Services

T.A.R.P. champions the rights of individuals with disabilities, promoting self-advocacy and community awareness through education, outreach, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Their services include facilitating transitions from institutional settings to community living, providing essential medical equipment, and offering skills training to enhance independence. They also offer peer counseling and family support, ensuring comprehensive assistance for people with disabilities in their daily lives and integration into the community.

Resources

Centers for Independent Living in Tennessee

Advocacy/ADA/Accessibility Compliance

T.A.R.P advocates on behalf of people with disabilities and encourages them to advocate for themselves on disability related issues.

We celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act, help inform people with disabilities about their rights, and attempt to educate our elected officials and the community about issues and concerns.

We strive to achieve accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of community life, and encourage compliance with Federal Laws concerning People with disabilities, equal access, and equal opportunity.

T.A.R.P.’s Advocate goals are the empowerment of the disability community and individual consumers through education, outreach, workshops, forums, letter-writing campaigns, and organizing group participation at the local, state and federal levels. T.A.R.P.’s Advocate serves as technical support for eight counties. Advocate is a role that all T.A.R.P. staff play on behalf of any member of the disability community who is facing attitudinal, architectural, or systemic obstacles.

Equipment Exchange Program

T.A.R.P. provides to our consumers, free of charge, durable medical equipment not covered by insurance or for uninsured individuals with disabilities.

The program is dependent on community support, individual donations and returned loaned equipment, therefore, equipment availability is subject to supply. This service is vital in keeping our disabled community independent and living in their own homes and community

Transition Services

Aiding with transition from a facility to living independently in home and community through information and referrals, assistive technology, access, and peer support.

Facility Transition – is successful relocation from facility-nursing home into home and community and/or prevention of admission to facility through intervention or

Youth Transition – is to assist youths who are leaving high school to post-secondary education, employment and to life.

Life skills training and peer mentoring is offered to youth with disabilities transitioning from high school into post-secondary education, the workforce, and the community.

Information and Referral (I&R)

T.A.R.P. offers information and referrals for available community resources for our consumers based on eligibility for possible assistance using our: website, Facebook, calling office, during intake process or through our collaborative efforts with other organizations.

T.A.R.P. staff also performs outreach in the community by participating in expos, disability fairs, and other similar events and serves as a guest speaker on disability issues throughout our service area in West Tennessee

Independent Living Skills Training

Assist consumers in developing the skills needed to live independently as possible. T.A.R.P.’s Independent Living Skills Trainers empower consumers with the knowledge to perform the daily tasks essential for maintaining or obtaining independence.

Life skills can include the following: household budgeting and financial management, resume writing, job interviews, job etiquette, personal care, basic cooking skills, navigating through the social services system; problem-solving techniques, understanding reasonable accommodations, assistive technologies, and personal safety.

Peer Support

Provide one-to-one informal support and advice. T.A.R.P.’s Peer Counselors provide non-clinical counseling to consumers. They serve as peer mentors by understanding the obstacles faced by people with disabilities and by offering practical solutions.

Staff offer encouragement to consumers, empowering them to achieve greater independence through their own examples of consumer control and by sharing their own day-to-day experiences.