Children's Services, Dept. of

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Children's Services Transparency Act

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Children's Services to release detailed information about providers they contract with and monthly reports on short-term placements for children in their custody.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the department to publish a list of all service providers it has contracted with over the past three fiscal years, excluding individual foster parents.
• Publishes the number of youth served by each provider, licensing information, and details about services provided and funding sources.
• Releases data on licensing violations for these providers including descriptions of incidents and investigations.
• Requires monthly reports on children staying in short-term or interim placements like hotels or shelters, detailing their numbers and lengths of stay.
• Publishes semi-annual lists of locations used as short-term placements and contractors involved.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Tennessee Department of Children's Services
• Service providers contracted by the department to house or supervise children in state custody
• Children in the department’s custody staying in short-term placements

Terms To Know

Providers

Organizations that provide services such as housing and supervision for children under the care of the Department of Children's Services.

Short-term or interim locations

Temporary places where children are housed while waiting for a permanent placement, including hotels, shelters, and juvenile detention centers.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill did not pass in the current session.
• It requires funding to hire three new positions starting from FY26-27.

Official Summary Text

On or by January 1, 2027,
this bill requires
the department
of children's services ("department") to
release
all of
the following information to the public:



A list of all providers, inside and outside of this state, with whom the department has contracted in the previous three fiscal years to house or supervise children and youth in state custody, excluding individual foster parents
.


The number of youth served by each provider
.


What agency or entity licenses or approves each provider
.


Whether each provider serves delinquent, dependent, or unruly youth
.


The scope of services and corresponding amount of money the department has paid to each provider, broken out by state and federal funding source
.


The number of licensing violations, including a brief description of the basis of the violation, enforcement actions, reported incidents, and abuse investigations for each provider.

On January 30, 2027, and the
30
th
day of each month thereafter,
this bill requires
the department
to
publish
all of the
following on its website:



The number of children in the department's custody that have stayed at least one night in a short-term or interim location that is unable to serve as a permanent placement, such as hotels, offices, shelters, transitional housing, respite, juvenile detention centers, hospitals, assessment centers, and any other place where children are housed while awaiting placement or transitioning between placements by the department
.


Information regarding the number and length of utilization of short-term or interim locations by type of location, age, region, and adjudication status. Data regarding the length of utilization must include, at a minimum, the average length of stay, total number of nights utilized, the longest stay during the reported time period, and the number of stays exceeding benchmarks under relevant statute, regulation, or policy
.


Information regarding the amount of overtime staff worked to supervise children in short-term or interim locations.

This bill requires the department to
consult with the comptroller of the treasury to develop measures for accurate and meaningful reporting of the data required by this
bill
.

The department must include a yearly summary of the information published
above
in its annual report.

On a semi-annual basis,
this bill requires
the department
to
publish a list of the locations utilized as short-term or interim placements, as well as a list of contractors utilized for the operation of these locations, including contracts or memorandums of understanding for use of space, supervision of children, a
nd security.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2401
By Yarbro

HOUSE BILL 2250
By Johnson
HB2250
012588
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37,
relative to the department of children's services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 5, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following new section:
(a) On or by January 1, 2027, the department must release the following
information to the public:
(1) A list of all providers, inside and outside of this state, with whom the
department has contracted in the previous three (3) fiscal years to house or
supervise children and youth in state custody, excluding individual foster parents;
(2) The number of youth served by each provider;
(3) What agency or entity licenses or approves each provider;
(4) Whether each provider serves delinquent, dependent, or unruly
youth;
(5) The scope of services and corresponding amount of money the
department has paid to each provider, broken out by state and federal funding
source; and
(6) The number of licensing violations, including a brief description of the
basis of the violation, enforcement actions, reported incidents, and abuse
investigations for each provider.
(b) On January 30, 2027, and the thirtieth day of each month thereafter, the
department must publish the following on its website:

- 2 - 012588

(1) The number of children in the department's custody that have stayed
at least one (1) night in a short-term or interim location that is unable to serve as
a permanent placement, such as hotels, offices, shelters, transitional housing,
respite, juvenile detention centers, hospitals, assessment centers, and any other
place where children are housed while awaiting placement or transitioning
between placements by the department;
(2) Information regarding the number and length of utilization of short-
term or interim locations by type of location, age, region, and adjudication status.
Data regarding the length of utilization must include, at a minimum, the average
length of stay, total number of nights utilized, the longest stay during the reported
time period, and the number of stays exceeding benchmarks under relevant
statute, regulation, or policy; and
(3) Information regarding the amount of overtime staff worked to
supervise children in short-term or interim locations.
(c) The department must consult with the comptroller of the treasury to develop
measures for accurate and meaningful reporting of the data required by this section.
(d) The department must include a yearly summary of the information published
pursuant to subsection (b) in its annual report.
(e) On a semi-annual basis, the department must publish a list of the locations
utilized as short-term or interim placements, as well as a list of contractors utilized for the
operation of these locations, including contracts or memorandums of understanding for
use of space, supervision of children, and security.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.