TNSTEP has been instrumental in navigating the school system, finding resources, transitioning beyond high school and more. I am the mother of a son (Weston) who has autism. He is now 22 years old and attending the UT FUTURE Program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. It is a comprehensive program designed for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although he has come very far, he continues to need support in some areas due to his disability. We are very proud of him and he is proud of himself.
When he was a baby, we questioned if he was on the spectrum. He had delayed milestones, fixated on patterns, wringing of his hands and “bouncy” legs. We were told that he was ‘just quirky.’ He had a severe seizure at 2 ½ years old and that was when professionals agreed something else may be going on. The neurologist suggested TEIS, which is the first we had heard of them. Services were started and they helped get Weston placed into the CDC preschool. Once he began therapies, we heard other parents mention TNSTEP and were informed about doctors who could evaluate children with disabilities. At the age of 3 ½ we received the diagnosis of autism.
Through TNSTEP we learned of services available and our rights. They helped by teaching us to work together with the school system to meet Weston’s needs. Reading an IEP is like trying to decode something foreign. TNSTEP helped us interpret Weston’s IEPs and have been there for us through Weston’s journey. At times we felt lost and didn’t know if we were making the right choices.
In high school, we asked for Work Based Learning and were initially told they did not think they could offer it to him and that transportation would be an issue. Through TNSTEP’s help we were able to come up with solutions to allow Weston WBL his senior year and secure transportation. He got the WBL, transportation and graduated on time.
During the summer of 2021 we came into contact with Joey Ellis, TNSTEP’s Director of Youth Services. He worked with Weston on interviewing skills, resume’, communication skills, life skills tasks and as a mentor. He helped us see beyond what we were thinking as a brick wall after graduation but see other opportunities. If we did not have this encouragement, Weston would not be in his fourth year at UT. He currently lives in an apartment with two others…something I never thought possible but hoped for.
Every single person deserves a purpose and a chance. We are thankful for the guidance over the years from TNSTEP as without them we would not have learned of many of the services available, understood the lingo, know how to interpret IEPs, and much more.
