NASHVILLE, Tenn. ñ Nashville Hispanic families affected by disabilities will now have better access to information and services, thanks to a grant to the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
The grant will fund Project Conexion, a partnership between the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Woodbine Community Organization, to provide outreach to the underserved Hispanic community of Nashville/Davidson County.
"We look forward to working in collaboration with the Woodbine Center to expand disability outreach services and programs to the Hispanic community. This new program builds on the Tennessee Disability Pathfinder program, which already offers a website in Spanish and a bilingual social worker," said Elise McMillan, project director and director of community outreach for the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the Woodbine Community Organization will use the grant funds to develop and distribute materials on disability issues and services through bilingual information and referral resources for Spanish-speaking Tennesseans. The partners hope that the project will serve as a model for other communities and states.
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development is designated by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as a national center for research on developmental disabilities. The Woodbine Community Organization offers community access to job training and placement programs, a health clinic, senior citizens center and child care.
For information on Project Conexion, contact 615-936-5118 or teresa.turnbo@vanderbilt.edu. For information in English or Spanish on Tennessee Disability Pathfinder, contact 615-322-7830, claudia.avila@vanderbilt.edu, or visit the website at www.familypathfinder.org.
Media contact: Melanie Catania, (615) 322-NEWS
Melanie.catania@vanderbilt.edu
Jan Rosemergy, (615) 322-8238
Jan.rosemergy@vanderbilt.edu