THE TENNESSEE OLMSTEAD COALITION CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO A CALL TO THE TABLE

Come find out how you can help write an Olmstead plan for Tennessee:

• Learn why we need an Olmstead plan
• Learn about the history
• Participate in team-building icebreakers
• Find out what you can do to help
• GET INVOLVED!


"One of the most important moments in the history of the disability rights movement!"


"It will change the lives of all people with disabilities who now live in institutions!"

To R.S.V.P or for special accommodations or for more information call Ruthie Beckwith at (615) 898-0300 or Walter Rogers at (800) 835-7077

What is the Tennessee Olmstead Coalition?

The Tennessee Olmstead Coalition (TOC) is a grassroots group of Tennessee disability service system stakeholders who have united to provide leadership, direction and oversight to the development and implementation Tennessee's Olmstead Plan. 

The leaders of the Tennessee Olmstead Coalition are people with disabilities who have a personal stake in assuring Tennessee's service delivery system serves and supports people in the most integrated setting appropriate to meet their needs. All members of the TOC have made a pledge of specific organizational and personal resources in order to birth this Coalition.

The Tennessee Olmstead Coalition will address eight areas in creating the state's Olmstead Plan:

1. Who are the key stakeholders that need to be involved?


2. Development, implementation and completion of necessary needs assessment.


3. Planning and implementing effective community transition processes.


4. Determining the availability and need for community services in supports.


5. Determining the availability and need for affordable and integrated housing.


6. Planning and implementing a comprehensive community quality assurance process.


7. Planning for and implementing strategies so that the costs of community-based long term services will be fully funded.


8. Identifying community service system infrastructure practices and needs.

How do I get involved?

We need you to get involved! We need what you have to offer! The Tennessee Olmstead Coalition is a group of people who care deeply about and want to make sure that people with disabilities receive the services they need to live where the choose. It needs YOU to be effective. You may be thinking, how can I help? Well we at the Coalition are happy you asked! Here are just a few ideas:

1. Learn about the decision the United States Supreme Court made. It is called the Olmstead decision. The Coalition will be happy to provide you information in a way that will you will understand.

2. Decide what you, as an individual, will be willing to pledge to do for this group. For example, are you willing to tell us what you think about different items we will be working on, are you willing to write something for the group, are you willing to design a flyer for the group, are you will to talk to your friends about Olmstead and what this group is doing, are you willing to talk to people about what changes you want to see here in Tennessee? These are just a few ideas to consider. You can think of lots of other things you may be willing to do to help this group.

3. If you are part of a group already, talk with members of your group and find out what your group might be willing to do to help the Olmstead Coalition. For example, does your group have a place we could use to meet, would your group be willing to host a meeting of people to find out what they think about Olmstead and what needs to change in Tennessee, if your group is really good at getting information out quickly to people would you let us use your system to get our news out to people. Again, these are just a few ideas. Brainstorm with your group how it might be willing to help the Tennessee Olmstead Coalition.

4. CONTACT RUTHIE BECKWITH AT 615-898-0300 OR WALTER ROGERS 615-248-5878/1-800-835-7077 AND LET EITHER RUTHIE or WALTER KNOW YOU WANT TO BE A MEMBER OF THE TENNESSEE OLMSTEAD COALITION. COME TO THE NEXT MEETING AND HELP US CHANGE THE TENNESSEE SERVICE SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

What is the Olmstead Decision?

On June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court decided in Olmstead vs. L.C. to support the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act  (ADA) "Integration Mandate", which declares that the unnecessary segregation of individuals with disabilities in institutions may constitute discrimination based on disability. The court ruled that the ADA may require states to provide community-based services rather than institutional placements for individuals with disabilities. The decision is a victory in several ways:

1. It upholds the United States Department of Justice's regulations, which mandate that a state must administer its programs in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of individuals with disabilities;


2. It states that unjustified isolation is properly regarded as discrimination on the basis of disability under the ADA; and


3. It recognizes that the United States Congress intended the ADA to step up earlier efforts in the Developmental Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act to secure community living opportunities for people with disabilities.

• Community placement is determined to be appropriate by the state's treatment professionals,


• The individual does not oppose community placement, and


• Community placement can be reasonably accommodated, taking into account available resources and the needs of others receiving disability services.

Lastly, the Olmstead decision is also important for what it does not say:

• It does not say that all institutions must be closed.


• It does not say when community services must be available.


• It does not say that lack of resources alone is a valid excuse for failure to move qualified individuals into the community.


• It does not say the state's responsibility is limitless.


• It does not say that modification must be made which would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program or activity.

Information used to develop this information sheet was gathered from: 1) http://www.protectionandadvocacy.com/lcsummar.htm and from 2) TP&A Spotlight, Vol.3, Iss. 1, June, 2001.