Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) community-based transition students are learning new skills and preparing for the workforce with internships in local businesses. Tiffany Renfro, a transition coach, is dedicated to helping both students and employers understand why hiring students with disabilities is so important.

Name, MNPS Role

My name is Tiffany Renfro, Paraprofessional @ CBTP: Disaster Relief Efforts

The main office of the Tennessee Disability Coalition is located in Nashville, Tennessee and unfortunately was in the path of the storm that came through middle Tennessee on March 3, 2020. Our office was damaged, but is still standing. Our hearts go out to our friends and neighbors who sustained devastating losses.

Our work will continue but we will not be able to reside in our Nashville office while repairs are in progress. 

Whether you're new to advocating for the rights and voices of yourself and Tennesseans with disabilities, or a veteran supporter and self-advocate, this 2020 edition of the Advocacy Toolkit has the tools you need to succeed. Will you join us in our campaign to be "in this together" with people of all abilities? 

This toolkit includes:

Most typical employees, unless they really like to work autonomously with their heads down and their doors closed, rely on their peers and colleagues for support. Since we all have different skills and levels of expertise in individual skill areas, it would be natural for us to turn to someone else for help with a task. For example, we know that Joan is a superb editor, so it would be great to have her “eyes” on this document before it goes out.

The Social Security Administration is proposing to revise regulations on the frequency of conducting continuing disability reviews (CDRs). The proposed rules would add a category to the existing categories used to schedule CDRs and revise the criteria for assigning individuals to those categories. The proposed rules would also change the frequency with which the agency performs reviews for those with permanent impairments.

The Tennessee Disability Coalition submitted comments on Tennessee's Medicaid block grant proposal to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid recently. 

As we enter into the final days of seasonal festivities, we know it can be hard to talk about certain issues with family and friends in this heated climate. Keep your holidays warm and inviting with these tips on how to talk about disability topics around the table. 

For 15 years, Michelle Rigler has served as director of the Disability Resource Center, growing the volume of services and resources available to students with disabilities. When she first started, the center worked with 111 students. Today, the center provides resources to approximately 1,000 students at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. 

“We’ve tried to create a culture of access and we’ve been recognized for it,” Rigler says of the center’s journey. 

In 2006, David Hobson experienced a brain injury that thirteen years later, has implications for him on the job. 

We are excited to introduce the 2020 campaign aimed at spreading awareness around disability, dismantling stereotypes, and coming together to advocate as one. We hope that you will join us as we continue in our work to create a society that values, includes, and supports Tennesseans with disabilities.