The Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) presented a summary of program growth, grant activity and capital projects to the Finance, Ways and Means Committee on Oct. 28, focusing on early intervention, home‑based supports, respite grants and three new regional seating and positioning clinics funded with ARPA.

Programs and scale: DDA reported the Katie Beckett Part B program (premium assistance/respite/home care up to $10,000 per child annually) was serving 4,880 children in fiscal 2025, with roughly 4,700 slots and a waiting list of about 747. The Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) was listed at 14,349 active children with more than 22,000 families served since moving from the Department of Education to DDA in 2021.

“A return on your investment at this point from data that we pulled just last month is 13 and a half to 1,” Deputy Commissioner Jordan Allen said, describing a pilot that equipped more than 2,000 people with assistive technology and independence supports after a $1 million appropriation for technology and devices.

Respite ministries and senior services: Commissioner John Turner and staff praised a state investment that supported faith‑based and nonprofit respite programs; DDA said roughly 35 programs launched after the grant pool was created, providing caregiver relief and community supports. The Department also noted senior nutrition and congregate meal programs that operate across 150 meal sites and a senior‑center grant program recently expanded with state funding.

Capital and ARPA projects: DDA is building three regional seating and positioning clinics and related offices with a total appropriated capital package of $180 million from ARPA. West Tennessee clinic construction is about complete and staff expected occupancy within weeks; middle Tennessee was around 60% complete and East Tennessee about 40% complete, the department said. Photos shown to the committee contrasted century‑old clinic space with new, modernized waiting areas and accessible entries.

COVID relief and federal funding: DDA told the committee it received roughly $241 million in combined COVID relief awards across multiple grants and said it had expended the majority of those funds on pandemic response, provider capacity, technology upgrades, and Aging Division grants. DDA said some ARPA grants were still in invoice and payment processing but anticipated near‑full expenditure by grant deadlines.

Follow‑up and next steps: Committee members asked about DSP recruitment, rural service access for autism and the Alzheimer’s/dementia respite pilot. Officials said recent DSP wage increases had eased hiring pressure but that recruitment and retention remain a challenge in some rural markets. Staff said they will provide more detailed vacancy and program uptake data on request.

Ending: DDA requested continued support for capital projects and community grants the agency said were expanding access to clinical, respite and nutrition services for older Tennesseans and people with disabilities.