​Progress was one of two agencies in Tennessee to receive funding from Sprouts Farmer’s Market Neighborhood Grants. The grants are funded through Sprouts’ “Round Up for Our Community” program, which takes place annually in stores across the United States. The Neighborhood Grants Program encompasses three focus areas: Health Nutrition and Education, Food Security and Hunger Relief, and Disabilities and Health Concerns. This funding will support Day and Employment Programs at Progress. This includes Project Search, Ticket to Work and Community Based Day programs. Progress is extremely grateful for this funding and looks forward to partnering with Sprouts Farmer's Market. More information about Sprouts Farmer’s Market and grant recipients can be found at www.Sprouts.com. Sprouts locations in Middle Tennessee include Franklin and Murfreesboro.

NASHVILLE, TN – August, 16 2016 – Progress received a $30,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program to assist with employment support for people with disabilities.   Specifically, this grant will positively impact the local community by providing a variety of services including internships and placements for people with disabilities, helping them to successfully acquire and retain employment. Through the Employment Services Program, Progress uses a multi-pronged approach. The Employment Services Program is comprised of several categories - Project SEARCH, Ticket to Work and Job Training/Placement.
 
“The Walmart Foundation has demonstrated that they have dedicated themselves to bettering our community, in this case specifically supporting people with intellectual disabilities and employment skill building.” said Progress Executive Director Donna Goodaker. “We are extremely grateful for this gift; the foundation understands the magnitude of the disparity in employment for people with disabilities versus the rest of the population. The people we serve want to work, they just need the supports behind them to excel, and the Walmart Foundation understands the need as much as we do. ”
 
The Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better, awarding grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S. 

Two graduation ceremonies were held for Project SEARCH graduates of the 2016 graduating classes of both Embassy Suites and the Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital. Graduates spent the past year gaining valuable employment training and real life experiences to help them work independently and be self-sufficient in their future employment goals. At each of the ceremonies, graduates gave speeches about their experiences and thanked their families, program staff and donors for their support throughout the program.

Project SEARCH provides individuals with disabilities tuition-free job training and educational, developmental, and employment opportunities. Project SEARCH is a nine month unpaid internship, and at the completion of the program graduates are employment ready. Of the most current graduating class, 92% achieved employment at graduation time. The goal of Project SEARCH is to fill a business need with qualified individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

One graduate explained, “Project Search was great because we got to train on different job sites before we applied for the positions. Also, the job coaches were wonderful. I also liked that we learned about things such as Credo, safety in the workplace, and good ways to spend money. I want to thank everyone at Project Search.”

Project SEARCH is a national program with various sites managed by non-profit organizations around the country. Progress operates the two Project SEARCH sites in Nashville, which are located at Embassy Suites and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. More information about the national program can be found at http://www.projectsearch.us/

​For information about Project SEARCH in Nashville please contact Pam Hollingsworth at 615-399-3000 or via email or visit the Progress Project SEARCH webpage.

ECF Choices is a new program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that will be introduced in the State of Tennessee on July 1st, 2016. A few points outlining these new waiver services is below. Please contact us should you have any questions about the new ECF Choices program, or any other programs of Progress at 615-399-3000.

• The name of the new Medicaid Waiver programs is ECF Choices.  ECF stands for Employment and Community First.  These Waiver programs are for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who currently do not receive services.
• These programs will not affect anyone who is already getting services, or their staff, but there will be changes in how we deliver new services.  For example, we don’t currently provide personal assistance, but this will be a more needed service in the new programs and will be more adequately reimbursed so we can afford to provide it.
• ECF Choices will be managed by Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), starting with Amerigroup and Blue Care.
• ECF Choices will be the only programs offered after July 1, unless for some reason the start date gets delayed.  The Waiver programs that we know now will be closed to new participants.
• ECF Choices will have three different programs: one for people who live at home and need fewer services (low cost), one for people who need primarily employment and other non 24 hr. services (mid range cost and the program that will be most emphasized), and one for people who have more complex needs and may need 24 hour services (highest cost).
• The system as a whole will provide far fewer 24 hr. services.  This is a national trend.
• The system as a whole will emphasize employment, employment, employment!
• DIDD will have a diminished role in the new programs; they will continue to provide licensure functions, quality assurance, protection from harm, and some intake.

 
More to come; stay tuned!

Donna Goodaker
Executive Director