July 2022

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From the Executive Director's Desk

Dear readers,

During Disability Pride month, our team has set aside time to reflect on and honor disability history. Many of us watched a webinar together, “Disability Rights are Civil Rights: How the Civil Rights Movement Impacted the Disability Rights Movement.” The webinar featured Judith Heumann and other civil rights leaders.

I couldn’t help but think about the role of our founding law, the Developmental Disabilities Act. The DD Act was also passed in the 1960s. It was the first time we as a nation proclaimed that “disability is a part of the human experience.” This is the north star our field needed. It has guided Councils on Developmental Disabilities ever since.

Celebrating disability pride hits differently after I re-immerse myself in history. I picture the Council members we rely on to shape our work and their loved ones and I wonder how we ever underestimated them so tragically. I sat next to one parent during a disability history presentation this year. She leaned over to share, “I was told to institutionalize my daughter. And that was 1992.”

Knowing this sobering history makes me proud to be part of this generation. It also reminds me that future generations will cringe at ours. We have a long way to go, and that’s why Councils still play such a critical role today.

Read on to hear from our current Council members – both citizen and agency representatives – and timely policy highlights.

-Lauren Pearcy, Executive Director

Council Member Spotlight: Brent Wiles

Brent Wiles lives in Nashville and serves as one of the Council's at-large representatives, appointed by the Governor. Brent joined the council in 2019 after his youngest son George was born with Down syndrome in 2017.

What impresses me most about serving on the Council is getting to see the big impact that a relatively small group of involved individuals can have throughout state government and beyond. For decades, the Council has been a place where citizens, government representatives, and advocates come together to work to improve the lives of those with disabilities across the state.

I joined the Council not long after our son George was born, and I had little knowledge of the disability community and its many advocates. Whether it’s council members, the representatives of state government, university partners, or disability advocacy organizations, I’ve found a group that is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have a voice and are not an afterthought.

Serving on the Council has helped educate me on various tools that are available to those with disabilities and their family members. I’ve been able to share information about Tennessee Disability Pathfinder with people, helped my wife set up a “buddy program” at our church to help children with disabilities participate in church activities, and shared our family’s experiences with council members and staff.

My goal is to continue growing my knowledge of disability issues through service on the Council so that I can better assist others in the years to come.

Get to Know a Leader: Jenna Martin, Director of Developmental Disability Services, TN Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD)

We like to introduce our readers to different leaders in TN's disability field. Meet Jenna Martin, who recently became the Director of Developmental Disability Services at DIDD.

Tell us about your previous background.

I started my career in the field of developmental disabilities at Independent Opportunities, Inc., supporting people as their Program Coordinator. After accepting a position in the Operations Department, I took the opportunity to apply and accept the Provider Support Team Coordinator position. I then became the Director of Operations position, and from there, the Deputy Director of Intake and Case Management at the DIDD Middle Tennessee Regional Office.

What is most exciting to you about your new position?

I have been fortunate in my career to be able to learn about most service options within home- and community-based settings. The TN Family Support program and the Autism Council were not areas I had been exposed to prior to this job. I am very excited to continue learning about both areas.

Can you describe a particular challenge or new opportunity you want to tackle in this role?

One thing Family Support providers have requested is a system to identify people who are receiving other funding sources. One of my main goals is to work with our Technical Support team to develop a system that will identify what services people are receiving. This will help our providers identify where we can assist people with additional supports from various programs.

The Family Support program received $1.03 million dollars in additional funding, and I am excited to see more families supported by the program than ever before, and some families receive more support than previous years.

For the TN Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder, I am happy to say that the committees just met on July 12, and they are all making efforts to improve the lives of Tennesseans with autism. We have some great ideas and action plans coming from those groups and it will be amazing to see what the Council accomplishes.

What’s something that has surprised you so far in your new role?

The amount of advocacy I have witnessed working with the TN Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder and with the Family Support Council is just incredible. I shouldn’t say that is a surprising thing, but it is incredible to see the passion behind each of these groups. I am happy to be a part of each of them.

When should members of the disability community reach out to you directly?

Both the Family Support Council and the TN Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder are quarterly meetings that are open to the public. If you have any interest in attending either or both meetings, please reach out and you will be added to our contact list. Information on how to attend either or both meetings is also included in the Public Meeting Notice published prior to each meeting.

You may also reach out to me any time you have questions about how DIDD might be able to assist you or someone you know at jenna.s.martin@tn.gov or 615-626-1579.

Tell local businesses to apply for adult-size changing tables funding

The TN Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) will be providing $5,000 grants to 200 businesses and municipalities to install universal adult-size changing table in restrooms that are open to the public.

Adult-size changing tables allow people of all ages and abilities to access safe, dignified, and hygienic toileting experiences.

How can you help?

  1. Share the application link in your community with businesses and other public spaces that need a table.
  2. Connect with your local officials to identify public places like rec centers and parks. 
  3. Help get the word out on social media! You can share any of this information directly on your social media or search for DIDD's posts about the grants and share those.

Get Help with Costs of Disability Conferences, Trainings with our Scholarship Fund

Now is a great time to apply for financial help through our Scholarship Fund to attend disability or advocacy conferences and trainings!

Each year on July 1, we have new funding available to support Tennesseans with disabilities and family members of people with disabilities with the costs of leadership and advocacy training.

You can read more about our Scholarship Fund on our website here. Here are just a few upcoming national disability conferences you might explore - but you can always check TN Disability Pathfinder's event calendar for all kinds of disability conferences and trainings, including events that are free and those that cost money.

  • The Arc U.S. National Convention - Nov. 10-12, 2022, Denver, CO; A conference about a variety of disability issues for all disability community members (self-advocates, families and professionals)
  • Association of University Centers on Disabilities conference (AUCD) - Nov. 13-16, 2022, Washington D.C.; A conference for those interested in emerging research and best practices in the disability field
  • TASH conference - Dec. 1-3, 2022, Phoenix, AZ; A conference about a variety of disability issues for all disability community members (self-advocates, families and professionals)

Learn about new school funding formula, "TISA" 

The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act (TISA) was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Bill Lee on May 2, 2022. TISA is Tennessee’s new public-school funding formula. TISA replaces the 30-year-old “Basic Education Plan” (BEP).

The Tennessee Department of Education is now accepting public comment on the details of TISA. It's important that our community has good information on how TISA will change public school funding in Tennessee. We want you to know what that means for students with disabilities. 

We're grateful to the Tennessee Disability Coalition for partnering with us on plain language information about TISA. More information will be added in the coming days and weeks. Please follow the Council and the TN Disability Coalition on social media for updates. 

TISA 101 - How TISA Works

Explore new videos for the TN Center for Decision-Making Support

There are several new videos featured on the website for the TN Center for Decision-Making Support. These videos will help you learn about supported decision-making and how to use the Center's website. 

Some of the topics include:

  • Welcome to the Tennessee Center for Decision-Making Support
  • Decision-Making Supports vs Supported Decision-Making
  • The LifeCourse Exploring Decision-Making Supports Tool; and more!

TN's Center for Decision-Making Support, which launched in 2020, is joint project of the Council, The Arc Tennessee, and Disability Rights Tennessee. The Center’s goal is to provide easy to understand, accurate information about all decision-making support options for people with disabilities, in one place.

Explore the video library and other resources at www.tndecisionmaking.org.