As announced during the Governor’s Press Briefing today, DIDD will be proactively testing people in the DIDD waivers, ICF/IIDs, and the Employment and Community First CHOICES program for COVID-19. We believe this is a continued step to keeping the people we support safe and healthy, and understanding the spread of the virus throughout our community.

DIDD will be conducting COVID tests at various sites around the state over the next 4-6 weeks. The first such testing will take place in Scott County for persons receiving services in nearby counties. Other locations and dates will be announced soon.

Ahead of the testing, DIDD needs to obtain consent, either written or verbal, on the Department of Health Consent form. To assist in that effort, DIDD has supplied a letter for persons and/conservators about the reasons for testing and the need for consents. We would ask agencies to supply a contact in the letter and distribute along with the appropriate consent form for their region. All three regional consent forms and the letter can be found on DIDD’s COVID-19 web page under COVID Testing and Results Guidance.

Thank you for your cooperation on this matter. Testing has already revealed several asymptomatic cases and has allowed the department and community providers to quarantine folks and minimize the spread. We are optimistic this testing will provide us with further insight and help us continue to prevent spread throughout the community.

Please note: REFs for testing will not be required to be submitted for persons who are tested through the DIDD-sponsored testing. Calls to the hotline and REFs will still be required for positive results.

Learn more: https://www.tn.gov/didd/covid-19.html