The Arc Of Tennessee Inc

TO PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELL-BEING OF ALL CITIZENS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND/OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.

ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS - THE ARC TN PROVIDES INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TO ANYONE WHO CONTACTS THE OFFICE SEEKING ASSISTANCE, INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY AS NEEDED, AND TRAINING/WORKSHOPS/CONSULTATION ON IN A VARIETY OF AREAS INCLUDING SELF-DETERMINATION, PERSON-CENTERED PRACTICE, SELF-ADVOCACY, AND OTHERS. WE ALSO CONDUCT PATHS (PLANNING ALTERNATIVE TOMORROWS WITH HOPE) FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS UPON REQUEST.

PEOPLE TALKING TO PEOPLE (PTP) - ASSISTS THE DEPARTMENT OF INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DIDD) WITH QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT BY EMPOWERING SERVICE RECIPIENTS TO GIVE HONEST FEEDBACK REGARDING THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVE THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN A SURVEY THAT COVERS FOUR KEY AREAS: CHOICE AND CONTROL; RESPECT AND DIGNITY: ACCESS TO CARE: COMMUNITY INCLUSION.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION THE ARC TENNESSEE PARTNERS WITH THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THROUGH A CONTRACT TO INCREASE THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. WE REACH FAMILIES STATEWIDE IN MANY WAYS INCLUDING, AN E-NEWSLETTER, SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR WEBSITE AND MORE. THIS YEAR WE LAUNCHED OUR OWN DEDICATED WEBSITE WITH RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND TEACHERS AT FAMILYENGAGEMENTTN.COM. AFTER COVID HAD US PIVOT TO DOING MORE VIRTUALLY, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TEAM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO FAMILIES THROUGH MONTHLY FACEBOOK LIVE Q&A SESSIONS. WE LAUNCHED A PILOT PROJECT WORKING WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTORS AND FAMILY RESOURCE DIRECTORS IN SIX DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE TO TARGET FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES AND CREATE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS AND PARENT ADVISORY COUNCILS SPECIFICALLY FOR FAMILIES OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WHICH WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING STATEWIDE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

PASS PROJECT (PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES) - ENHANCES COMMUNITY SUPPORTS BY DEMONSTRATING A MODEL OF SELF-DIRECTED PERSONAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF TOOLS, MENTORING, AND TRAININGS TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO MANAGE AND CONTROL THEIR OWN CARE. PARTNERS IN POLICY MAKING - THE ARC OF TENNESSEE PROVIDES ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE TENNESSEE COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES' PARTNERS IN POLICY MAKING PROJECT SO THAT PROJECT EXPENSES ARE REIMBURSED IN A TIMELY FASHION. OTHER GRANTS PARTNERS IN POLICYMAKING WORKSHOP WE SERVE AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE "PASS-THROUGH" FOR THE COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO OPERATE THESE PROGRAMS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER. WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A FASTER TURNAROUND ON PAYING INVOICES AND REIMBURSING OTHER EXPENSES THAN THE STATE IS ABLE TO DO. PARTNERS IN POLICYMAKING TRAINS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO BECOME ADVOCATES. GRADUATES FROM THE PROGRAM HAVE GONE ON TO PARTICIPATE ON THE BOARDS OF VARIOUS NON-PROFIT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS AND TO BECOME ACTIVE IN PUBLIC POLICY. YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM PROVIDES LEADERSHIP SKILLS TRAINING TO YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICES (ECF) THIS IS A FEE-FOR-SERVICE HOME-AND-COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORTS PROGRAM ADMINISTERED THROUGH TENNCARE AND MANAGED BY THE MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS (MCOS). THE ARC OF TENNESSEE IS AN APPROVED PROVIDER OF SERVICES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE SELF-ADVOCACY SKILLS OF PEOPLE WITH I/DD AND EMPOWER FAMILIES TO BETTER SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER WITH I/DD. PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES (PRE-ETS) THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (WIOA) REQUIRES VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION (VR) TO OFFER PRE-ETS TO ALL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AGED 14-22. THE ARC OF TENNESSEE IS A CONTRACTED PROVIDER WITH VR TO PROVIDE THREE OF THE FIVE PRE-ETS: WORKPLACE READINESS TRAINING, SELF-ADVOCACY, SELF-DETERMINATION AND SELF-DIRECTION TRAINING, AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION COUNSELING. THE ARC OF TENNESSEE COLLABORATES WITH LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO IMPLEMENT THESE SERVICES. HEALING TRUST THE HEALING TRUST ADVOCACY GRANT PROVIDES UNRESTRICTED FUNDING FOR THE ARC TN TO ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY WORK AROUND ISSUES THAT IMPACT HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR TENNESSEANS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT GRANT THROUGH THE TN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOCUSES ON EMPOWERING FAMILIES TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. PEOPLE FIRST THE PEOPLE FIRST GRANT THROUGH THE TN DEPARTMENT OF INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DIDD) FUNDING TO REVITALIZE PEOPLE FIRST TN - A SELF-ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOR SELF-ADVOCATES, RUN BY SELF-ADVOCATES. PEOPLE FIRST TN IS CHARGED WITH GROWING MEMBERSHIP, DEVELOPING LOCAL CHAPTERS, PROVIDING TRAINING FOR SELF-ADVOCATES AND ADDRESSING POLICY AND SYSTEMS ISSUES IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE STATE. AIMHITN THE AIMHITN GRANT THROUGH AIMHITN FUNDS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR AIMHITN, A STATEWIDE NON-PROFIT DEDICATED TO INFANT MENTAL HEALTH IN TENNESSEE. OUR STAFF ASSIST WITH TASKS SUCH AS EVENT PLANNING, COORDINATING BOARD MEETINGS, TAKING MEETING MINUTES AND OTHER OFFICE TASKS. SDM THE SDM GRANT THROUGH THE TN COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES FUNDS A PILOT PROJECT TO PROVIDE FORMALIZED DECISION-MAKING SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE WITH I/DD WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY NATURAL SUPPORTS TO ASSIST THEM. IT ALSO CREATED AN SDM ADVISORY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING DECISION-MAKING SUPPORTS OTHER THAN CONSERVATORSHIP FOR PEOPLE WITH I/DD AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THOSE BARRIERS. ENABLING TECH THE ENABLING TECH GRANT THROUGH THE TN DEPARTMENT OF INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES PROVIDES FUNDING FOR A VARIETY OF PROJECTS THAT ADVANCE THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE OF PEOPLE WITH I/DD. THESE PROJECTS ARE ASSIGNED TO US BY DIDD BASED ON THEIR NEED. MEGACONFERENCE WE ARE ONE OF SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT COLLABORATE TO HOST THE TENNESSEE DISABILITY MEGACONFERENCE EVERY YEAR. THIS CONFERENCE IS THE LARGEST CROSS-DISABILITY CONFERENCE IN TENNESSEE AND DRAWS BETWEEN 400 - 1,000 ATTENDEES EVERY YEAR. THE COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AS WELL AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDES FUNDING FOR STIPENDS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THEIR FAMILY AND/OR SUPPORT STAFF TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.