Get Involved
There are a variety of ways you can get involved and volunteer to help families and children in Tennessee.
Get Involved With County-based Advisory Boards
Each county has a Community Advisory Board, an independent local advisory board made up of families, local public agencies, schools, health departments, health care providers, juvenile court, law enforcement officials, and other community-based resources.
Each local advisory board recommends ways to bring together DCS, families, and available resource providers within the community and works to develop formal and informal services resources families may need such as diapers, mattresses, pots and pans. Services can range from providing furniture to fueling a car.
Tennessee has 95 CABs—one in each county across the state and they are separate and independent entities.
To get involved in a Community Advisory Board contact the DCS Regional Resource Linkage Coordinator in the Region.
What is Resource Linkage?
DCS Resource Linkage coordinators actively and regularly connect with the community to share information about how local initiatives are working and to identify ways to address any areas of need.
Resource Linkage staff also focus on specific needs of families whose children are at risk of coming into care. These staffers know who to call on if a family needs bedding, or seek individuals who can sponsor children for a summer camp or connect a youth with a mentor.
Resource Linkage is a valuable way for Tennesseans to share their energy and resources with children and families in their own communities.