Deputy Commissioner Stephen Norris Announces Retirement

NASHVILLE – Stephen Norris, Deputy Commissioner for the Tennessee Division of Intellectual Disabilities Services (DIDS), announced today that he will retire from state government on September 30, 2009. The agency is responsible for providing services to Tennesseans with intellectual disabilities. 

“It has been a privilege for me to be able to serve as Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Intellectual Disabilities Services for the past six years," Norris said. "Thanks to the commitment and support of this administration, we have made great strides in improving and increasing services for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Tennessee.

• In 2005, gained relief from a moratorium placed on waiver services by CMS in 2000. The lifting of the moratorium allowed Tennessee to again draw federal matching dollars. Since April 2005, more than 3,000 people have been enrolled in waiver services.
• Developed a new Quality Assurance System, which requires Annual Provider Surveys.
• Developed a comprehensive Quality Management System designed to identify and resolve issues in the community-based programs.
• Developed a Protection from Harm System, which includes Incident Management, Complaints Resolution and Investigations.
• Creation of an Advisory Council consisting of parents, advocates and providers, who meet monthly with the Deputy Commissioner and his staff.
• The dismissal from Federal Court supervision of the Greene Valley Developmental Center and the Harold Jordan Center from the 1995 Clover Bottom litigation.
• Substantial progress in resolving issues with the Arlington Federal Court lawsuit, which includes the closure of the Arlington Developmental Center.
• Implementation of a new on-line training program, the College of Direct Support for provider staff. To date, over 20,000 people have enrolled with 490,000 lessons completed. 
• Developed a single-person placement initiative designed to move the system away from too many single-person placements for an estimated savings of $20,000,000.