Intellectual-disability experiencePersonal-care assistanceIn-home and community-basedLimited transportation
Nashville · No local Google rating
Home · Community · Residential
Community-based day services, job coaching/placement, and supported or family-model living for adults with I/DD across 10 Middle TN counties.
New Horizons Life Skills is a Nashville nonprofit (founded 1971) supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 10 Middle Tennessee counties. Its Day Services keep participants active through community outings and job-readiness training; Job Readiness & Employment provides resume help, enclave and individual job placement, and on-site coaching; Living Services offers 24/7 supported living or family-model living. The site names current employer partners (Berry Global, United Records, Southern Lawn Care, Allen Printing, Kroger) but does not publish funding sources.
- Serves
- Cheatham, Davidson, Jackson, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson counties
- Hours
- Office: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm
- Funding
- Not yet verified — ask the organization
- Transportation
- Limited — ask what is covered
- Eligibility
- Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Site lists Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, and epilepsy as examples and states: "We welcome all people regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender."
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Partially verified · Funding sources are not published on the site; confirm directly with New Horizons. · Report outdated information
Ages 22+Intellectual-disability experiencePersonal-care assistanceLimited transportation
Franklin · No local Google rating
Community · Residential
Day program (vocational training, job internships, arts, wellness) plus two residential group homes for adults 22+ with developmental disabilities in Franklin.
BrightStone is a Franklin nonprofit serving adults 22 and older with developmental disabilities from a 140-acre campus. Its year-round Educational Day Program covers vocational training, health/wellness, visual arts, and its P.A.T.H. Program places students in community job internships; a campus Enterprise program sells food mixes and ceramics made by students. BrightStone opened its first two residential homes (for men and women, 4 residents each with an in-home care manager) in 2024 and has a master plan for 18 more. It states plainly that it takes "no government funding," relying on tuition, fundraising, and private/corporate grants instead.
- Serves
- Williamson County
- Hours
- Weekdays 8:00am–4:30pm; students on campus 8:30am–3:30pm, year-round with holiday breaks. Campus shop Mon–Fri 9a–3p.
- Funding
- Private pay (student tuition) · Fundraising & general giving · Private and corporate foundation grants
- Transportation
- Limited — ask what is covered
- Eligibility
- Adults 22+ with a developmental disability; may include dual-diagnosed individuals (e.g., autism, cerebral palsy). Site states: "BrightStone recognizes that we aren't equipped to serve every individual request," so each application is evaluated case by case.
- Referral / intake
- Campus tour → family interview with the Director of Programs and Program Coordinator → Application for Enrollment ($150 non-refundable processing fee) → Admissions Team review/recommendation → 3-month trial/review period for new students.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
Franklin · No local Google rating
Community
Franklin day program of vocational and prevocational training, life skills, and community-based instruction for autistic young adults and adults.
Autism Community Training (ACT) — renamed in 2026 from Autism Career Training, keeping the "ACT" initials — runs a center-based day program on an eight-acre Franklin farm for adults on the autism spectrum. Trainees build vocational, prevocational, communication, and independent-living skills through purposeful, community-based activities rather than open-ended outings ("we ask, 'What are we teaching today?'"). ACT explicitly takes no direct government funding; it runs on monthly tuition (2–5 days/week), fundraising, grants, and donations, and separately bills insurance only for its Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) services, not day-program tuition.
- Serves
- Williamson County
- Hours
- Year-round programming; attendance 2–5 days/week (specific daily hours not published on pages reviewed).
- Funding
- Private pay (monthly tuition, 2–5 days/week) · Fundraising, grants & donations · Insurance (BCBA/RBT behavioral services only — not day-program tuition; coverage varies by plan)
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- Individuals on the autism spectrum; site frames the program around young adults transitioning out of high school through adulthood.
- Referral / intake
- "Trainee Application" via the "Join ACT" process on the site; see the Tuition FAQ for cost and enrollment details.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · intellectual-disability experience · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Organization renamed itself Autism Community Training in 2026; program content and location are unchanged. · Report outdated information
Intellectual-disability experienceLimited transportation
Nashville · No local Google rating
Community
Nashville weekday day program (life skills, arts, volunteering/employment), 1:1 coaching, and social clubs for adults with IDD; $48–$80/day, some scholarships.
Friends Life Community (founded 2008) runs an "Immersive Weekday Program" for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities from its Green Hills campus, combining Life Skills, Advocacy Through the Arts, and Service Learning & Employment classes — over 60% held off-campus with community partners around Nashville. It separately offers individualized Coaching (transition readiness, independent living, job discovery/training) and fee-based Drama Therapy, plus a Social Club and the "Friends of 615" membership group for adults who work or live more independently. The Weekday Program costs $48–$80/day depending on schedule, with case-by-case scholarships; it currently serves 75 "Friends" and 150+ caregivers directly.
