Strong Families & Communities

Priority Goal

Enhance the stability and well-being of families and communities across Tennessee by addressing challenges within child welfare, juvenile justice, healthcare, and housing.

Why This Matters

This priority acknowledges the interrelated nature of child welfare, youth justice, family supports, and housing. Tennessee seeks to leverage cross-sector collaboration and evidence-based policymaking to promote positive outcomes for families and communities.

Research Questions

a. Foster Care Permanency

What factors negatively impact the timeline to permanency for children in foster care, and what reforms can streamline these processes while ensuring child safety?

b. Family Reunification

What are the key factors contributing to successful family reunification, and how can support services be optimized to address these factors effectively?

c. Youth Placement & Support

How effective are current policies, services, and programs at identifying and tailoring support to youth's specific needs with placement decisions based on individual risks and treatment needs?

d. Dually-Involved Youth Services

What specific supports and services are in place for dually involved youth receiving services from both child welfare and juvenile justice systems? What specific improvements need to be made in coordination among state agencies to ensure consistency and accountability in achieving outcomes of interest?

e. Youth Behavioral Interventions

How effectively are state agencies facilitating collaboration across education, health, and justice system actors to identify youth behavioral challenges early and prevent future court involvement?

f. Childcare Access Barriers

What are the main barriers to accessing quality childcare in Tennessee, and how can these barriers be addressed through policy and investment?

g. Home-Based Childcare Policies

How do State and local childcare policies and regulations reflect and affect the experiences of home-based childcare providers? In what ways do the childcare policies and regulations exclude or include providers?

h. TennCare Maternal Benefits

How has the expansion of TennCare maternal benefits affected the health outcomes for mothers and infants?

i. Public Healthcare Quality

To what extent do the medical and dental facilities/services offered by the State health department overlap with those provided by private medical care providers? How does the quality of care, affordability, and patient outcomes compare between public health department facilities and private providers in low-income and rural communities?

j. Housing Programs for Vulnerable Populations

How effectively are existing State-funded housing programs meeting the diverse housing needs of older adults, disabled, formerly incarcerated, individuals living with mental illness, and rural residents?