Multiple Tennessee disability support agencies, including TRIAD – The Autism Institute at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, were named recipients of the Law Enforcement Innovation Center Project of the Year, recognizing contributions to the Law Enforcement Response to Autism Project, a two-day training offered to Tennessee lawmakers during a fall 2025 conference in Franklin.
The Law Enforcement Innovation Center is affiliated with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s Institute for Public Service. The award was presented in September 2026 in Knoxville.
The Project of the Year award recognizes efforts in “transforming law enforcement response through innovative autism awareness training, statewide partnerships, and shared commitment to building safer, more inclusive communities for all Tennesseans.”
In addition to TRIAD, award recipients included University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center training specialists Jeff Hundley and Rhiannon Jones, the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, The Arc Tennessee, The Arc Williamson County, The Arc Davidson County and Greater Nashville, and the Franklin Police Department.
“Jeff Hundley with the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center reached out to (TRIAD Co-Director) Alacia Stainbrook in June 2025 to support breakout sessions for this newly developed conference aimed to support law enforcement officer response in the autistic community,” said TRIAD Senior Education Consultant Blaire Donnelly-Mason, CTRS, MSRLS. “The LEIC was already partnered with The Arc of Williamson County, The Arc of Davidson County, the Department on Disability and Aging’s TN START, and UT Health Sciences Center. This work matched up well with the mission of TRIAD’s Neurodiverse Community Access Network (NeuroCAN) and allowed us an opportunity to reach groups of community service providers we have not worked with before. While we have conducted workshops with the Metro Nashville Police Department in the past, this conference allowed us the chance to present and connect with law enforcement departments all over Tennessee.”
This immersive training was designed to equip patrol officers, dispatch operators, and leadership with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively respond to individuals on the autism spectrum. By blending practical scenarios, expert insights, and collaborative discussion, this event aimed to strengthen various department members’ ability to recognize, communicate with, and safely de-escalate encounters involving autistic community members.
More than 100 first responders who attended the conference listened to experts discuss de-escalation techniques, responding to calls of elopement, and communicating with non-verbal individuals, among other topics. They also took part in role-playing opportunities during staged traffic stops and crisis situations. Keynote talks included a panel from individuals with lived experiences and discussions on improving autism awareness and effective collaboration with autism advocates and professionals.
TRIAD conducted two full breakout sessions titled “Calm Voices, Clear Messages: De-escalation Techniques for Autism Encounters, Sensory Sensitivities: Adapting Your Response.”
At the close of the program, participants received sensory kits to use on calls.
“The training was well-received, and we received multiple requests to have more learning opportunities due to attendance cap and overwhelming interest to learn more about best practices to policing and responding to calls when an autistic or neurodivergent individual is involved,” said Donnelly-Mason. “Feedback was so positive that we quickly began planning a second conference to take place in Knoxville in October 2026 and future conferences across the state to allow for more LEO attendance in other areas of Tennessee.”
Top photo courtesy of the Law Enforcement Innovation Center.
