Tennessee received a “D” grade — down from “D+” last year — in the Tennessee Disability Coalition’s annual report, which aims to assess the state’s policies, practices and opportunities to improve quality of life for residents with disabilities.
Of the nine disability priority areas analyzed in the report, family caregiving support, affordable care, housing and education are particularly lacking for Tennesseans with disabilities, followed by mental health access, employment, transportation and aging, according to the report.
Early intervention was the lone priority area to receive a grade higher than “C” on the report’s scorecard, earning an “A-” for Tennessee’s early intervention services, which were recently expanded to age 5.
Danielle Jones, who lives in Hixson with her husband and five children, is experienced in navigating disability services in the state for her 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Pia, who has a rare genetic disorder called KBG syndrome.