Advocacy and Awareness Network*

Witt family

The Arc Tennessee Advocacy and Awareness Network is designed to:

  • Encourage services and supports that enable people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to lead lives similar to people without disabilities
  • Increase access to meaningful services and supports
  • Help the service system at all levels become more responsive to meeting the support needs of people with IDD

The staff of The Arc Tennessee Advocacy and Awareness Network provide information and referral, technical assistance, and individual advocacy to support and guide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families in the following areas:

  • Understanding and applying for government programs such as TennCare, ECF CHOICES, SSI, SSDI, and Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Navigating the policies and procedures of state and federal programs, including rights and appeals
  • Identifying community connections and natural supports
  • Identifying career pathways and employment opportunities
  • Becoming a self-advocate
  • Navigating issues within the DIDD and/or TennCare services provider system including:
    • Civil/Human Rights/Quality of Life
    • Service Access
    • Health and Safety
    • Legal
    • Conservatorship

    The Arc TN Advocates provide specialized individual advocacy services for those persons with intellectual disability who are members of the Settlement Agreement.

    To make a referral for individual advocacy services, please complete the form HERE and email it to Tracey Cunningham.

    The Arc TN staff are available to facilitate PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) planning sessions for individuals, families and providers upon request.

    The Arc TN staff are available to conduct a variety of workshops and educational trainings in the following categories:

    • Self-advocacy, self-determination, self-direction
    • Voter education
    • Bullying
    • Employment supports/customized employment
    • Healthy relationships and personal safety
    • Positive behavior supports
    • Disability awareness and person first language
    • Public policy/legislative advocacy
    • Person centered supports
    • History of the disability movement

    The Arc Advocacy and Awareness Network conducts yearly family forums across the state on a variety of topics.

    To request a workshop or family meeting in your area, please complete the form in Word HERE.

    DIDD Enabling Technology Information Session [PowerPoint]

    The Arc Connection is a quarterly newsletter of The Arc Tennessee. Only members of The Arc receive mailed paper copies of this publication. If you would like to become a member and receive The Arc Connection in your mailbox, please see our Membership page. Links to some recent issues [.pdf] are below:

    Please Note: The preceding links can be opened using Adobe Acrobat Reader. To obtain free a copy of the Acrobat Reader software, click on the icon below.

    *Activities of The Arc Advocacy and Awareness Network are partially funded through a grant from the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.  To view outcomes related to this project, click HERE to view our annual report.