SB 2098/HB 2089
Establishing a Department of Disability and Aging
What We Have in Common
The Tennessee Disability Coalition was founded more than thirty years ago with foundational principles that included unity. We have a commitment that those of us who experience disability need to stick together, to work together, and to build opportunities for all of us. The presence of a disability, regardless of age or cause, brings with it a set of experiences and assumptions by others that bind us to each other.
Perhaps it is best reflected in the Congressional findings from the Americans with Disabilities Act. “Individuals with disabilities are a discrete and insular minority who have been faced with restrictions and limitations, subjected to a history of purposeful unequal treatment, and relegated to a position of political powerlessness in our society, based on characteristics that are beyond the control of such individuals and resulting from stereotypic assumptions not truly indicative of the individual ability of such individuals to participate in, and contribute to, society”.
Equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities often means access to government-sponsored supports and services. For people with disabilities who need access to government services, the maze of departments, agencies, and programs can be overwhelming. And too often access to services depends on what your disability is or when you got it. It is necessary to find the right department or program, and the right service, and hope that it works.
Background on Reorganization of State Government
Since the early days of the Coalition, there have been discussions about ways to reorganize the bureaucracy to help people cut through the red tape and get the services they need. A working group of Coalition members proposed a Department of Aging and Disability in the late ‘90s when then Governor Sundquist proposed a major government reorganization. In 2007, as a new home- and community-based service system was being developed, members of the General Assembly again proposed a Department of Aging and Disability.
The aging community is not homogeneous, neither is the disability community. However, there are many things that unite us. Aging often brings disability, in one of its many forms. And those of us who have disabilities earlier in life hope that we will one day age! There is significant public investment in long-term supports and services for both populations, and both older adults and people with disabilities are often treated differently based on characteristics beyond their control.
The New Department
This year we have another chance to support the establishment of a new Department of Aging and Disability. Governor Lee has recognized the importance of putting “aging” in a cabinet-level department and coordinating and integrating services for people with disabilities. The proposal merges the Commission on Aging and Disability and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities into a new Department. A Department that will be able to do more strategic planning and coordination of services across age and disabilities. We believe this new department can be a leader in streamlining services and supports as well as in planning and coordinating across other departments and sectors that serve older adults and people with disabilities. It will also have more capacity to address some of the shared challenges we face. Challenges such as workforce shortages in home- and community-based care.
As always, “the devil is in the details”. SB2089/HB2098 is a 175-page bill that establishes a new Department in a new Title in state law. Stakeholders have been analyzing the bill and have made recommendations for amendments to strengthen it. Those recommendations can be found at the Coalition website (link).
The Opportunity
A change of this magnitude brings with it many questions and concerns, but it also brings opportunity. Some have expressed concerns about resource allocation, wanting to assure that funding for population groups is preserved. The state and federal funding streams that serve older adults and people with disabilities are dedicated and will remain that way. The merger of several functions of government into a single, new department may well free up some additional resources that can be brought to bear for all.
Data show the rapid growth of the aging sector as more than 10,000 baby boomers a day turn 65. Medical advances, thankfully, both save and lengthen the lives of many people who experience disability of one form or another. The COVID-19 pandemic has grown the disability population.
A new department offers the opportunity for administrative efficiencies, more consistent policy and practice, inclusivity, and better planning and communication. The department will have responsibility for older adults and people with disabilities beyond simply providing services. It has a charge to plan, develop, coordinate public and private efforts to meet the growing need. The bill includes formal avenues for stakeholder and community input as well as interagency collaboration.
What is Next?
The Coalition’s motto is “the lifting power of many wings covers twice the distance of flying alone”. Together we can help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live their best lives at home and in the community regardless of age or disability.
The bill already has an amendment, and there may be more – hopefully including the changes we are proposing. It has just started through the legislative process. The Governor’s intention is to pass the bill. likely by April. Planning for implementation is already underway. An effective date of July 1 is in the bill.
The Governor's office has requested input and feedback from the disability and aging communities. See the links below for comments from a disability stakeholder group that includes the Tennessee Disability Coalition, as well as the recommendations of the Tennessee Coalition for Better Aging (TCBA)