Our agency provides both Center-based and In-home Respite care.  We have two respite centers.  One located at Keystone Presbyterian Church, Bert Street, Johnson City, Tennessee, and the other located at Trinity Baptist Church in Jonesborough, Tennessee. The centers are open every Friday evening.  They provide the family a little relief time as well as giving the family member with a disability an opportunity to socialize with his/her peers.
    In-home Respite care is provided to an individual on a short term basis for the purpose of relieving the family or caregiver or to meet planned or emergency needs.

   Our agency provides support to families with children, school age and younger, who have severe disabilities as well as adults with severe disabilities who are residing  in the community in an unsupported setting (not state/federally funded).  These supports include such things as personal attendant services, child care, homemaker services, specialized equipment and supplies, transportation etc.  Our family support program serves people in Washington, Carter, Sullivan, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson and Unicoi Counties.

    "Little Folks" promotes the development of infants and toddlers who have developmental delays or disabilities by providing a family focused, home and community based early intervention program.  Children from birth to 36 months of age, that have or are at high risk for developmental delays or disabilities due to prematurity, birth difficulties, medical or environmental factors are eligible for this program.  Children from Washington, Carter and Unicoi Counties are served in this program.

    The Arc's independent support coordination program currently serves approximately 600 individuals with disabilities and their families and is funded by the State of Tennessee Department of Mental Retardation Services.

     Support coordinators are responsible for helping individuals and their families learn about, locate and access Waiver services, other necessary services, and informal community supports.  They are responsible for developing an individualized support plan with the individual, family and other people important to the individual.  They provide ongoing monitoring of services selected by the person and family members.  They initiate and oversee the process of making sure the person's level of care and plan of care meet their needs.

     Our main goal is to empower persons with mental retardation and their family members to make and control decisions that affect their lives, ensuring that people we serve and family members are given opportunities to choose living arrangements, work options, faith community and community participation.