Rural Disability Resource Network

Problem: Rural families with children (ages 0 – 18) with intellectual and developmental disabilities lack access and information about disability services

Our Vision: Families thriving because they have greater access, UT System campuses and institutes become hubs for intellectual and developmental disability resource education, training

Mission: Remove the identified barriers to those resources, Create and continuously refine programs for the campuses and institutes

How: Phase 1: Build a network with: UT folks engaged and interested in this work, Family representation, State / Agency representation. Phase 2: Identify the needs/gaps/challenges through primary and secondary research (statewide). Phase 3: Design and implement solutions to overcome the identified challenges, track progress, learn from feedback and fine-tune the solutions.

Grissom School of Education, Johnston Center The University of Tennessee Southern and the University of Tennessee System Administration