NEWS FROM PATHFINDER
By Melissa Fortson
Tennessee Disability Pathfinder has phone, Web, and print resources in
English and Spanish to connect the Tennessee disability community
with service providers. R e f e r ral services, free of cost, a re provided to
persons with disabilities, family members, service providers, and
advocates. Pathfinder is a joint project of the Tennessee Council on
Developmental Disabilities and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for
Research on Human Development.
ACCESS NASHVILLE PROJECT HONORED
Access Nashville, a volunteer project providing information about the
accessibility of restaurants, hotels, and attractions in downtown
Nashville, recently was honored at the 20th Anniversary Mary Catherine
Strobel Awards Luncheon. The awards, a program of Hands On
Nashville, honor those who have “given their time and talents to
improve the lives of others in Middle Tennessee.” A finalist in the
Volunteer Innovator category, the Access Nashville Steering Committee
was recognized for its creative response to unmet community needs.
This volunteer project was initiated by Pathfinder director Carole
Moore- Slater, who serves as the Steering Committee chair. Pa t h f i n d e r
disability resource specialist Melissa Fortson is also a committee
member. For more information on how to become involved with
Access Nashville or replicate this grass-roots project in your
community, visit the Access Nashville Web site at
www. accessnashvilleonline. org .
RESOURCE SPOT L I G H T: LEGAL SELF-HELP BOOKLETS
The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
provides free, easy to read legal help booklets. The booklets, which
advise persons of their legal rights and legal problems they can solve
themselves, a re available on the Legal Aid Society’s Web site at
http:// www. las. org/ or by calling 1-800-238-1443. Topics include Health
Care (Advance Care Plan/Living Will, M e d i c a re, Te n n C a re ) , Housing
( Renter’s Rights and Low-Cost Housing), and an Advocate’s Pa g e. Selfhelp
booklets and telephone assistance is also available en Español.
PATHFINDER DISABILITY CALENDAR
Pathfinder maintains the Pathfinder Disability Calendar, an Internet
calendar of trainings, c o n f e re n c e s , meetings, and other disabilityrelated
events. Organizations post events to this interactive calendar,
the most comprehensive listing of Tennessee disability events. To
access the calendar, go to the Pathfinder Web site at
http:// www. familypathfinder. org and click on “ Pathfinder Disability
Calendar.” For more information, or to request an access code that
will allow your organization to post events, contact Pa t h f i n d e r.
STAY CONNECTED WITH PATHFINDER
Pathfinder publishes The Pathfinder, an e-newsletter containing
information about program activities and other disability-related
re s o u rces in Tennessee. Past issues of the publication are archived on
the Pathfinder Web site (under Pathfinder Fe a t u res, click on “ The
Pa t h f i n d e r: News from Tennessee Disability Pa t h f i n d e r.” To receive
f u t u re news from Tennessee Disability Pathfinder via e-mail, please
contact us at tnpathfinder@vanderbilt.edu .
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Tennessee Disability Pathfinder
(615) 322-8529 (Nashville area)
(800) 640-4636 (toll-free, English & Español)
(800) 273-9595 (TTY)
www. familypathfinder. org
tnpathfinder@ vanderbilt. edu