Tenn. Code Ann. § 52-5-105: Determination of eligibility

A person is eligible for service and support under this chapter on the basis of an intellectual or developmental disability only if the assessment that the person has an intellectual or developmental disability takes into account:

(1) Cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as differences in communication and behavioral factors;

(2) Whether the person's limitations in adaptive skills occur in the context of community environments typical of the person's age peers and is indexed to the person's individualized needs for supports;

(3) Specific adaptive limitations often coexist with strengths in other adaptive skills or other personal capabilities; and

(4) With appropriate supports over a sustained period, the life functioning of a person with an intellectual or developmental disability will generally improve.