- Serves
- Davidson County
- Hours
- Weekday Program: Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm, 2–5 days/week by choice. Office: Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm.
- Funding
- Private pay ($48–$80/day for the Weekday Program, depending on schedule) · Scholarships (case-by-case, Weekday Program only) · Private pay (Coaching: $120 initial assessment; $40/hr life & employment coaching; $70/hr Drama Therapy)
- Transportation
- Limited — ask what is covered
- Eligibility
- Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Weekday Program is described as "best for adults who desire a structured group setting."
- Referral / intake
- "Request Enrollment" / Program Interest Form on the site; campus tours describe a typical day and staffing ratios before enrollment.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
Ages 18–64Intellectual-disability experienceIn-home and community-based
Nashville · No local Google rating
Home · Community · Residential
Nashville nonprofit (est. 1971) offering day, employment (incl. Project SEARCH, ECF), residential, and respite services for adults with disabilities.
Progress Inc. is a CQL-accredited Nashville nonprofit, founded in 1971, offering day, employment, and residential services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its Community-Based Day Program centers on community outings and an Arts Program; Employment Programs range from a simulated-work Employment Center and Employment and Community First Choices (ECF) to two Project SEARCH internship sites at Vanderbilt (9-month, tuition-free, "no age limit," with 92% of the most recent class employed at graduation) and Ticket to Work for ages 18–64. Residential Programs include Supported Living, Family-Model Residential Services, and Respite Services for individuals needing a temporary place to stay; Progress also partners on MAPs and Vocational Rehabilitation. Its separate Katie Beckett Waiver Program is explicitly for "children under the age of 18" and is therefore not part of Progress's adult service line.
- Serves
- Davidson County
- Hours
- Administrative office hours: 8:30am–4:30pm CST, Monday–Friday.
- Funding
- ECF CHOICES (Employment and Community First Choices) · Medicaid waiver (Respite Services: "Medicaid waiver or private pay") · Private pay (Respite Services) · Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), State of TN · MAPs (Medicaid Alternative Pathways to Independence)
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- People with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Respite referrals are also accepted "from other supported living agencies, families, and DIDD."
- Referral / intake
- General "Inquiry Form" on the site; Employment Programs contact is Pam Hollingsworth, Director of Employment Programs/Community Services (615-399-3000 ext. 4721, or 615-477-9287); Residential/Respite referrals also come through DIDD, families, and other agencies.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
In-home and community-based
Brentwood + 1 location · No local Google rating
Home · Community · Residential · Day + resident · Adults too
Day and resident camps on Percy Priest Lake plus a dedicated Adult Recreational Camp for 17+ — financial assistance is part of the Easterseals model; call for this year's sessions.
Easterseals Tennessee (est. 1923) is a statewide disability nonprofit headquartered in Brentwood, with 5 locations across Middle and Western Tennessee. Its adult-facing "Areas of Support" are Adult Day Services, Employment & Training (described elsewhere as "Supported Employment provides job training and customized job placement"), and Independent & Supported Living ("24/7 continuous support to help adults with disabilities live independently"), plus recreational Adult Camps. Its Lebanon office specifically lists "ECF Choices Services" and "Medicaid Alternative Pathways to Independence (MAPs)" among its services; the Brentwood headquarters lists Autism and Independent & Supported Living but does not list those funding-linked services on the locations page. Its 3 Autism Therapy Centers providing ABA are stated to be "for children," not adults.
- Serves
- Williamson, Wilson counties
- Funding
- ECF Choices Services (named at the Lebanon, TN office specifically) · MAPs — Medicaid Alternative Pathways to Independence (named at the Lebanon, TN office specifically)
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- People "of all ages, at all stages of their lives, with all kinds of disabilities." Adult Day Services, Employment & Training, Independent & Supported Living, and Adult Camps are the adult-specific offerings per the site's own navigation.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · intellectual-disability experience · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Partially verified · Adult-service details (eligibility, referral process, hours) are thinner on the public site than for day/employment/residential specifics; confirm directly for a specific location. · Report outdated information
Ages 21+Intellectual-disability experiencePersonal-care assistanceIn-home and community-basedLimited transportation
Franklin · No local Google rating
Home · Community · Residential
Franklin nonprofit: adult day services (21+), ECF CHOICES employment/in-home supports, and residential/respite services in Williamson County.
