February 2026

From Our Chief Strategy Officer

Dear readers,

Whew – it’s been a WINTER, hasn’t it? I hope you were able to stay warm and safe through the ice storm that affected much of our state. This week, crews arrived to clear the many trees down in my yard, and giant trucks picked up 8-foot-tall stacks of debris along our neighborhood streets.

It’s a relief to see the clean-up progressing. As temperatures have warmed, I’ve also seen the first signs of early spring. Daffodils are popping up, and a pair of finches seem to be plotting a repeat nest in my front door wreath.

After a hard winter, spring can feel a lot like hope. Maybe that feeling is also tied to a big event coming up next week: Disability Day on the Hill! Nothing gives me hope like seeing our statewide disability community show up in force on Capitol Hill. I am convinced that human connection is the single greatest driver of change. You don’t have to be a policy expert for your story to make a difference. I look forward to seeing many of you at the reception on Tuesday evening or in the halls of Cordell Hull on Wednesday. Please be sure to say hello!

As spring buds around us, I continue to find hope in this community and our shared purpose. Together, our work for progress for people with disabilities continues. Keep reading for Policy Corner updates from a surprise guest host, new dental resources, and more.

Hope to see you shortly!

- Jolene Sharp, Chief Strategy Officer

Upcoming Opportunities 

Work Experience for Young People with Disabilities

Do you know a young person with a disability who would like to get work experience? A new Youth Employment Program (YEP) may be able to help.

Who can join?

You can join if you:

• Are 14–24 years old, and
• Have a disability

How to learn more or sign up:

• Call or visit your local American Job Center, or
• Use the referral form (shared by the program), or
• If you already know someone on your Local Workforce Board or at an American Job Center, you can reach out to them.

Questions?

For more information, contact:

• Troy Jenkins, Youth Grant Program Manager
• Phone: (615) 741-6786 | Cell: (615) 393-0098
• Jenkins@tn.gov

ABLE Accounts

ABLE accounts are now available to many more people. Previously, only people who had a disability by the age of 26 were eligible to open ABLE accounts. Because of the ABLE Age Adjustment Act, people who got their disability by the age of 46 are now eligible, as well. The law also means that people can now save more in their ABLE accounts – the contribution limit has increased from $19,000 to $20,000.

ABLE accounts were created by the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act in 2014. This law allows people with disabilities to open savings accounts where they can save up to $100,000 without losing their benefits. Because many government benefit programs have asset limits, people often cannot save for the future without risking their eligibility for programs like Social Security or Medicaid. 

30 Years of The Scholarship Fund 

For more than 30 years, the Council’s Scholarship Fund has helped Tennesseans with disabilities and their families attend leadership meetings, disability conferences, and training opportunities - both in Tennessee and across the United States. Beyond learning, this fund opens doors to networks and connections that might not exist without this support.

Starting in 2026, the Scholarship Fund is managed through a new partnership with United Cerebral Palsy of Tennessee. There’s still time to apply for events now through June 30, 2026.

If you’ve identified a disability-related event that would benefit you or a family member, visit the Scholarship Fund application page here.

Want to learn more about the history of the Scholarship Fund? Read the story of a family using it to attend a conference in Breaking Ground Issue 124.

Policy Corner

Editorial Note: It’s an intern takeover! While Director of Public Policy Emma Garton is on leave for a family situation, our public policy intern is hosting this section of the newsletter. Please welcome Bayleigh Pirtle to the Policy Corner!

Dear readers,

With the legislative session in full swing here in Tennessee, I want to share some important things to know about the legislative session. There are a lot of bills on our radar, but I want to highlight the ones that impact our current priorities.

• SB1627 - Tennessee School Safety Act of 2026: Amends school safety laws. If a student is expelled more than once for making threats of mass violence, the student must get a psychiatric exam before returning to school. A qualified medical professional must provide written documentation from the exam before the student can return.
• SB1684 - Expands the definition of a "disabled driver" for a disabled driver placard. It would also include someone who is in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, or someone whose doctor says the pregnancy is high risk.
• SB1777 - Caring for Caregivers Act: Creates a pilot grant program to give financial help to family caregivers of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.
• SB1802 - Requires the Department of Safety to develop a "blue envelope" program for drivers with developmental or intellectual disabilities. The program would provide a designated envelope for important documents and helpful guidelines to improve communication during traffic stops.
• SB1868 - Creates a new legal category called "child in need of heightened supervision" for a child a judge believes has shown or threatened serious violence, even if the child has not been charged with a crime. This new category can be used when deciding if the child should be held in custody or placed in a secure setting. It also requires that children in residential placements who have assaulted a staff member cannot be released or sent home for at least six months.
• SB2055 - Requires public school districts (sometimes called Local Education Agencies, or LEAs) and public charter schools to allow private pay providers, such as licensed behavior analysts, to provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services during the school day. This would apply to students with autism spectrum disorder or developmental delays when the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) says the services are needed.
• SB2362 - Improves services and oversight for children with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are in state custody, or may enter state custody. It requires the Department of Children’s Services to work with the Department of Disability and Aging to make sure these children get the right supports and placements.
• SB2485 - Would allow public school districts (LEA) and public charter schools to install cameras in special education classrooms. If installed, and the parents of a majority of students assigned to that classroom give written consent, these cameras would be required to continuously record during class. 
• SB2529 - Requires signs at rest areas and welcome centers to show whether there is an adult-sized changing table.

