Governor Don Sundquist said recently that Tennesseans with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities now enjoy more choices about where they live and their life styles. He said these new freedoms are due in part to improvements made in the service delivery system during the past several months.

"A few years ago, people with these disabilities had only limited options about where to live -- in a group home or an institution. Today, resources have expanded to include more personal choices away from congregate living. Even home ownership can sometimes be an option," he added.

Additionally, employment and vocational opportunities are now more abundant. "We are getting excellent cooperation from the corporate community securing jobs for persons with developmental disabilities. At the same time, job training is underway to help consumers adjust to employer expectations. It's a good arrangement for the consumer and for the business community."

The census at Arlington, Greene Valley and Clover Bottom has decreased by 56 (as of 3/98) since July of last year in compliance with the court approved plan for delivery of

services, said the governor. The closure of the Nat T. Winston Developmental Center also means those persons have been successfully transitioned to the community.

"People with mental retardation have a right to the kind of independence and quality of life we all seek. Helping them to achieve this is our major goal," he said.

The governor also said that recent findings of quality review panels at Clover Bottom and Greene Valley indicate Tennessee's developmental centers are making progress toward complying with stipulations of the Settlement Agreement.

The panels, including advocates and professionals from many disciplines, recently visited the facilities examining such areas as medical care, record keeping, food management, staffing and quality assurance.

"Our overall focus now is for quality care and for successful transition planning so more Tennesseans with mental retardation/ developmental disabilities have choices about their individual life styles," he concluded.

Partners Improvements Announced

A series of extensive improvements in the TennCare Partners Program was recently announced by Health Commissioner Nancy Menke.

"We are undertaking a number of prominent changes, some of which will benefit the program in ways that will be immediately evident, and some which will provide for advisory and public input into future modifications," Menke said.

On March 12, Governor Sundquist set in motion a thorough and fundamental review of the delivery of mental health services. Commissioner Menke announced "Phase II" of the improvements, which include:

• Effective May 16, the state assumed financial responsibility for pharmacy coverage of four atypical antipsychotic and three generic drugs.
• Effective July 1, the state will take over management of the entire behavioral health pharmacy program.

• The BHOs will receive a 5 percent increase effective January 1, 1998, adding more than $16 million in additional funding to the program.
• The state is committed to redesigning the Partners program by July 1 to take effect January 1, 1999.
• Governor Sundquist appointed a 22-member TennCare Partners Advisory Committee to provide advice to the governor and HCFA on the program.
• The state has negotiated a contract amendment that will require the BHOs to pay liquidated damages if they are not paying claims timely and appropriately.

Menke said she believes the changes will be a big step toward resolving some of the problems that exist with the Partners program.

NAMI Tennessee Associate Director Katrina Gay presents the NAMI Young Family Resource Guide for distribution to all Tennessee school systems. Accepting the manuals at the Annual Spring Conference of Special Education in Nashville last month was David Cook, Blount County special education supervisor. NAMI Tennessee received a $8,000 DMHMR grant to copy and distribute the manual to help bridge understanding of the biological causes of children's behavior and maximize their successes in life.