June 2024

From our Chief Strategy Officer

Dear readers,

I hope you’re finding ways to stay cool and have a little fun as we hit these peak weeks of summer. My family just returned from taking our 14-year-old son to Mexico City to explore his special interest in ancient civilizations – in this case, Aztec and other pre-Hispanic peoples of Mexico. My husband and I loved learning along with Corin. It was an amazing opportunity to get up close to the stunning remnants of cultures that continue to influence our lives today. (If you’ve eaten corn, tomatoes, or pumpkin recently – thank the Aztecs!) The most meaningful part for us as parents was seeing Corin light up as he engaged with his passions of history and language. We can’t wait to see where those passions take him in the years ahead.

Just before I left for vacation, I had the great pleasure of welcoming aboard our new Council Communications Coordinator, Dirk Strider! Dirk is a proud autistic self-advocate whose special interest is government and helping people navigate complex bureaucracy. He brings several years’ experience in communications consulting, graphic design, web development, marketing, and social media management. He is taking over our day-to-day communications work and will also provide support to targeted public policy and leadership development projects. Take a moment to read his introductory note and join us in welcoming him to the Council team!

There is more great content below, including several disability-related events coming up soon. They might just offer the perfect opportunity to get out of the heat, learn a little about disability resources, and connect with our Tennessee disability community!

Take care, everyone,

Jolene Sharp
Chief Strategy Officer
TN Council on Developmental Disabilities

Meet our new Communications Coordinator

Hey there! I'm Dirk Strider, and I’m excited to introduce myself as the Communications Coordinator for the Council on Developmental Disabilities staff!

As someone who is autistic and has ADHD, this position and what the Council does are very near and dear to my heart. I've always had a deep passion for helping others navigate the often-confusing world of bureaucracy, paperwork, and terminology surrounding resources.

That’s especially true when it comes to marginalized people of all kinds, who often lack access to support and services.

What has struck me most about the Council is the genuine respect, value, and understanding they show towards individuals with developmental disabilities, including myself. During my interviews, I felt at ease not only disclosing that I had a disability, but also that I needed to keep my hands busy with a fidget toy without anyone questioning my need for it. It's heartening to know that everyone here has a close personal connection with someone who has a developmental disability. It’s clear the Council fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment.

I'm a born-and-raised Tennessee native. Growing up, I moved all over Middle Tennessee. When I'm not immersed in work, you can catch me exploring Middle Tennessee and the neighboring areas, particularly when it comes to local musical acts. 

Another passion of mine is growing mushrooms. I'm particularly interested in growing morels, or "dry land fish," as some people around here call them. 

As an autistic person, my "special interest" lies in resources for marginalized people, health insurance, paperwork, and navigating bureaucratic cogs. While some might find these topics a bit dry, I can easily lose myself for hours in a document, captivated by every intricate detail.
(Even if my friends and family don't quite grasp why I find paragraph A, subsection 3 on page 64 of a quarterly report to be so funny...)

I look forward to working with the Council and Council staff – including making my contributions here in this newsletter!

Mentorship helps Lipscomb grad student Liz McKell develop passion for disability policy


Our Council Executive Director, Lauren Pearcy, was recently invited by Lipscomb University to serve as a policy mentor to a student in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. Lauren was honored by the opportunity and has been working for several months with MPA student Elizabeth McKell. As a mentor, Lauren has been able to give Liz a window into the work of this Council and to the broader world of disability policy and the work for long-term change. We asked Liz to share a little about her education and career path and what her mentorship with Lauren has meant to her.

Q: What made you decide on the MPA program at Lipscomb?
Liz: I went to Lipscomb for undergrad and got my B.S. in Disability Studies with a minor in Law, Justice, and Society. While getting my degree, I fell in love with the intersection of my passion for supporting people with disabilities, and public service. I like to say I now have the best of both worlds in pursuing these things through my current job at Lipscomb’s IDEAL Program, and learning about public service through the MPA program.

Q: What do you hope to do with your degree once you’re finished? What are your career goals?
Liz: Thanks to my wonderful mentor, the Executive Director of the Council, Lauren Pearcy, I am very interested in pursuing disability policy in the future! My hope is to make positive, long-lasting changes for individuals with disabilities in Tennessee, and around the world.

Q: What have some of the benefits of the mentor program been so far?
Liz: I am so lucky to be able to learn from Lauren’s wisdom and expertise. She has introduced me to other Tennessee disability trailblazers, invited me to meetings, and gifted me lots of knowledge and advice over the past few months. I have loved learning what great work ethic, passion, leadership, and inclusion truly look like. Lauren has a gift for making others feel seen and encouraged, and I am so thankful to be one of those people!

