You Are Here: Coalition Home Page > About the Coalition

About the Coalition

For twenty years the Tennessee Disability Coalition has been committed to collaboration and improving the lives of people with disabilities. By focusing the collective energy of our members and partners we have been able to create change and progress for Tennesseans with disabilities. In the classroom and the community, in the workplace and in homes, the Coalition strives to build a more inclusive Tennessee.

The core purpose of the Coalition is to work for systems change and to advocate public policies that ensure every person with a disability has the freedom and opportunity to exercise individual decisions that affect his/her own life, welfare and personal dignity.

Special emphasis is given to advocating civil rights and quality of life and upholding the values of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This basic systems change and organizing agenda has led us to other projects that help to shift the balance of power in order to empower individuals, influence society, and promote social justice. We also work to organize our member agencies' constituents and members. This networks individuals with disabilities of all types and their families, cutting across age, disability category, economic situation, political persuasion, and areas of interest.

Key Issues addressed by the Tennessee Disability Coalition include:

Health Care, including TennCare

Long-Term Care and Home and Community-Based Services

Education

Employment

Transportation

Civil Rights

Voting

Organization

Each member organization is represented on the Board of Directors and has an equal voice in decision-making. A smaller executive committee helps steer the organization between board meetings. Member agencies determine our policy agendas and work together on task forces and action groups to achieve the goals. These task forces and action groups are supported by a dedicated staff who assist members to achieve their goals.

Our home office in Nashville, Tennessee serves as a central organizing location for our public policy advocacy and work with legislators and other government officials. Regional offices in Knoxville and Memphis provide member supports and key services throughout the state.

Print-Friendly Version

Back To Top