Statewide Partnerships
Council on Children's Mental Health
TCCY has administrative responsibility for the Council on Children’s Mental Health (CCMH) charged with designing a plan for a statewide system of mental health care for children. The Council, composed of a broad range of stakeholders from all across the state, is co-chaired by the commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the executive director of TCCY.The Council was created to develop a youth-driven, family-focused, culturally and linguistically competent service delivery system that includes a core set of services and supports appropriately and effectively addressing the mental health needs of children and families.
Home Visiting Leadership Alliance
TCCY has administrative responsibilities over the Home Visiting Leadership Alliance (HVLA) through a grant agreement with the Department of Health (TDH) and is charged with developing a sustainability plan for evidence-based home visiting programs in Tennessee. The HVLA is co-chaired by TDH and TCCY and includes leadership from home visiting programs, state departments and stakeholders from across the state.
Resilient TN Collaborative
In 2022, the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY) established Resilient Tennessee Collaborative (RTC) to take a broader approach to building resilience in communities and systems among children, youth, families, and communities. For more than a decade, Tennessee has engaged in significant work to both promote positive childhood experiences (PCEs), helping infants, children, and youth thrive, as well as prevent and mitigate adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). A national leader with robust engagement across sectors, this work began with Building Strong Brains Tennessee, and continues with RTC. RTC’s Vision is a Tennessee where every child flourishes and a Mission to foster connections to promote PCEs for infants, children and youth across all communities.
Tennessee Young Child Wellness Council
The Tennessee Young Child Wellness Council (TNYCWC), which seeks to improve the well-being of children in Tennessee by improving collaboration among child-serving agencies and programs, has moved from its previous home at the Tennessee Department of Health to TCCY. The council formed in 2013 when the governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council and the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems State Action Team merged. Council membership includes representatives from state agencies, private care providers, advocates and families from all over the state. TNYCWC serves as the advisory committee for Tennessee's Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program. MIECHV is a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is received by the Tennessee Department of Health to administer Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs and support the state’s early childhood system of care.
Youth Transitions Advisory Council
The Youth Transitions Advisory Council (YTAC) brings together young people and other stakeholders from across Tennessee who work with youth aging out of DCS custody and transitioning from child-serving to adult services systems. YTAC makes recommendations to DCS, courts, schools, higher education and service providers to improve outcomes for successful transition from adolescence to adulthood for young people who often do not have supportive families.
Children's Advocacy Days
Children’s Advocacy Days (CAD) is an event with nearly 40 years of history in Nashville. It is an opportunity for children and family advocates, service providers and others to come together to be inspired by speakers, leaders and peers. The event draws approximately 600 individuals every March who are interested in children and family issues. CAD consists of training, networking, advocacy and celebration.