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TN-NADD Conference 2026 Program

From Our President

John Weston Jr, President of TN-NADD

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the 2026 TN NADD conference hosted by the TN-NADD Board of Directors. Special thanks to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro, and the UT-Knoxville virtual team for their support.

Our theme this year is Beyond Boundaries: Growing Awareness, Expanding Inclusion.

What Does Inclusion Really Mean?

Inclusion is a word we hear often, but its meaning can vary greatly depending on one’s perspective. For a caregiver, inclusion may mean ensuring opportunities and access. For a professional, it may mean creating supports and removing barriers. For a person with lived experience of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), inclusion may represent something entirely different—a sense of belonging, connection, and full participation in community life.

Does inclusion mean crossing an invisible boundary that society has created for people with IDD? At times, it can certainly feel that way. These boundaries often manifest as isolation, limited opportunities, and barriers to meaningful relationships and community engagement.

During this presentation, Taylor Duncan will explore the importance of teaching life skills, self-advocacy, responsibility, and accountability through his passion for baseball. His experiences demonstrate how community involvement and shared interests can foster growth, confidence, and inclusion.

Karyn Harvey will discuss the loneliness and isolation that can result from these invisible boundaries and share practical strategies for helping people build meaningful relationships and connections. By promoting connectedness, we can create bridges over the barriers that separate individuals from opportunities for growth, engagement, and belonging.

Building these bridges requires collaboration among professionals, caregivers, individuals with IDD, and the broader community. The foundation must include effective strategies for addressing everyday challenges, trauma, communication, and competency development.

Join us as we explore what true inclusion means and how we can work together to make it a reality.

Event Summary:

Beyond Bounderies: Growing Awareness, Expanding Inclusion

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro
(*Special Conference Room rate for 124.00 USD per night)

Start Date:
Thursday, August 27, 2026

End Date:
Friday, August 28, 2026

Last Day to Book: (*for Discounted Rate)
Tuesday, July 28 2026

Group code for hotel is 920

Hotel Reservations

Hotel(s) offering a special group rate:

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro

A reservation link (see bottom) has been created to take you to a special group rate on the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro webpage. The reservation link allows you to book rooms for the contracted date of Thursday August 27, 2026 (check-out on Friday, August 28, 2026).

The contracted rate is $124/night plus tax.

Pre & Post Contracted Nights: per the contract, the group will receive the group rate 2 days pre & post the contracted nights, based on availability.

Click HERE to book your group rate for TN Chapter of the National Association of Dual Diagnosis (TN-NADD) Conference 2026.

Target Audience

This event is relevant for clinical professionals (psychologists, social workers, case managers, certified developmental disability nurses, certified family support specialists, behavior analysts, etc.), residential providers, educators, caregivers, families, and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Continuing Education Units

This program was approved by the National Association of Social Workers – Tennessee Chapter (Provider Number: NASWTN 2023 – 0132) for 6 continuing education units. The National Association of Social Workers Tennessee Chapter is committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the National Association of Social Workers and the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists and maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. In this conference, there are a total of 9 possible trainings available; however, the maximum number of trainings any single participant can attend is 6 due to the overlapping schedule for breakout sessions. In order to receive 1 hour of CE credit for any training, the virtual participant must log in on time, remain logged in throughout the training, and complete the post-training evaluation afterwards. Technical challenges that prevent continuous access will be handled on a case-by-case basis with the emphasis being placed on ensuring that the participant was able to satisfy the learning objectives. The in-person participant must also check-in on time, and remain present throughout the training, and complete the post-training evaluation afterwards. Partial credit for any individual training is not available. For the whole conference, the maximum number of CE credits available for any single participant is 6. Therefore, participants may earn as little as 1 hour of CE credit and as much as 6 hours of credit. The same policy applies to the remaining professional disciplines regarding logging in and out of sessions virtually. Psychologists: As stated within the rules and regulations of the Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology (1180 -01-.08(2)(B)) this program provides up to 6 hours of falling under the category of formal activities which are psychological in nature, provide documentation of attendance, and have a preassigned number of CE credits sponsored by a recognized and relevant state professional credentialing body. CE certificates will be provided by TN-NADD on behalf of NASWTN. CEUs are also available through DDNA, case management, certified family support specialists, and behavior analysts. *Total CEUs for behavior analysts through the BACB are two (2).

TN Department of Disability and Aging is approved as an Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) provider for BACB CEUs

Privacy and Confidentiality

Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If the program becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods. If there are any immediate issues of concern, please let a TN-NADD Board member on site know so your concern can be addressed.

Special Accomodations

TN-NADD and the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro are happy to accommodate special needs requests. We ask that you contact us using the information below at least one week prior to the event to ensure sufficient time to make any necessary arrangements. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro is a fully compatible ADA venue. Please ask an DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Murfreesboro staff member or a TN-NADD Board member if there is an immediate need onsite during the day of the conference..

Feedback

Your Feedback is critical to us. We want to hear from you regarding how we did. By providing feedback you help us know what worked and what changes are needed for future conferences. Please take a minute to complete the conference evaluation and completing the conference survey.

Overall Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to define inclusion.
2. Participants will learn how to develop collaboration with community partners to build relationships for growth.
3. Participants will learn how to promote healing from past traumatic experiences including those from isolation.

August 27, 2026

Agenda

8:00AM - 8:10AM

Welcome

John Weston, President TN-NADD

8:10AM - 8:20AM

Opening Statement

Matt Yancey, TDMHSAS Deputy Commissioner for Behavioral Health Community Programs

8:30AM – 9:30AM

Keynote Address 100:

Love in the 21 st Century

Dr. Karyn Harvey, Clinical Consultant for Hello Its Me/Author/Trainer with commentary by Vik Aurora, Focus EduSolutions (dba Hello Its Me) Founder and CEO and Focus Digital Labs (FDL) | Founder; and Charles Gaughan, Focus EduSolutions Inc. Chief Growth Officer and EVP Capital Strategy

9:30AM – 9:40AM

Break

9:40AM – 10:40AM

101: Increasing Access, Improving Lives: Specialized Behavioral Health Solutions

Jovanna Emerson and Jennifer Haywood

201: Mental Health Response: Bridging Residential and Community

Megan Miller and Crystal Hicks, EVC

10:40AM – 11:00AM

Break

11:00AM – 12:00PM

102: Pending

Bethany Holton, BCBA

202: Post-Traumatic Growth

Dr. Karyn Harvey

12:00PM – 1:15PM

Lunch

12:45PM – 1:15PM

TN-NADD Annual Membership Meeting

1:15PM – 2:15PM

Plenary Address 103: One Role. No Role, No Game

Taylor Duncan, CEO Alternative Baseball

2:15PM – 2:35PM

Lunch

2:35PM – 3:35PM

104: Uneven Cognitive Profiles: Lived Experience, Trauma, and Inclusive Support

Jeanmarie Simpson, Arizona Theater Matters

204: With Not For — Inclusive, Trauma Responsive Behavior Planning

Carrie Dhanarajan, BCBA, TNSTART

3:45PM – 4:45PM

105: Panel Discussion – Everyone Can Heal, Everyone Belongs

Roddey Coe, Melissa McKay, Dr. Verity Rodrigues, Dr. Bruce Davis

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