Tennessee Family Solutions is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1999 as a community based alternative to Tennessee’s Developmental Centers. It was founded by members of the Parent-Guardian Association of Clover Bottom Developmental Center in Nashville. It grew from the concerns these families had about community placement. Many of them had previous experiences with community programs and knew that few of them were prepared to deal with individuals who had severe behavioral and medical needs. In March of 2008 Tennessee Family Solutions (TFS) opened its first Med Res home delivering round the clock nursing, 7 days a week. In 2009 TFS applied and received a Certificate of Need to open 16 ICF / ID beds in the community of Murfreesboro, TN. This alternative provides a safe family environment for individuals with severe mental and physical disabilities that require the presence of qualified nursing staff continuously.
TFS has employed energetic, responsible, conscientious LPNs who provide on-site supervision 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Additional staff work in the home to assist the LPNs which ensure proper care and supervision is provided on a daily basis. The Director of Nursing (DON) is an RN and provides additional health care oversight. The DON and the QIDP / Program Director share the duties of managing the operations of the home. TFS implements the elements of the Teaching-Family Model of care. This model has been implemented for about 40 years and its success had been well documented. A Behavior Analyst is part of the TFS team and provides assistance with those individuals who require behavioral services.
Tennessee Family Solutions ICF / ID program provides Medical Residential services in a duplex style house that is home to 4 individuals with 2 living on each side with an interconnecting door between the two individual units. Each individual has their own bathroom and a bedroom modified to accommodate their personality as well as their medical needs. The home has been modified to provide all the needs of non-ambulatory individuals including widened hallways, an open floor plan, walk-in showers and personal van to access to the community on a daily basis. This model provides a safe environment where individuals have choice and control of their own lives, effective learning opportunities, effective communication, positive relationships and a high level of participation.