Coalition releases ‘Disability Scorecard’ with several low scores for Tennessee

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – According to a recent report from the Tennessee Disability Coalition, the Tennessee Legislature has received some alarming marks when it comes to care for the disabled.

On Monday, the coalition released its annual Disability Scorecard, which grades the state government on nine priority areas: Access to care, aging, access to justice, education, employment, family care support, housing, access to mental health, And transport.

Here’s how the state scored in each category, according to the report:

Access to medical care – Tennessee’s Medicaid program, known as TennCare, covers only 75 percent of the actual cost of hospital care, leaving 60 percent of Tennessee hospitals operating at a loss and 45 percent at risk of closing. Rating: F
Aging – Tennessee has the 10th highest poverty rate among U.S. residents over 65, and nearly half are burdened with housing costs. Rating: C+
Access to justice – The Tennessee General Assembly passed a law allowing people with intellectual disabilities who have not been convicted of violent crimes to be incarcerated indefinitely in state institutions. Grade: C-
Education – 45 percent of Tennessee teachers say they don’t have enough support staff to teach students with disabilities. Rating: D
Job – Only 14 percent of individual education plans for Tennessee students with disabilities had appropriate transition plans after high school. Grade: C-
Family care support – Tennessee ranked 45th in the nation in availability of home health workers, with just 23 workers per 1,000 residents. Rating: F
Housing – Zero counties in Tennessee could allow people with disabilities to purchase a home, compared to 5 counties in 2023 and 15 in 2022. Rating: F
Access to mental health care – Tennessee ranked 46th in availability of trained/licensed mental health providers. Rating: D-
Priority: Transport – Tennessee ranks 38th in the U.S. for on-demand (paratransit) trips per person with disabilities due to low capacity and investment. Rating: C+

“Tennessee’s disability community feels woefully behind our state’s record growth, and our scorecard data reflects that,” said Jeff Strand, director of public policy for the Tennessee Disability Coalition. “Families are struggling to understand why their priorities are not Tennessee’s; many regret moving here in the first place, wonder why their local hospital is closing, or regret voting for candidates who refuse to prioritize the needs of the 1.7 million Tennesseans with disabilities. And I don’t blame them for that.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.7 million Tennesseans live with some form of disability.

For the full report, visit Here.