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Investigative Report Highlights Dangerous Conditions at Wilder

Investigative report, Designed to Fail, puts a spotlight on dangerous conditions at Wilder Youth Center Groups call for immediate reforms by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services

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Lawsuit Alleges Discrimination Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Tennesseans Under Care Of State Of Tennessee

Five plaintiffs with counsel from Disability Rights Tennessee (DRT) and Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC allege that the State of Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DIDD), and Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS) discriminate against service recipients who are Deaf and use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate.

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January 6, 2023

Willowbrook 51 Years Later: A look at history and modern advocacy

A 1972 exposé by Geraldo Rivera exposed the revolting conditions at the Willowbrook State School, a facility for youth with intellectual disabilities, in Staten Island, New York. The abuse and neglect revealed by this report led to national outcry, successful legal action, and the establishment of a federally mandated network of legal advocacy agencies protecting the rights of persons with disabilities (the Protection & Advocacy Network). 51 years since the exposé’s release, Protection & Advocacy (P&A) agencies, like Disability Rights Tennessee (DRT), are continuing this critical work of investigating conditions of abuse and neglect, reporting these findings, and advocating for workable solutions.
December 20, 2022

Families Not Facilities: New Report on Embattled TN Department of Children Services

Families Not Facilities: Press Release Families Not Facilities: Full Report For more information, contact: Lee Sherwood for Disability Rights Tennessee, 409-771-0098 (call/text) LeeS@DisabilityRightsTN.org Kathy Bonk for Youth Law Center, 202-234-6629 (cell/text) KathyBonk@Mac.com, Media Coverage: WPLN: “Problems at Tennessee DCS prompt advocates to call for reforms, with less emphasis on facilities” WKRN Nashville: “Nonprofits release solution-based […]
November 29, 2022

Celebrating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: IDEA

On November 29th, we celebrate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the impact it has had in ensuring students with disabilities have the equal opportunity for an appropriate education. What is IDEA? The IDEA, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a very important law that ensures children with disabilities are provided […]
November 10, 2022

New assessment aims at accessibility in marketing

View original article here. KATELYNN WHITE NOV 3, 2022 Nashville content marketing firm Crayons & Marketers has launched a diversity and inclusion marketing assessment helping brands target all audiences, including individuals with disabilities. According to founder and chief marketing strategist Jacqueline Hayes, the study asks a broad range of questions that touch on various types […]
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