Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities
Wanda Willis, Executive Director

Tennessee Disability MegaConference

 

The annual Tennessee Disability Megaconference is coming up soon! The event is held at the Nashville Airport Marriott May 31 - June1, 2012. To view the Program at a Glance, click here.

The 2012 conference theme is “Sharing Our Strengths: Tools for Empowerment and Change” and organized into five tracks, each with its own keynote presenter. Visit www.tndisabilitymegaconference.org and register today!

 

Submit a Video for "Employment Idol" - A Fan–voted Employment Success Story Video Contest!

Submit a 1 to 5 minute video of an Employment Success Story featuring a Tennessean with a disability at http://www.youtube.com/user/TNEmploymentIdol by midnight, May 29, 2012. With the employee’s permission, videos can be created and uploaded by anyone who knows the employee. Visit www.tndisabilitymegaconference.org for instructions.

 

Anyone can vote at YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/TNEmploymentIdol.  Contest screening on Thursday, May 31st at 10:30 am at the TN Disability MegaConference. Online and 'studio' audience votes will be tallied and the top 3 videos will receive prizes.

 

For questions and details, contact Lynnette.Henderson@vanderbilt.edu 615-936-0448.

 

New proposals by TennCare, Vocational Rehabitation

 

TennCare: TennCare has developed a proposal for new program called TennCare PLUS. The program’s purpose is to streamline the system that serves a specific group TennCare names “Full Benefit Dual Eligibles," people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. To read an overview of the proposal and the draft of the proposal, visit http://www.tn.gov/tenncare/pol-noticeplus.shtml.

Written Comments or Questions:
You may also submit comments in writing. Members of the public who wish to submit comments or to ask questions about the hearings or the draft proposal may contact Susie Baird by email or by calling (615) 507-6480.

 

Vocational Rehabilitation Services: The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services has a new state plan, and invites the public to share feedback about the plan by submitting written comments.

 

Submit written comments to:

Division of Rehabilitation Services
Attention to: Samuel E. Cole
Citizens Plaza State Office Building, 10th Floor
400 Deaderick St. Nashville, TN 37243

 

For more information, you can contact:
(615) 313-5682; TTY (615) 313-5695
Long Distance 1-800-270-1349
Email: Samuel.Cole@tn.gov

 

Breaking Ground Arts Issue

 

Do you write short stories or poetry? Do you paint, draw or take pictures? Then we’d like to see your work for possible publication!

The editor will consider:
• fiction, up to 1,000 words, and poems, whether traditional or modern.
• photos and all other forms of artwork.

Content is devoted to materials by or about persons with disabilities. We’ll give contributors a prominent by-line, a biographical note and copies of the issue. Please include your name, complete contact information and a two- or three-sentence biography with your submission.

Send your submissions to:
Ned Andrew Solomon
Managing Editor, Breaking Ground
Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities,
Parkway Towers, Suite 130
404 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0228
ned.solomon@tn.gov

 

Family Support Program Funding Restored

 

Thanks to the persistent and hard work of many individuals with disabilities, family members and advocates throughout the disability community, the Family Support program will be fully funded next fiscal year, with $4.7 million in recurring funds and $2.6 million in nonrecurring funds.

For more information, click here.

 

Special Report to the Community

 

The Council recently released its 2011 Special Report, which describes the purpose of the Council and the work that it does throughout the state. Click here to view it as a PDF.