To strengthen collaboration, improve efficiency, and reduce respondent burden, the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network launched a first-of-its-kind integrated statewide needs assessment. This two-year, mixed-methods effort gathered input from nearly 1,500 individuals with disabilities, family members, and professionals through an accessible survey and follow-up focus groups. Tennessee DD Network partners co-developed measures, coordinated outreach efforts, and pooled resources to ensure broad representation and inclusive participation across communities statewide. Community members with lived experience were involved throughout the process, helping to ensure materials were usable, relevant, and respectful of diverse needs. The resulting shared dataset provides a foundation for each organization’s strategic planning and supports more aligned program development, service delivery, and statewide advocacy. Tennessee’s experience demonstrates that a collaborative approach to needs assessments can reduce duplication, elevate community voice, and build a shared foundation for system improvement. As a result of these joint efforts, the process is expected to help identify new areas for cross-network collaboration and more targeted responses to emerging challenges. While informal coordination among DD Network partners is common, only a few examples exist of fully joint efforts from planning through dissemination. This brief outlines the process and key lessons for other states seeking to replicate this model.
Lanchak et al. (Mon,) studied this question.