Q: Is there anything about working with Lauren as your mentor that has surprised you or shifted your thinking?
Liz: One of my favorite things I have learned from Lauren is the importance of connection! She is great at not only making personal connections with the people she meets, but also intentional about facilitating connections for others. I have always loved meeting new people, but thanks to Lauren, I have a whole new understanding of why taking time to find common ground is vital to our work. 

Disability Policy Corner: Council news to know about

Earlier this week, Council member Martez Williams and Executive Director Lauren Pearcy had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. to attend an event at the White House. The event was celebrating a historic moment in disability history: the Olmstead Decision.

You can watch the livestream of the full event here on YouTube.

Background: In 1999, the US Supreme Court decided that people with disabilities must be given a choice between institutional, segregated living settings or inclusive community settings. The decision, known as the Olmstead Decision, set disability services on a fundamentally different trajectory. Institutions started shrinking and closing as our system focused on community services.

Today, we still argue about what those should be like. We question whether they are living up to the vision of true inclusion. But there’s no doubt that life would be completely different - for all of us - if the Olmstead Decision hadn’t been made. As one of the speakers, Nicole Jorwic, pointed out, “The Latin root to the word ‘integration’ means ‘to make whole.’ Our communities are not whole without people with disabilities.”

Disability Policy Corner: What we're reading and watching, June 2024

State policy news and events

  • CMS Approves Three New Benefits to TennCare:
    1. Expansion of Medicaid eligibility for parents and caretaker relatives of dependent children up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
    2. Approval of a new benefit to provide coverage of 100 diapers per month per child, for families with children under the age of two.
    3. Authority for the state to make several home- and community-based services (HCBS) enhancements, with a focus on employment services and supports, to promote increased independence for individuals with disabilities in their homes, communities, and workplaces.

National headlines

Federal policy updates and events*

(*Sources for federal legislation and events include policy newsletters from The Arc U.S., Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Family Voices, the Administration for Community Living, and more)

Nominations now open: TN Employment First Inclusive Employer Award


Do you know a business or state agency that goes above and beyond to support employment for people with disabilities? Tell them to apply for the Tennessee Employment First Inclusive Employer Award (TEFIE)!

This is an opportunity to recognize and award Tennessee businesses, employers, and state agencies who go above and beyond legal requirements to recruit, hire, advance, and retain people with disabilities in our state.


Award criteria:

• Outstanding contributions and practices that improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

• The business/employer must provide competitive and integrated employment for people with disabilities.

• The nominated establishment has no adverse decisions by a court, Administrative Review Board (ARB), Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), or the TN Human Rights Commission related to violations of Section 503, EO 11246, VEVRAA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) within the last three years.

• The business/employer must submit the nomination.

The application is open through July 31, 2024.

Reach out with any questions to: Sundi.Wright@tn.gov.

Nomination links:

2024 Tennessee Employment First Inclusive Employment Award - State Agency 

2024 Tennessee Employment First Inclusive Employer Award - Business

Two advocacy opportunities to know about

Our partners at the Department of Disability and Aging (DDA , formerly DIDD) have announced two ways you can get involved:

  • DDA is looking for people interested in serving as chair of its Statewide Planning and Policy Council. This is a Governor-appointed position. The appointment will begin in July 2024 and will be for 2 years. Candidates will be reviewed by DDA and submitted to the Governor's office, which may require additional review. If you are interested in serving as chair of the SPPC, please complete this interest form.
  • DDA also announced that it is now offering up to $10,000 in grant funding for the installation of adult changing tables in area businesses, municipalities, and public spaces. Grants were previously available up to $5,000. The simple grant application form is available online. The Tennessee legislature established this grant program after advocacy by our Council member Chrissy Hood, who shared her family's story with policymakers. Now, we need YOU to ask businesses and other public places in your community to apply for the grants and install adult-size tables in their buildings! 

Two summer events to know about

8th Annual Adult Autism Symposium
July 27, Chattanooga State Community College
The GCA Centre for Adult Autism is having their annual adult conference on July 27 at Chattanooga State. They have presentations on adult autism topics like employment, relationships, and mental health, and many of the speakers are autistic. It's also a good way to connect with local service providers too. Many attendees will be people on autism assessment waitlists. Our Council is proud to be a sponsor of this event again. 

THIS TUESDAY: Technology for All Virtual Summit
June 25, 2024 - 9:00-11:30 a.m. CT, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET
Learn how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are using new technology to gain independence and self-determination. Topics include:

  • Remote supports
  • Voice tech for people with speech impairments
  • Smartphone apps and accessibility
  • Apps for self-determination
  • Employment
  • Telehealth
  • Assistive devices for independence
  • Much more! 

Learn more and register at MyTechForAll.com.