Have you heard the news? Yes, it’s true! Pathfinder’s website got a makeover, and we couldn’t be more excited for users to see it. You can rest easy knowing that the same information that’s on our current website will still be available on the new site, but with a new look and interactive features.
It’s hard to believe that it all started with a phone call from Vicki Johnson, Director of System Navigation & Marketing with the AWS Foundation in Indiana. As part of its vision to create community rich in resources and services where people with disabilities and their families thrive, the AWS Foundation determined the need for a comprehensive website of disability-related information. After a nationwide search, Pathfinder’s website was the model they chose to replicate. From Tennessee Disability Pathfinder came FINDER – Indiana Disability Resource Finder. Fast forward a few years that involved numerous long-distance meetings and the development of a formal partnership that will soon result in a new website for Pathfinder. With the support and input of our funding partners whose representatives serve on Pathfinder’s Leadership Council, it has been a labor of love for representatives of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and Pathfinder to transform Pathfinder’s website to the new platform system developed by Aptera, the software development company that built FINDER.
“Individuals with disabilities, their families, community providers and others need quick and easy access to information about supports and services across Tennessee. We’re proud of the entire Pathfinder team and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s partnership with so many state agencies and the AWS Foundation and Aptera to make this new website a reality,” said Elise McMillan, JD, Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy University Center for Excellence in Disabilities and the Faculty Director of Pathfinder.
“It has been a great experience working with Vicki, the AWS Foundation, and Aptera,” said Pathfinder program director Megan Hart. “This upgrade has allowed us to keep the important parts of Pathfinder’s website while adding new features that allow users to better access and save information.”
Finding Resources:
All 3,500+ agency resources that were included in Pathfinder’s previous website directory will be available on the new website, too, but the way in which users can find the best options to meet their needs will be different. Don’t be too concerned, however, because there is a step-by-step search tool that allows users to determine how broad or narrow their results will be based on the following criteria:
- Stage of Life: Prenatal/Infancy, Early Childhood, School Age, Transition / Young Adult, Adulthood, Aging
- Topic of Interest: 20 different service categories to select or a text box to type a keyword
- Diagnosis: Type of disability or health condition
- Benefit / Payment Options: Forms of payment, such as type of insurance, government program, private pay, or no cost, accepted by the agency provider
- Service Area: Select counties where services are provided
Users have the ability to make selections in each step of the search for the most specific results or skip any step for broader results.
Registered Users:
Pathfinder’s website will continue to be open for anyone to use without needing to create an account, but there will be new features available to users who choose to register for an account. Some of those features include:
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- Bookmark Resources
- Save Searches
- Submit Agency Resources and Website Links
- Post Calendar Events
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Accessibility Features:
It’s crucial for all users to have equal access to our website, so there is an accessibility icon on the far right of the banner that provides a popup menu when clicked. The menu provides accessibility tools that include color contrasts, magnification, and font styles.
Language is another accessibility feature that is available on the new site that allows users to translate the website into one of eight different languages.
Council on Developmental Disabilities Executive Director Wanda Willis said, “This upgrade is a huge jump forward. It just got easier to find the support people with disabilities in Tennessee need to live great lives. I am especially proud of how many public and private partners came together to make this happen.”
There is much more to explore and discover on Pathfinder’s new website, so we’re glad to make it available to you. As we navigate together in using the new site, we encourage you to reach out to us for any assistance needed.