In a recent webinar, Shelley Hale, Director of Operations from the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, shared how her department is transforming aging services across the state—and how Mon Ami has become an essential part of that journey.
Background: State-Wide Changes and a Focus on the Lifespan
Last July of 2024, Tennessee transitioned the free-standing TN Commission on Aging and Disability to a cabinet-level state agency. The newly formed Department of Disability and Aging now unites services for older adults with those for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across all of Tennessee. As Shelley described, this shift represents more than an administrative change—it’s a reimagining of how to support people from birth through maturity.
One program that reflects the lifespan approach is the Tennessee OPTIONS for Community Living program, which assists both older adults and younger adults with physical or cognitive disabilities. OPTIONS is a state-funded initiative designed to help individuals maintain their independence by providing essential in-home and community-based services. These services include personal care, homemaker assistance, home-delivered meals, and case management, all tailored to support daily living activities and prevent or delay the need for institutional care.
The OPTIONS program plays a crucial role in Tennessee's long-term care system by offering a cost-effective alternative to nursing home placement and by supplementing the services available to Medicaid-eligible individuals. By delivering personalized support services, it enhances the quality of life for participants, reduces caregiver burden, and allows individuals to remain in their homes and communities. This approach not only addresses the immediate needs of vulnerable populations but also contributes to the broader goal of sustainable, community-based care solutions across the state.
Challenges: Gathering the Right Reporting Data, on Time
With change, however, often comes uncertainty—especially when it comes to evolving policy, leadership, and reporting expectations. Tennessee began facing increased pressure due to grant dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expiring, and increasing scrutiny from state legislatures and other stakeholders.
This meant that the department needed to make sure they could back up the impact of their programs through data, often on short notice. For example, legislatures may call requesting to understand how many constituents in their district are still on a waitlist and for how long. However, Shelley described the following challenges with their previous database provider:
Inconsistent and Manual Data Collection
- Data was often collected manually across different sites. Each Area Agency on Aging (AAA) would have their own way of collecting data, leading to inconsistencies across each organization.
- When it came time to provide state/federal reporting, it was difficult to identify where reported figures were coming from or verify their validity.
Difficulty in Demonstrating Impact
- Without centralized and standardized data, it was hard to present clear, unduplicated numbers for any service or waitlist. Countless hours could be spent trying to track down a single data request across numerous spreadsheets, databases, etc.
- They spent years cleaning up data and making it more reliable but still struggled to report on well-being improvements and other outcomes of their services.
Lack of Flexibility for Unique Needs
- Previous platforms didn’t adapt well to the department’s changing needs. It was a challenge to provide fast, accurate reporting when they received new requests to provide specific data to legislators or other stakeholders.
- Long response times to change requests made it difficult to report on new data requests. Shelley described a situation where it took 6 months to hear back from their previous provider on a platform change request to capture new kinds of data.
Solution: Modern Client Data System Designed for Aging & Disability
As pressures to funding mounted, it became all the more important to have a partner that could empower them to make the case to continue their programs. That’s where Mon Ami has become indispensable.
“We’re now able to defend the work that we do with the touch of a button,” Shelley shared during the conversation, referencing how her team leverages Mon Ami to get data she needs to advocate for her agency's work.
With Mon Ami’s intuitive dashboards and real-time access to service data, her team can demonstrate impact, track trends, and confidently advocate for continued funding and program support—even amid shifting policy landscapes. Whether it’s preparing for legislative sessions or responding to sudden data requests in the wake of natural disasters, Mon Ami equips Tennessee’s team with the tools they need to respond quickly and with confidence.
Results: Increased funding, faster response times, more accurate reporting
In a time of growing pressure on social services budgets, Shelley and her team successfully advocated for increased funding for the OPTIONS program in the last budget cycle—a remarkable achievement. A large part of the success was being able to present up-to-date and detailed reports on the program’s waitlist, forming the underpinnings of the ultimate budget request and approval.
Mon Ami has also been able to help the department in emergency response efforts. When Hurricane Helene hit many parts of Eastern Tennessee in late 2024, causing widespread damage, the department worked with Mon Ami to reach their clients that had been affected. Within hours, they had a report that allowed them to identify who might have been affected by the storm, with the information needed to check in on these clients. In previous years, the simple act of generating a list of clients by geography and isolation status would have been impossible. Now, the state is able to know instantaneously where and who the affected clients may be in order to begin emergency operations.
Another area where Mon Ami has made a big difference is in simplifying and strengthening the state’s Older Americans Act Performance System (OAAPS) reporting. These federal reporting requirements can be complex and time-consuming, but Mon Ami’s platform makes it easy to collect, organize, and submit the data in a comprehensive and accurate way. With built-in support and smart workflows, the team can focus less on paperwork and more on serving their communities.
"The support is unbelievable and I can say that after 23 years of working within something else, I've never seen another entity wrap around another state to provide the service we want to provide,” Shelley explained. “I can't tell you what the relationship means to us."
Today, the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging is more connected, more efficient, and more empowered than ever before. From local providers to state leadership, everyone now has a clearer picture of the services being delivered and the people being impacted.