Further Reading: Here is an article on children’s interactions with the criminal justice system.

If you want to make your voice heard on any of these bills, I highly recommend that you attend Disability Day on the Hill on February 25. I hope to see you there!

- Bayleigh Pirtle, Policy Intern

Community Events & Training

Virtual Secondary Transition Academy

The Tennessee Department of Education and TransitionTN are hosting the Virtual Secondary Transition Academy on April 16, 2026. This event is free for Tennessee educators and other professionals.

This year’s theme is “Building Futures: Empowering Every Student for College and Career Readiness.” You will get practical ideas to support students with disabilities as they plan for life after high school.

This event is recommended for special education teachers, school leaders, school counselors, special education directors, and others who support transition planning. Not an educator? Share with others you know who are!

We will be a virtual exhibitor at this event! We would love for you to stop by our online booth.

How to register:

View the full agenda and register on the event webpage. The registration button is in the top right corner.

Monthly Webinars to Help Students Plan for the Future

Tennessee's Center for Decision-Making Support is bringing back its monthly transition webinar series for 2026. These online sessions happen every second Monday of the month.

They are open to:

Tennessee's Center for Decision-Making Support is bringing back its monthly transition webinar series for 2026. These online sessions happen every second Monday of the month.

They are open to:

• Call or visit your local American Job Center, or
• Use the referral form (shared by the program), or
• If you already know someone on your Local Workforce Board or at an American Job Center, you can reach out to them.

Each webinar covers helpful information about planning for life after high school.

 Topics include: 

• Conservatorship and other legal support options
• Transition services (school services that help you plan for life after high school)
• Supported decision-making (choosing people you trust to help you make your own choices)
• Planning for the future with confidence

 Upcoming Webinar Dates: 

• March 9, 2026
• April 13, 2026

Click here to sign up today!

Questions? Call 615-248-5878 ext. 327 or email ds@thearctn.org

Dental Care Updates for Tennesseans with Disabilities

Training Videos for Dental Providers

Tooth Booth Tennessee is a new series of short YouTube videos for dental providers who want to offer better care for older adults and people with disabilities.

Each episode shares tips providers can use right away, such as:

• adaptive techniques for supporting different needs,
• best practices for inclusive care, and
• approaches that focus on prevention.

These videos were created by Harmony Health in partnership with the Department of Disability and Aging.

Not a dental provider, but want to improve dental care in Tennessee to be more accessible and inclusive? You can help.

• If you or a loved one with a disability needs dental care soon, or has had a hard time with dental care before, you can share Tooth Booth Tennessee with your dentist, dental hygienist, or dental office manager.
  • You can ask the office if they would watch a few videos before the visit so they feel more prepared to support you or your loved one.

New Report on Dental Care in Tennessee

A new report has revealed that many people in Tennessee do not get the dental care they need.  This study was done by Harmony Health, the Department of Disability and Aging, and the American Institute of Dental Public Health.

The study asked more than 1,000 Tennesseans about their dental care. A few of the findings from this study include:

• 20% of Tennesseans surveyed have had dental pain or an infection in the past year.
• 5% of Tennesseans surveyed have gone to an emergency room or urgent care for an issue related to their teeth. This is more than twice the national rate.
• Nearly 6% of Tennesseans surveyed said they have pulled out at least one tooth on their own to manage pain they were experiencing.

People on Medicaid had an especially hard time. Two out of every 3 Medicaid recipients did not agree that it was easy to find a dentist who accepted their plan. They also went to the emergency room for dental problems 5 to 6 times more than the national average.

People with disabilities faced extra challenge, too. More than 25% of people with disabilities have no dental insurance. Nearly 1 in 4 said they have had to self-medicate for dental pain.

You can read the full report by clicking this link.

If you have questions about DDA's work with Harmony Health Foundation or want to get involved,  reach out to the DDA Director of Program Innovation, Jeremy Norden-Paul.