You may have noticed a new name appearing across Tennessee Disability Pathfinder’s website, social media, and recent outreach. Information and Referral (I&R) is now the Resource Navigation Team.
The name has changed, but the purpose behind the service has not. Pathfinder has always been here to help Tennesseans find disability-related information, services, and supports. The new name better reflects what our team actually does every day: help people navigate their options and connect with resources that fit their individual needs.
This month, as Pathfinder recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Resource Navigation Team also reflects an important part of the employment journey: knowing where to turn for support. Employment success can depend on much more than finding an open position. A person may need vocational rehabilitation, transportation, assistive technology, benefits information, independent-living supports, training, or other community resources before or after starting a job. Our Resource Navigators can help connect Tennesseans with organizations and services that may support those next steps.
Finding the right resource is not always as simple as searching online or being handed a phone number. Families may not know where to begin. A person may qualify for several different programs and need help understanding which one to contact first. A professional may be trying to locate a service for someone they support. Others may have already called several places and still have questions about what to do next.
That is where a Resource Navigator can help.
Our Resource Navigators work with people with disabilities, families, caregivers, educators, service providers, and other professionals throughout Tennessee. They listen to what you are looking for, ask questions to better understand your needs, and help identify disability-related organizations, programs, and services that may be a good fit.
You might contact the Resource Navigation Team if you are looking for:
- Employment and vocational rehabilitation supports
- Job training and transition resources
- Assistive technology and workplace-related resources
- Transportation options
- Health care and disability-related services
- Independent living resources
- Education and community programs
- Family and caregiver supports
- Disability organizations and service providers
- Information about programs available in your area
And sometimes, you may simply have a question and not know which category it falls into. That is okay, too. You do not have to know exactly what service you need before contacting Pathfinder. Helping you figure out where to start is part of the navigation process.
Real People. Real Conversations. Real Resource Navigation.
One thing that has not changed is the personal connection behind Pathfinder’s service. When you contact our Resource Navigation Team, you are connecting with a real person who understands Tennessee’s disability-resource landscape and is ready to listen.
Our Navigators are not here to make decisions for you. Their role is to help you explore available options, provide information, and connect you with resources so you can decide what works best for your situation.
That is why Resource Navigation is a better reflection of the work we do. It is more than giving out information. It is about helping people find their way through systems that can sometimes feel complicated or overwhelming.
Meet Our Resource Navigators
As part of this new chapter, Pathfinder is also helping our community get to know the people behind the service. As part of this new chapter, we’re helping our community get to know the people behind the service by introducing or reintroducing our Resource Navigators and sharing the kinds of questions they can help answer.
So when you see “Meet Our Navigators” or a Pathfinder post asking, “Do you need help finding…?”, that is an invitation to connect.
Here’s a quick look at our “Meet Our Navigators” video series. Get to know the people behind Pathfinder’s Resource Navigation Team and learn more about the questions they can help answer. Follow Tennessee Disability Pathfinder on social media for more Navigator videos, resource tips, and ways to connect with our team.
The name may be new, but the commitment remains the same: helping Tennesseans find disability-related resources and supports across the state.
Need Help Finding Resources?
Call the Resource Navigation Team:
1-800-640-4636Phone hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT
You can also chat with a Resource Navigator on our website at TNPathfinder.org.
Chat hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CT
Whether someone is preparing for employment, trying to remain independent, exploring a new career path, or simply looking for the right disability-related resource, Pathfinder’s Resource Navigation Team can help connect them with options across Tennessee.
Opportunity, access, and independence often begin with knowing where to turn.