NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is currently accepting applications for their Medicaid Alternative Pathways to Independence program, also known as MAPs.
MAPs is a program for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who want to learn how to live and work more independently. It helps people with a disability to find a job and maintain it. It also allows them to travel independently and learn about activities in their communities; plus discover hobbies that interest them.
The program is targeted towards young adults who have graduated or are about to graduate high school, students attending an inclusive higher education program in Tennessee, or adults who want to learn about how to navigate their communities more independently.
“People, students, and youth are learning all these incredible skills in school to prepare them for the community but often times when they’ve left school there’s been no services to continue that growth, or they haven’t been tailored to live independently and achieve the goals they want to achieve for themselves," DIDD spokesperson Cara Kumari
explained.
The MAPs program is designed to supplement, not replace, services provided through the local school system or Vocational Rehabilitation.
It will provide participants with a smartphone and data to utilize the Virtual Community Resource Map.
"It will put everything that they want to do on something visual. It will provide prompts and reminders so they can take those goals and make them a reality by providing them with real places they can achieve those goals, how to get there, where they are," Kumari said.
The MAPs app will be one of many features on the devices that help those with special needs find a job, a home, or a travel destination easily.
"This app will provide them with both verbal and visual reminders of like you're approaching your bus stop now make sure you pull the lever. Also, okay you’ve gotten off the bus make a right to where the McDonald's is and walk towards the McDonald's," Kumari said.
The new program could mean increased independence for hundreds of Tennesseans, which makes Carol Greiner extremely happy.
She has a 36-year-old son with special needs and said life wasn't as easy trying to get her son help in school. She's been a major advocate for decades.
She learned while putting her child into the first grade, it was going to be a difficult journey
"I talked to Special Ed and they assured me he would be well taken care of here. I sent all of his millions of records and then when we got here, they had nothing," Greiner said.
Greiner thinks the MAPs program is great and thinks its important resources exist for new parents raising children with an intellectual disability.
“The state of TN overall over the past decade has done a lot better job of listening to what the people we support want and tailoring our services and supports to be able to provide them with a way to achieve their goals," Kumari said.
Applications are open now in the Middle Tennessee area for the MAPs program. DIDD will open the program to East and West Tennessee next year.
DIDD has funding for 1,250 people. Learn more about the program and how to apply, here.
