Resource Library/Adults & transition
Adults and transition
Resources for autistic adults, families, and caregivers planning what comes next.
Overview: adulthood and transition Find adult services
Every version of adulthood belongs
There is no single correct version of adulthood. The goal is access, communication, health, safety, autonomy, relationships, and quality of life.
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Adults & transition guides
Overview: Adulthood and Transition
A manageable overview of what may change in adulthood, what does not change, and which decisions deserve attention first.
Read the guidePreparing for Adulthood
School transition planning, the records worth keeping, decision-making options, healthcare transition, and the applications that come before school-based services end.
Read the guideBenefits and Funding
Adult disability benefits, Tennessee’s disability-service pathways, healthcare coverage, waiver-related supports, savings options, and paying for ongoing care.
Read the guideAdult Healthcare, Therapy, and AAC
Finding adult-focused primary care, dentistry, gynecology, and mental healthcare, plus speech therapy, AAC, OT, PT, and feeding care once pediatric providers age out a patient.
Read the guideEmployment, Day Programs, and Community Life
Competitive and supported employment, vocational services, volunteering, meaningful day programs, recreation, and the social opportunities that make up community life.
Read the guideHousing and Daily Support
Living with family, supported living, residential services, in-home assistance, personal care, transportation, respite, and how to evaluate a support provider.
Read the guideLegal and Financial Planning
Supported decision-making, powers of attorney, conservatorship only where it genuinely fits, special-needs trusts, ABLE planning, representative payees, and the letter of intent.
Read the guideFuture Planning and Aging Caregivers
Naming a successor caregiver, building an emergency backup plan, and documenting the routines, communication, and preferences that keep support consistent later.
Read the guideSafety, Relationships, and Self-Advocacy
Consent and healthy relationships, abuse prevention, online safety, wandering, interactions with law enforcement, crisis planning, and the right to be heard regardless of communication style.
Read the guideFind Adult Services
Adult day programs, employment, residential and in-home support, adult therapy and AAC, healthcare, transportation, respite, recreation, and planning professionals — verified listings with ages and last-checked dates.
Search the directoryCrisis and safety
For immediate danger, call 911. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 988.
Adult safety and support contacts
Adult safety and support contacts
- Adult abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation: Tennessee Adult Protective Services, 1-888-277-8366, 24/7.
- Rights, abuse, neglect, and advocacy: Disability Rights Tennessee (opens in a new tab) investigates and advocates for Tennesseans with disabilities at no cost.
- Ongoing crisis prevention for intellectual and developmental disabilities: Tennessee START offers crisis response and stabilization planning for people with I/DD who are enrolled in a Medicaid waiver. Ask your DDA or ECF CHOICES support coordinator whether START applies, or see Tennessee START (opens in a new tab).
This is general information, not an emergency response service or individualized advice. Forms on this site are not monitored in real time.
Directory, sources, and review information
Directory, sources, and review information
Switch the Resource Directory to its adult view, or filter to an exact age, to see listings sorted for adult use rather than pediatric use. Every adult listing shows the ages it actually serves and the date we last checked that information; if we could not confirm a detail, the listing says so instead of guessing.
Sources
- Estimated Number of Adults Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United States, 2017 — CDC (opens in a new tab) — autism is lifelong and many autistic adults need ongoing services and supports.
- Interested in Services? — Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (opens in a new tab) — overview of adult I/DD services.
- Employment and Community First CHOICES — TennCare (opens in a new tab).
- Supplemental Security Income — Social Security Administration (opens in a new tab).
- Get Help — Disability Rights Tennessee (opens in a new tab).
- Tennessee START — Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (opens in a new tab).
Program availability, eligibility, funding, and waitlists can change. Confirm details directly with the organization.
Stay connected
Newsletter
One helpful email each month: the month ahead, deadline watch, what’s new in the library, and one hopeful story. Free, and no spam.
Calendar
Sensory-friendly events, support-group meetings, respite nights, and upcoming community programs around Middle Tennessee, updated regularly.
Online Support Group
A free, low-pressure hour with parents and caregivers who understand, online every Thursday from 7:00–8:00 PM. Cameras are optional and meetings are not recorded.
Village Hall
A monthly online conversation with a guest expert about one practical topic, followed by live Q&A. Registrants receive the presentation recording.