The DCS Real Estate Initiative

Overview

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) Real Estate Initiative is a $421 million, statewide effort to build and modernize trauma-responsive, purpose-built spaces that strengthen how youth enter care, receive assessment and stabilization, and move into the most appropriate long-term settings.

The initiative includes three types of spaces designed to improve safety, stability, and outcomes for youth across the continuum of care.

DCS Youth Welcome Spaces Concept

Welcome Places

Welcome Places (6 locations) will serve youth immediately after they enter care, providing short-term stabilization while permanency plans are created. All six DCS regions will be served by a community-based Welcome Place, each designed for up to 16 youth with space for individual care and family visitation.

Planned Welcome Place locations:

  • Jonesborough
  • Lenoir City 
  • Lexington
  • Memphis
  • Nashville
  • Tullahoma
DCS Youth Wellness Spaces Concept

Wellness Places

Wellness Places (3 locations) will be able to accommodate 30-day stays for youth with complex needs. These spaces will allow time for trauma-responsive clinical assessments to better connect young people with longer-term therapeutic environments to meet their needs. Each of Tennessee's three grand regions—East, Middle, and West—will have a Wellness Place designed to support 20 youth. 

Planned Wellness Place locations:

  • West Grand Region - Memphis
  • Middle Grand Region - Nashville
  • East Grand Region - Strawberry Plains
DCS Youth Development Center Concept

Youth Development Campuses

Youth Development Campuses (2 locations) will include modernized, clinically-focused settings designed to support rehabilitation, vocational opportunities, and successful reentry. Plans include new construction for the John S. Wilder Center in Somerville and the former Woodland Hills Youth Development Center in Nashville. 

Youth Development Campus Locations:

  • Somerville
  • Nashville

Timeline

  • 2023 — Project approval and design teams selected.
  • 2024 — Funding updates and continued project development.
  • 2025 — Major contracting steps and design progress.
  • 2026–2028 Phased construction and openings (planned).

Current Project Budget

  • New Woodland Hills + John S. Wilder secure facilities: $333,300,000
  • New Welcome and Wellness Centers: $88,360,000

Building Concepts

This Page Last Updated: January 20, 2026 at 11:37 AM