The Developmental Disabilities Council is a state organization which works to ensure public policies that increase and support the inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities in their communities. The Council works with public and private groups across the state to find ways to make necessary support available to all individuals with disabilities and their families so that they have equal access to public education, employment, housing, health care and all aspects of community life. The Council sees that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families play decision-making roles in policies and programs which affect them. The Council is established through federal law - the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Members of the Council are appointed by the Governor and represent a broad range of disabilities as well as the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and geographical diversity of the State.
Council members are individuals with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities.
The Council includes in its membership representatives of pertinent State agencies and programs. As an independent state agency, the Council members and their professional staff are responsible for administering the Council s programs and federal grant funds. The Governor has designated the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to disburse funds on behalf of the Council and provide administrative support services as negotiated with the Council. Council Vision People with disabilities are fully included in the community and experience no barriers related to attitudes about their disability as they pursue their goals in education, housing, employment and all other activities of daily living. The Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Council provides leadership to ensure independence, productivity, integration and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the community through promotion of systems change.