Advocacy & Education

The Arc is the nation's largest disability organization, and as such, can be a powerful advocate for the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville advocates at both local and national levels, providing information, resources, and referrals to Tennesseans with disabilities and providing policy updates and action alerts regarding disability-related laws.  We provide resources for both community advocacy and individual advocacy, as well as offer resources for trainings to help families who have a member with disabilities better advocate for themselves. The best way to advocate for people with disabilities is to make sure they, and their caregivers and families, know how to best advocate for themselves.

The Arc works with other community agencies to provide educational workshops and webinars on a variety of disability topics, including special education, voting rights, estate planning, emergency preparedness, and more. By helping families understand their rights and responsibilities, The Arc teaches them to become their own best advocates.

We collaborate with Arc Tennessee to provide educational workshops for families of students in Special Education.

The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville partners with the Department of Disability and Aging to pilot the MAPs Program (Medicaid Alternative Pathways Program). MAPs Coordinators support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) by helping them develop skills for independent living, explore their communities, and engage in hobbies that interest them. The program provides participants with tools, technology, and support to achieve their self-identified goals.

This program is available to individuals with an I/DD diagnosis who have graduated high school or will graduate within the next three years. MAPs participants cannot be enrolled in any other long-term services and support programs, including ECF CHOICES, CHOICES, the Katie Beckett Program, or 1915(c) Waivers. 

To learn more about Advocacy & Education visit our resources page.