about the need for your school to offer an inclusive program for students with intellectual disabilities? Why is this important to you?

Brigham: I started to think about this about a few years before I joined the Council. My oldest child attends a university that has an inclusive program. She mentioned on several occasions the opportunity our Alayna would have to attend college. I remember having the thought, “That’s cool. Why don’t we have one of these at Dyersburg State?”

When I joined the Council, I was introduced to others involved in inclusive higher education programs. With their encouragement, I moved forward to begin the discussion with Dyersburg State Community College. This is important to me as a parent of child with Down Syndrome.

In addition, there are people in our community that need this opportunity. There are currently no inclusive programs at community colleges in Tennessee. It is important to me because I have taught and been a part of students’ educational lives for years now, some of whom meet the definition for "intellectual or developmental disabilities." This new program will bring together resources for this specific group, which will allow us to serve them better. This program will also allow us to serve students we have not been equipped to serve in the past.

How did you take the first steps to advocating for an inclusive higher education program?

Honestly, being in the right place at the right time. Anyone that works at a community college in the state of Tennessee is in the right place today. Within months of joining the Council, I was introduced to Elise McMillan (Vanderbilt Kennedy Center) and Tammy Day (Next Steps at Vanderbilt), and this is where the conversation began. I had no idea how to approach a project like this. They introduced me to others, gave me contacts, and invited me to meet with other inclusive program directors.

How has the Council supported you in that process?

This wouldn’t have progressed without the Council. It has been contacts through the Council which allowed me to meet with leaders of inclusive programs. Attending meetings and getting involved with the Council led me to folks who helped get this started.

In short, this would not be taking place if it were not for the Council.

What has surprised you during your involvement with developing the Eagle Access Program?

I have been surprised at the overwhelming response I received from the Dyersburg State Community College administration, faculty, and staff. It has been reassuring to have conversations with so many that are employed at Dyersburg State who are touched by disability in all forms.

What have you learned?

This should have been done sooner; however, it takes work and friends that have advocacy experience. This would not have happened without connections made through the Council. I have also learned community colleges have served students that fall into this category in the past and currently. An official program and specialty disability staff/educators will allow us to serve these students better. We need these at more community colleges across our state.

Tell us more about Eagle Access. Who is eligible, and how can students and families find more information?

The program will serve students between the ages of 18 and 29. We will work with TN Department of Human Services' Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to determine eligibility. Dyersburg State is forming an advisory board for the program that will serve as point of contact and help with community outreach. Students or families who are interested can contact me or the Vice President of the college for info.

What advice do you have for someone who might want to advocate for a similar program at their local college or university?

Begin by contacting the Council and sharing your ideas. Ask for help. With this project, I have yet to find a need that someone in the state doesn’t want to help with. That help, in my experience, came from contacts I made through the Council. Contact programs like the one you want to start. Some of the most inspiring conversations I have had were with other program directors who have a passion for this field. Talking to people who started a program or run a program will save you time and wasted effort.

Learn about all of TN's inclusive higher education programs.

New Video: Bryshawn's Story (Getting Help through the Employment and Community First CHOICES Program for Tennesseans with Disabilities)

Most mornings, you’ll find Bryshawn Jemison working out at Planet Fitness before work. In the evenings, you might find him making noodles and chicken and cleaning his apartment, with help from his assistant and friend, Tim.

Bryshawn gets support for a very full life through Employment and Community First CHOICES – Tennessee’s program for home and community based services.

“All these services help me live on my own and have the life I want.”

We’ll be sharing more information in the next few weeks about Employment and Community First CHOICES. Follow along to learn more – including details about new openings in the program. These services help people with I/DD grow their independence and work toward their goals. The services can take a lot of weight off the shoulders of family members who are supporting a loved one with I/DD.

Want to apply for services? Click here to fill out the online application.

Project SEARCH at VUMC Celebrates 100 Hires

Project SEARCH at Vanderbilt University Medical Center just hit a huge milestone! A young lady participating in this year's cohort was just offered employment. That makes her the 100^th hire from the program.

Since 2005, 117 people have graduated from the program, and 100 of these individuals have achieved employment, resulting in an 85% success rate for the program. However, since 2016, 97% of graduates have achieved successful employment (as identified by Project SEARCH). That means all jobs have been:

In an integrated setting
Making a prevailing wage
Non-seasonal employment
Working 16 hrs/week or more

To learn more about this international job placement program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, visit the Project SEARCH website.

Read our 2019 article about the Council's role in bringing Project SEARCH to TN, and how we have helped expand Project SEARCH to more than 17 sites.

If you know of a business in your community that would like to explore hosting Project SEARCH interns, contact Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Director Blake Shearer with the TN Dept. of Human Services at: Blake.A.Shearer@tn.gov.

We asked Brandon Pflug, Project SEARCH instructor at VUMC, to share more info with us about this exciting milestone.

Council: You mentioned that these outcomes make Project SEARCH at VUMC one of the most successful Project SEARCH sites in the nation (and world!). What do you think are the keys to VUMC’s success (even beyond the Project SEARCH model itself)?

Brandon Pflug, VUMC Project SEARCH Instructor: The reason that Project SEARCH at VUMC is so successful is because of the support and buy-in from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The medical center partners with us to provide all internships and is a champion for the program and our individuals.

We are also very fortunate to have access to 40+ departments/clinics to provide this training. It is clear that VUMC makes diversity and inclusion intentional. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to train within their facilities!

What would you like to see happen for Project SEARCH at VUMC in the next few years? What does it look like to build on this success?

We would like to see Project SEARCH at VUMC continue to grow in the next few years. At this time, we partner with the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, The Vanderbilt Clinic, Vanderbilt University Hospital, Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital, and Vanderbilt University to provide internships and facilitate employment.

We are hoping to expand our base of internships and would like to be able to offer training in additional departments and facilities in the future.

Council: What advice do you have for other employers about participation with Project SEARCH?

Brandon: Hiring an Intern/Project SEARCH Graduate is a sound business investment! On average, the length of service for graduates from Project SEARCH at VUMC is 7+ years!

I would encourage any manager or business to consider hiring a Project SEARCH graduate. You will gain a dedicated employee who will bring so much to the business/department for years to come. I would also encourage anyone who is having difficulty filling or retaining positions within their company/department to contact the program. Our individuals already have the services in place to come into your business, learn a job, receive coaching and training from our staff to increase efficiency, and access supports to navigate the new-hire process.

To contact the VUMC program, email me at Brandon Pflug at b randon.pflug@vumc.org. You can also post in our Facebook group, Project SEARCH at Vanderbilt University Medical Cente r.

In Their Own Words: Project SEARCH Graduates

Tell us about your experience with Project SEARCH

“I loved being in Project SEARCH.” - Rinetta Taylor, hired 05/2008
“It’s been a long time since I was there, but I liked it. It helped me get this job. I love my job. I can and will help out in any way in can. I love my coworkers, staff, and management.” - Morgan Smith, hired 10/2009

What does having a real job with real wages mean to you?

"I really like getting paid." - Jennifer Kovach, hired 05/2018
“I feel that getting paid is a reward for my contributing to the community and to have my efforts acknowledged.” - Shane Smith, hired 11/2021