Waves, Inc. (est. 1973 in Fairview) provides Adult Day Services for people 21+ with I/DD, combining community-based outings with facility-based vocational and independent-living training. Its Employment Community First Choices (ECF) program — funded by TennCare's Employment and Community First Choices Waiver — bundles employment support, community integration, transportation, independent-living-skills training, and personal assistance; a separate Supported Employment Services line adds job discovery, development, and long-term coaching, also drawing on Vocational Rehabilitation. Residential Services (Supported Living and Semi-Independent Living, plus in-home Respite) operate "throughout Williamson County." Waves states plainly that "Through State waivers, Waves services are free to recipients," and separately names DIDD 1915(c) Waivers, ECF CHOICES, Traditional Choices for Adult Day Care, VR, and private pay as funding sources across its programs.
- Serves
- Williamson County
- Funding
- DIDD 1915(c) Waivers · ECF CHOICES (Employment and Community First Choices Waiver) · Traditional Choices for Adult Day Care · Vocational Rehabilitation (TN Dept. of Human Services) · Private pay
- Transportation
- Limited — ask what is covered
- Eligibility
- Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD); Adult Day Services specifically states ages 21 and older.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
Intellectual-disability experienceTransportation available
Murfreesboro · No local Google rating
Community · Residential
Murfreesboro nonprofit since 1975: community-based, residential, employment, healthcare-oversight, and transportation services for adults.
Journeys in Community Living (JICL) has served adults with disabilities and older adults in Middle Tennessee since 1975, and states it currently supports more than 170 people. Its named service lines are community-based services, facility-based services, employment services aimed at competitive employment, residential services, healthcare oversight, social services/case management, and transportation. Its MAPS program is specifically open to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have graduated high school or will within three years; broader funding, cost, and staffing details are not stated on the pages reviewed.
- Serves
- Rutherford County
- Hours
- Monday-Friday, 8 AM-4 PM (office hours, homepage).
- Funding
- Not yet verified — ask the organization
- Transportation
- Available
- Eligibility
- General JICL eligibility beyond "adults with disabilities and older adults" is not detailed on the pages reviewed. The MAPS program specifically: "anyone with intellectual and developmental disabilities who has graduated high school or will graduate within three years" (/our-services).
- Referral / intake
- No formal referral/intake process is detailed on the pages reviewed; site directs inquiries to Contact Us / Receptionist@JourneysTN.org / 615-890-4389.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
All ages
Smyrna · No local Google rating
Residential
State-run residential vocational-training campus in Smyrna for adult learners with disabilities, aimed at gainful employment.
The Tennessee Rehabilitation Center - Smyrna (TRCS) is described on the state's site as "a resource and residential campus for adult learners with disabilities who are ready to build job skills, gain certifications or achieve credentials that lead to employment success in the current labor market." It is operated by the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) within the Tennessee Department of Human Services, uses a Career and Technical Education approach with Employment Development Skills courses, and offers Transitional Services for the Blind for students who are blind or visually impaired. Its stated mission is to "educate and empower adult learners to achieve their goal of gainful employment."
- Serves
- Rutherford County
- Hours
- Not stated. Guided campus tours are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM CST, by reservation (call 615-459-6811) — this is tour scheduling, not operating hours.
- Funding
- Not yet verified — ask the organization
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- "Adult learners with disabilities who are ready to build job skills, gain certifications or achieve credentials that lead to employment success" (site). Operated by TN's Division of Rehabilitation Services / Vocational Rehabilitation program.
- Referral / intake
- Not explicitly detailed on the TRC-Smyrna page itself. TRC-Smyrna sits under TDHS Vocational Rehabilitation, whose site separately describes "Applying for Services" and "Eligibility" for VR generally — confirm directly whether a VR counselor referral is specifically required for TRC-Smyrna admission.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · intellectual-disability experience · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Partially verified · Referral process (whether a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor is required) and exact age range are not detailed on this page — confirm directly. · Report outdated information
All agesIntellectual-disability experienceIn-home and community-based
No local Google rating
Home · Community · Residential
TennCare program for Tennesseans with intellectual/developmental disabilities, funding employment, daily-living, and community supports.
ECF CHOICES is a TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid) program for people with an intellectual disability (onset before age 18) or another developmental disability (onset before age 22). It has five benefit groups, from part-time family supports for children living at home (Group 4) and adults (Group 5/6), to intensive and comprehensive behavioral supports (Groups 7-8, mostly adults). All services must be determined medically necessary. This is distinct from CHOICES (for older adults and adults with physical disabilities, with no ID/DD requirement) and from MAPs (a separate pathway that cannot be combined with ECF CHOICES enrollment).
- Service area
- Statewide Tennessee (TennCare/Medicaid program).
- Funding
- TennCare/Medicaid
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- Intellectual disability with onset before age 18, or another developmental disability with onset before age 22, as applied by the state; people of all ages may qualify depending on benefit group.
