THIS WEEK’S RUNDOWN:
Download Updated Legislative Calendar Here
DCS presented to the House Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee on Tuesday:
Key Takeaways:
- DCS has significantly improved staffing and case management, reducing turnover and vacancies while streamlining case file management.
- The agency handled over 62,000 CPS cases from 151,770 hotline calls and diverted more than 3,300 children from foster care through specialized teams and initiatives such as Safe Baby Courts and the INTERCEPT program.
- DCS is advancing its infrastructure with new intake facilities and permanent assessment centers, while strengthening community and judicial partnerships to support at-risk children and families.
The Department of Children Services (DCS) presentation, led by Commissioner Margie Quinn, outlined a robust series of strategic initiatives and operational improvements aimed at enhancing child welfare services in Tennessee. The agency highlighted significant improvements in staffing and case management, noting a reduction in case manager turnover from 29% to 16.8%, a dramatic drop in vacancies from 24% to 8% (reducing open positions from 692 to 150), and a substantial decrease in caseloads in Davidson County—from nearly 10,000 cases to just the low 30s on a weekly basis.
The presentation also detailed the extensive scope of Child Protective Services, citing 151,770 hotline calls and over 62,000 cases responded to in the past year. DCS has successfully diverted more than 3,300 children from foster care by stabilizing families through alternative custodial arrangements and leveraging community resources. Specialized teams, including drug teams that now operate in eight of the twelve regions and a burgeoning human trafficking team collaborating with law enforcement, further underscore the agency’s commitment to addressing the unique challenges facing vulnerable populations. Additionally, programs like Safe Baby Courts and the INTERCEPT initiative—an intensive in-home therapeutic program with a 93% success rate—are pivotal in keeping at-risk children safely with their families.
The agency is also advancing its real estate and infrastructure development efforts, with plans for six new intake facilities, three permanent assessment centers, and significant expansions at key locations such as Woodland Hills in Nashville and Wilder in Somerville. These initiatives are complemented by community engagement efforts, notably Every Child Tennessee initiative, which has mobilized a record number of volunteers and faith leaders to support children in foster care. While acknowledging geographical disparities in foster care entries—particularly higher rates in East Tennessee—DCS is focused on addressing the underlying issues, including poverty, substance abuse, and resource scarcity.
In summary, the DCS presentation emphasized a shift from a reactive crisis-response model to a proactive, strategic approach centered on prevention, permanency, and modernization. By expanding innovative programs, strengthening judicial partnerships, and enhancing data tracking and training, DCS is positioning itself to better serve Tennessee’s children and families well into the future.
Commissioner Clarence Carter presented the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) budget, outlining key funding requests for technology, child care, and social services. Lawmakers raised concerns about delays in spending federal child care funds, while DHS defended its multi-year grant structure.
DHS Budget Hearings
DHS requested $12.9Mfor technology upgrades, $5.9M for child care assistance, and $8.3M for child support enforcement due to inflation. SNAP benefits remain federally funded, with Tennessee covering $50M in administrative costs.
Lawmakers pressed DHS on summer food service programs, grant delays, and expanding pre-K funding and YMCA partnerships. The department committed to addressing inefficiencies, tracking program spending, and providing further data on unspent child care funds.
Key Takeaways
Technology Modernization
- $12.9M requested to maintain DHS’s upgraded technology.
- Focus on cloud support and enterprise-wide efficiency improvements.
Child Care Expansion
- Multiple initiatives to increase child care access:
- Smart Steps: $5.9M to assist families with child care costs.
- WAGES Program: $7.2M for salary supplements for child care workers.
- Child Care Improvement Fund: $15M to support expansion efforts.
- Grants to Boys & Girls Club: $10.9M for after-school programs.
Child Support Enforcement Challenges
- $8.3M requested due to rising enforcement costs amid inflation.
- Increased contracts with judicial districts.
SNAP & Public Assistance Programs
- $3.2B in SNAP benefits, 100% federally funded.
- Tennessee pays $50M in administrative costs.
- Eligibility requirements unchanged; monitoring potential federal restrictions.
Summer Feeding Programs
- DHS chose to strengthen existing feeding programs rather than launch new federal initiatives.
- Gov. Lee allocated $3M to underserved areas.
Program Implementation Delays
- Grant approval and contract processes take 6-9 months, delaying critical services.
- Lawmakers requested streamlining.
Potential Expansion for Pre-K and YMCA Grants
- Lawmakers suggested including pre-K programs and YMCA in funding allocations.
NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR:
Tuesday:
- Senate State & Local Gov’t Committee will hear a budget presentation from Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development.
- House Health Committee will consider:
- HB 106- Exempts certain programs and activities that fall within the definition of a childcare agency, including adding gym care, Boys and Girls Clubs, under certain conditions, YMCA programs, and Tennessee professional sport event care program requirements. Adds martial arts and music to the list of exempted recreational program activities.
- Senate Commerce & Labor Committee will hear budget presentations from TennCare and Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development. They will also consider:
- SB 453- Revises notification requirements for timely filing of fundraising campaign literature by allowing a professional solicitor to file with the secretary of state required solicitation campaign literature or promotional materials, within 90 days after a solicitation campaign has been completed or within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year for a campaign that lasts more than one year.
- Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee will hear a presentation on the ALICE Childcare Model from United Way of Greater Chattanooga and budget presentations from Dept. of Finance & Administration and Treasury.
- House Transportation Committee will consider:
- HB 536- Establishes that a motor vehicle dealer who does not have an established place of business is eligible for a motor vehicle dealer license if the applicant is a nonprofit religious organization that Is organized or incorporated in this state.
- House Education Committee will consider:
- HB 1385- Requires a school support organization and a group or organization that collects and raises money, materials, property, or securities while representing itself to be a school support organization to annually provide a detailed report of the organization’s receipts and expenditures while representing itself to be a school support organization to the department of education by July 1 each year, unless the school support organization is a booster club, parent teacher association, parent teacher organization, or parent teacher support association.
- House Departments & Agencies Subcommittee will consider:
- HB 379- Clarifies, by removing certain language, that a professional solicitor includes servants or employees specially employed by or for a charitable organization who are engaged in the solicitation of contributions.
Wednesday:
- Senate Health & Welfare Committee will hear budget presentations from TCCY and Dept. of Disability & Aging.
- House Business & Utilities Subcommittee will hear a presentation from Dept. of Economic & Community Development.
- House State & Local Gov’t Committee will consider:
- HB 1337- Establishes a five-day period after the effective date that allows a nonprofit organization to apply to operate a charitable gaming event during the annual period of July 1, 2025 until June 30, 2026.