Department of Children's Services
Dr. Viola Miller, Commissioner
Children's Services Headlines
For questions about adoption,
please call 1-877-DCSKids (327-5437).
Message from DCS
As Tennessee's public child welfare agency, the Department of Children’s Services is responsible for helping some of our state's most vulnerable citizens.
Our case managers have the responsibility investigating cases of child abuse and neglect. Our resource parent specialists work to find good foster homes and adoptive families. Our juvenile justice program treats the youthful offenders who are sent to us by the courts.
Today we have approximately 8,000 in state custody. It is our job to find these children the permanency they need to grow into healthy, happy and productive adults.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will benefit some of Tennessee's most vulnerable citizens -- those served by the state Department of Children's Services.
Title IV-E is the federal program that provides assistance to public child welfare agencies, such as DCS. The Title IV-E match provides foster-care maintenance to the states on behalf of children who come into state custody. It also provides adoption assistance and reimbursement for training and administrative expenses.
Children's Services Guides