- Referral / intake
- Self-refer online through the PERLSS system, or contact your TennCare managed-care plan (Wellpoint 833-731-2153, BlueCare 888-747-8955, UnitedHealthcare 800-690-1606) or your DDA regional office (West TN 866-372-5709, Middle TN 800-654-4839, East TN 888-531-9876). VR counselors checking a client's enrollment status can call the TennCare LTSS Help Desk, 1-877-224-0219 (with the client's signed release of information).
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
Intellectual-disability experience
No local Google rating
Community
A TN DDA program funding work, independent-living, and community goals for people with I/DD; cannot combine with ECF CHOICES, CHOICES, or Katie Beckett.
MAPs (Medicaid Alternative Pathways) is a Tennessee Division of Disability and Aging (DDA) program open to "anyone with an I/DD diagnosis who has graduated high school or will graduate within three years." It funds "tools, technology, and support" toward each person's own goals for employment, independent living, community involvement, and personal interests. MAPs is a separate, mutually exclusive pathway: "MAPs participants cannot be enrolled in another long term services and supports program including ECF CHOICES, CHOICES, the Katie Beckett Program, or 1915(c) Waivers." The official page does not mention an enrollment cap or closed-enrollment notice as of the check date, but families should confirm current openings directly.
- Service area
- Statewide Tennessee, with named regional contacts for West, Middle, and East TN.
- Funding
- Medicaid (TN DDA)
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- Anyone with an I/DD diagnosis who has graduated high school or will graduate within three years; cannot be enrolled in ECF CHOICES, CHOICES, Katie Beckett, or a 1915(c) Waiver at the same time.
- Referral / intake
- Apply via the online MAPs form linked on the official page (forms.office.com); general contact DDA.MAPS@tn.gov or (800) 535-9725. Middle TN regional contact: Brea Dormaier, Brea.Dormaier@tn.gov.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Report outdated information
Ages 14+In-home and community-based
Murfreesboro + 1 location · No local Google rating
Home · Community · Residential
State vocational rehabilitation agency that can fund vehicle modifications, home or worksite modifications, and other rehabilitation technology when tied to a client's employment goal.
Tennessee's Vocational Rehabilitation program (TN Dept. of Human Services) helps Tennesseans with disabilities prepare for, obtain, or keep employment through an Individualized Plan for Employment. Under Tennessee's VR regulations, services can include vehicle modification (when other transportation is not a reasonable option for reaching employment), home or worksite modification (such as building a ramp, widening a door, or installing handrails), and other rehabilitation technology. These services are tied to an employment goal, not general community living, and are arranged through a VR counselor as part of an individualized plan.
- Serves
- Rutherford, Davidson, Williamson, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Wilson counties
- Funding
- State/federal VR (DHS) · Vocational Rehabilitation (TDHS)
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- Individual has a disability that is a substantial barrier to employment and requires VR services to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain employment (general VR eligibility, per tn.gov and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-08-04).
- Referral / intake
- Apply through the online VR referral system (linked from tn.gov) or contact a local VR office directly.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · intellectual-disability experience · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Verified from official source · Vehicle/home-modification language comes from Tennessee's VR regulations (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-08-04-.05) and is tied to an employment goal -- confirm current specifics with a VR counselor. · Report outdated information
Intellectual-disability experience
Nashville + 1 location · No local Google rating
Community
A national internship-based job-training model TN VR runs at several host-business sites, including three in Nashville/Murfreesboro.
Project SEARCH is "a nationally acclaimed model for transitioning students with intellectual and developmental disabilities from high school into employment" through a year of rotating internships at a host business. Most sites serve high-school transition-age students, but Tennessee's page notes "some sites in TN have decided to serve adults with disabilities, rather than students." Middle Tennessee host sites listed on the official page: Embassy Suites with Nashville Public Schools (Nashville), Vanderbilt Children's Hospital with Progress, Inc. (Nashville), and Embassy Suites with Rutherford County Schools (Murfreesboro).
- Serves
- Davidson, Rutherford counties
- Funding
- State/federal VR (DHS)
- Transportation
- Not yet verified
- Eligibility
- Not stated in detail on this page; site-by-site, and the page notes eligibility may be students or, at some sites, adults with disabilities.
- Referral / intake
- No application steps are published on the TN page itself; it links out to the national Project SEARCH website for the program model. Contact TN Vocational Rehabilitation, 1-833-772-TDHS (8347), or the host site's school system for local enrollment.
- Not yet verified
- supports aac users · personal-care assistance · medical-complexity support
Last checked 2026-08-23 · Partially verified · Application/referral steps for a specific site are not published on this page — contact the host school system or DHS Vocational Rehabilitation directly. · Report outdated information