Our Impact Over Time

  • 1975 – Tennessee establishes its Council on Developmental Disabilities by governor's order, following the creation of councils nationwide through the DD Act five years earlier.
  • 1985 – A national employment grant helps the council launch Tennessee's first supported employment programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, opening new doors to meaningful work.
  • 1989 – People First of Tennessee emerges as a statewide self-advocacy group with Council support. The organization goes on to lead transformative change, including the successful effort to close state-run institutions for people with developmental disabilities. The group continues its vital work today through The Arc Tennessee.
  • 1989 - A new alliance of disability organizations is created with Council funding as the Tennessee Disability Coalition. The Coalition continues advocating for disability rights and services across Tennessee today. Read more about the start of the Coalition here.
  • 1993 – Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute begins training Tennesseans with disabilities and family members in advocacy skills. Nearly 600 graduates have transformed communities across Tennessee, since then, influencing policy from local to national levels. The program goes on to celebrate its 30th year in 2024.
  • 1995 –  The "Home of Your Own" initiative breaks down barriers to home ownership for people with developmental disabilities. The initivative educates banks and lenders about supporting home ownership for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. During the project, 132 people purchase homes, 73 move from institutions into the community, 185 affordable and accessible housing units become available, and 240 people with disabilities receive home ownership training.
  • 1995 –  Childcare Resource and Referral Centers are founded by the Council to increase quality childcare options for families of children with disabilities. Now operated by the TN Department of Human Services, 10 of these Council-initiated centers educate childcare providers about best practices and inclusion, expanding access to quality childcare for families across the state.
  • 1997 – Tennessee Disability Pathfinder is built as the state's central hub for disability information and referral. Through Council partnership with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Pathfinder offers a comprehensive website and multilingual hotline to help people search, find, and connect with disability services. A few years later, the Multicultural Outreach Program launches to remove the barriers that many culturally diverse communities find when trying to access disability resources. Multiple state departments now join the Council in supporting Pathfinder, including Health, Aging and Disability, Education, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and Human Services.
  • 2003 – The first Tennessee Disability MegaConference is held, bringing together people with disabilities, families, and professionals from across the state. This annual gathering continues as Tennessee's largest cross-disability conference, offering opportunities to learn about disability issues, discover resources, and build connections.
  • 2004 – The Council starts a groundbreaking collaboration, bringing together 20+ state agencies to meet monthly to improve transition services for students with disabilities. Now known as the Tennessee Employment Roundtable, this partnership of agencies still meets regularly to identify service gaps, make sure programs are working together, and enhance employment outcomes for Tennesseans with disabilities. You can learn more about the Employment Roundtable here.
  • 2005 – Tennessee's first Project SEARCH site at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, is launched, introducing this nationally recognized internship program for young adults with disabilities to our state. This original site continues operating today and celebrated its 100th graduate in 2022. Project SEARCH prepares dozens of young people for full-time employment each year through hands-on internships. The project's initial success has led to expansion, with 17+ Project SEARCH sites now operating across Tennessee through multi-agency partnerships.
  • 2006 – A "person-centered organizations" training program begins at the TN Department of Aging and Disability (DDA), established through Council partnership. This globally recognized best practice ensures service systems make decisions based on the goals of people receiving services. Today, the DDA continues this work through its Person-Centered Practices office, which has been nationally recognized by the Council on Quality and Leadership. Similar transformation efforts expand to Tennessee's Vocational Rehabilitation system in 2020.
  • 2007 – Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) is started by the Council as a vital peer support network for siblings of people with disabilities. TABS continues operating today, providing information, learning opportunities, and emotional support to siblings of all ages.
  • 2010 - Next Steps at Vanderbilt launches as Tennessee's first inclusive higher education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, funded through Council support. Next Steps is now a nationally recognized program for students with intellectual disabilities.  Over the next decade, this nationally recognized program becomes a model as Tennessee expands to six programs across the state. Graduates consistently achieve employment rates far higher than typical for adults with intellectual disabilities. The statewide Inclusive Higher Education Alliance, with Council participation, provides ongoing support and coordination for these groundbreaking college programs. Learn more about inclusive higher education in Tennessee here.
  • 2011 – The Council supports the DDA to create "People Planning Together," a self-advocacy training program that later becomes Advocates in Motion (AIM). This develops a network of trainers who have disabilities and use support services themselves. These peer trainers teach other people with disabilities how to speak up for their needs and lead their own support planning meetings. Building on this successful model, the Council helps Tennessee's health plans implement their own AIM training within the Employment and Community First (ECF) CHOICES program, expanding the program's reach and impact.
  • 2013 – Tennessee joins the national learning community for the Charting the LifeCourse framework through Council leadership, providing tools and principles to help people with disabilities and their families plan for the future and access supports. The effort establishes Tennessee's primary resource for LifeCourse training and works to incorporate these principles across disability services across the life stages.

This Page Last Updated: December 18, 2024 at 1:46 PM