Mission Statement:  Mid-TN Supported Living, Inc. improves the quality of life for people with mental retardation and related disabilities by honoring choice, providing opportunities to experience valued community lifestyles and ensuring desired needs are met.

 

Who are we and what do we do?

Mid-TN Supported Living, Inc. is a small non-profit agency in Nashville, TN.  We provide a wide array of supports and services to individuals with disabilities, which include Supported Living, Personal Assistance, and Supported Employment.  Mid-TN Supported Living is a United Way Partner Agency.

 

Driving Principles

Mid-TN Supported Living is committed to providing person-centered supports and services.  We believe:

• People with developmental disabilities have the same basic needs, hopes, and dreams as people without disabilities.
• Everything is negotiable as long as it is health, safe, and legal.
• No decision should be made on behalf of people supported without including them, their families, and other important people in their lives.
• We must listen to the people looking to us for supports regarding how they want to live.  It is our responsibility to then figure out how to support what's important to each person within the framework of health and safety.
• People receiving supports will only get what's important to them to the degree that the people providing them support get what's important to them. (Companions MUST be supported!)
• Creating and nurturing a culture of respect, trust, and partnership is vital to our success.
• Staying small and using a flat management approach (absence of multiple layers of management) is cost effective, promotes good communication, and allows us to be responsive to the sense of urgency felt by people supported.

History

In the late 80's a group of parents from The Arc of Davidson County began thinking about supported living for their sons and daughters.  They envisioned something quite different than what was available at the time.  With support from the Arc they were able to secure grant monies to begin a supported living pilot project with the intention of spinning off a separate non-profit agency.  They formed a Board consisting primarily of family members and created a small agency.

Mid-TN Supported Living, Inc. was incorporated in July 1997.  Since that date, we have grown to providing Supported Living services to 21 adults with developmental disabilities.

In 1999 we clearly recognized that there was a growing number of people with disabilities and their families wanting the kind of person-centered supports Mid-TN was providing.  The agency made a commitment to replicate itself and mentored the development of Cumberland Community Options, Inc. 

 

For more information about Cumberland Community Options, Inc., contact us at midtninfo@learningcommunitysouth.com.