The Child & Adult Care Licensing Pre-Licensure Unit provides technical assistance and support to customers who are seeking to become licensed child or adult care providers. Staff coordinate orientations, conduct site visits, provide coaching on the licensing process, and connect applicants with resources, such as small business academies and establishment grants.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program that provides reimbursement for eligible meals that are served to participants who meet age and income requirements.
The Child Support Re-entry team is designed to help parents, who are incarcerated for more than 180 days and have a current child support obligation greater than $100, with obtaining a modification of their court order.
The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) is a federally funded grant program that aims to combat poverty within communities by removing the barriers to self-sufficiency clients may encounter.
Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing Community Grants—administered by the Tennessee Council for the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing (TCDDBHH)—enable the provision of culturally appropriate services and direct support to Tennesseans who experience hearing loss and their families. Services include pro bono American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting services, educational workshops and training, and support […]
The Families First Community Grant program was created as an additional method to invest TANF funds in ways to provide long-term benefits to low-income families and help them move towards economic stability.
Families First, the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, is a workforce development and employment program. The Families First program emphasizes work, training, and personal responsibility. Benefits are temporary and have a primary focus on gaining self-sufficiency through employment. The Families First program helps participants reach this goal by providing temporary cash assistance, […]
Independent Living Older Blind Program (ILOB) provides services for individuals aged 55 or older who are blind or visually impaired to enable them to live as independently as possible in their homes and communities. Rehabilitation teachers provide independent living services on a one-on-one basis and coordinate services from other agencies and organizations. Services include but […]
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) prepare students with disabilities to achieve their employment and postsecondary education goals after high school. Services include counseling in postsecondary education, career exploration, self-advocacy, workplace readiness, and work-based learning.
Smart Steps Child Care Payment Assistance is financial assistance available to income-eligible families who are working or enrolled in postsecondary education programs and have children from age six weeks through the start of kindergarten.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training Program (E&T) helps eligible participants achieve their vocational goals and increase self-sufficiency through funded education, skills training, and supportive services. These services include SNAP E&T components that are offered to participants to provide them a direct link to employment. Tennessee currently offers Adult Education, Job Search […]
The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program in Tennessee provides funding for Adult Homemaker Services and Adult Day Care services. Services are limited to low-income elderly or disabled adults who meet federal poverty guidelines or are referred by the DHS Adult Protective Services Program due to allegations of abuse or neglect.
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides administrative and operational payments to eligible agencies for serving meals to low-income children. The SFSP is a partnership between the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) and community-based organizations to provide free meals to children in their communities throughout the summer. Eligible […]
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutritional assistance initiative administered at the state level. SNAP funding provides SNAP Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), Informational Activities to Low-Income Households (SNAP Outreach), Disaster SNAP, SNAP Employment and Training (individual section), and Online Purchasing programs.
The overarching goal of the TOA Pilot program is to help individuals (and their families) with low incomes become self-sufficient. Pilots are using a variety of care coordination models to increase families’ capacity for self-sufficiency across multiple domains and are being evaluated to determine their impact within the community.
The Tennessee Technology Access Program (TTAP) is a statewide program designed to increase access to, and acquisition of, assistive technology devices and services. Through funding assistance, device demonstration, device loan and device reutilization, TTAP and a network of assistive technology centers help people with disabilities and their families find and get the tools that they […]
The Vocational Rehabilitation Program (VR) provides individualized services such as counseling and guidance, training, rehabilitation technology, transportation, and employment services to persons with disabilities in preparation for their employment in the competitive, integrated labor market. Through each individualized service plan, VR supports employment outcomes for customers that are consistent with their individual strengths, resources, abilities, […]
The Child Care WAGE$® Program is an education-based salary supplement program for child care educators employed in DHS Licensed Child Care agencies. This program provides eligible educators an annual award, issued in two parts, based on specific qualifications that include working at least six months in the same child care program with children birth to five […]
