[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6322671,"mediaKeyId","2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2","parentId",2347010,"title","Human Services requests technology, childcare and program funding; highlights carryforward and administrative items","audioSeconds",1649,"startMs",6212000,"endMs",7861000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2&start=6212&end=7861","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2/thumbnail_6212000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6322671/Tennessee/Human-Services-requests-technology-childcare-and-program-funding-highlights-carryforward-and-administrative-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322671-3041a5a08dedec49dad9b374f13a156e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107368&Signature=JzT4G4Wzwz6gzc0xNxCkKBzniz2VN8mJn6~zJreyti6rJIqcH72Jk~gx~zZrYSwiMbqNVYHCOHQ4~TdMMTNXc0bpXmywZ7vmrC65xjFyYg-DWPTwNel~6M8Sck39Y1LrLV1C7AIUrbOEyOOhtLp7okbQI3z88RJhqWl-R2QWJkripCmAZyTKW4ftO-NMmmtqHPnFlb6JItLjX0N4DxcK4WY11t3jjDwK7Y9oEeUbHXycByQNSxikbKNbxZWHxnbgJsm9vV55cnfAHFCPyJuohCYvURf3eQgs-1GzTLX6dZgCH3-sl0b2H4g5JlvcpQVHLJYoM53lZiKAzcG3ycTyMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","Clarence Carter, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services, presented the department’s fiscal 2026 budget request, asking for recurring and nonrecurring funds to maintain technology upgrades, expand childcare supports and cover rising administrative costs.

The department requested $12.945 million recurring to maintain cloud support and the No Wrong Door platform known as 1 DHS, arguing that recent multi‑year technology modernization requires ongoing investment. On childcare, DHS asked for $5.9 million recurring to raise Smart Steps eligibility to 100% of state median income (to reduce cliff effects for working families) and $7.2 million recurring to expand the WAGES salary‑supplement program for childcare workers. The department also requested $15.0 million nonrecurring to complete the Child Care Improvement Fund pilot and $10.9 million nonrecurring to provide Boys & Girls Club grants to serve new and existing low‑income youth.

Other requests included $8.304 million recurring for child‑support enforcement operations to offset rising costs, $1.45 million recurring for county office rental increases, and $150,000 recurring for Kids Central administrative adjustments following program transfers. The department proposed several reductions including a $3.2 million certified public expenditures offset and other 1% cost reductions.

Commissioner Carter said the department has modernized agency technology and must now fund ongoing cloud and platform costs. He also defended the approach to using multiyear federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) grants and said most carryforward balances represent planned multiyear obligations rather than returned federal funds; staff offered to provide precise return figures on request. Lawmakers pressed the department on childcare carryforward levels, summer feeding programs and program timing; the committee recorded eight ayes and one president not voting when advancing the DHS budget to finance.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Health and Welfare Committee\tFeb 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Department of Human Services Commissioner Clarence Carter presented the agency’s FY2026 budget, requesting recurring funds for cloud and platform maintenance, expansions to Smart Steps and WAGES childcare supports, a child care improvement fund, Boys & Girls Club grants and county office rent increases; the committee advanced the budget.","taxTitle","Health and Welfare, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",29601,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322675,"Department of Mental Health seeks targeted investments in school liaisons, workforce and opioid grants",2872,3280000,6152000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2&start=3280&end=6152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2/thumbnail_3280000.jpg","/articles/6322675/Tennessee/Department-of-Mental-Health-seeks-targeted-investments-in-school-liaisons-workforce-and-opioid-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322675-b2e48e77b25f7fa4ebc9716d69a3ed40/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107368&Signature=IHk1d9afk6bxDy3xX3qvMcRG1scrtIu2WBqRQDo5yTvJnhRMlGT59Rfhw7gI6588EW2jmU9dQV6LxoSgPr5ePRp6sVsUfv3EZmCpNYeaAGVPn3X3~I5toJwgu9d2FnazVbhV9DYYNCfPateCdcCvgZGD0WyN4FSATzNjLiZrywFdZxRchGwtmQ61pCGeDtu68yGutlrUjmTstkc6eGHW-jAMzoPRquj8pIvMAvfPWWAzQXoAvQcjqhy5ytj3D2xN6goezfx~iMkijDD8aD3Vdbro3OPJ1VjbZmTaien2nM0RW6hdTioCIhVEOnIMiKd6dMz5Vf8nTq3yRs8EOYDGow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse presented a fiscal 2026 budget request to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that emphasizes scaling school‑based behavioral health, a workforce scholarship expansion and continuing federal opioid‑response grants.

The commissioner said the department's priorities include: expanding school‑based behavioral health liaisons toward the goal of one liaison in every school ($1.0 million request); $5.1 million in certified public expenditure revenues to increase capacity at the Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute (funded via TennCare financing mechanisms, not new state general funds); a $4.4 million nonrecurring expansion of the Tennessee Pathways Behavioral Health Scholarship program to train additional behavioral health professionals; $1.9 million to increase residential substance use treatment rates to parity with TennCare; $4.0 million for a behavioral health safety net; and $1.4 million nonrecurring for analysis and strengthening of the crisis services continuum while the department and TennCare study provider needs.

The department also outlined federal SOAR opioid response funding (SOAR 4) of about $30.7 million and other federal and opioid‑abatement initiatives. Commissioners noted that rate increases and scholarship funding aim to reduce provider vacancies and expand capacity. The department reported reductions in provider vacancies and that the school‑based liaison program has grown to 390 funded positions, with a 255% increase over five years in the number of students receiving direct services.

Committee members questioned the department about outcomes for overdose deaths, sample results from the gambling treatment clinic, and hospital staffing shortages. Deputy Commissioner Matt Yancey and Ty Thornton, chief of hospital operations, told the committee vacancies at state hospitals have declined markedly with focused hiring and operational changes; Ty reported reductions in psychiatric technician vacancies from about 80 a year ago to about 12 as of the week of the hearing. The committee voted to advance the department's budget to the next stage with nine ayes recorded.","The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse presented its FY2026 budget request emphasizing school-based behavioral health expansion, workforce scholarships, provider rate parity for residential addiction services, and federal opioid response grants; committee approved sending the budget forward.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322680,"Committee backs bill letting registered nurses pronounce deaths in hospitals under physician agreement",440,2749000,3189000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2&start=2749&end=3189","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2/thumbnail_2749000.jpg","/articles/6322680/Tennessee/Committee-backs-bill-letting-registered-nurses-pronounce-deaths-in-hospitals-under-physician-agreement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322680-65ae6aa5720def718a21c3dc02bf2968/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107368&Signature=c6V6LCE-y1GFD58Wp~VVHtrVa8eC9cpHMHnbmOUA1mKdXSj4Ki3e-qMc9jSE6rb~O2ifIntdsS-nqDGtVtLcydaZVj7mbhNXELADj~DmSUf24d9C7jZmnc5BCpThZZs7Sml2CkgirZl4QwzpvaQrh0LPIRJogIR4st9P2YWFO4o2YGOdONuQmoMHLQGNBoFyO9Kdozyu~TIGhoSb7nGfjFcqzJ2Vs-jLNSXMNIntfHtHe7952gdCN-E4gfHHnMOqk6DGBP1biOYlu8aFMqpZw0qjjNKgAUCpWZnYin4K0-E7JJ7yl-iC~Aoq7xuQ6nqsAnsXIdRlmtwQdS1spgP6eA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved Senate Bill 668 to allow a registered nurse to pronounce a death in a hospital setting when the nurse has an agreement with an attending physician who will sign the death certificate. Sponsors said the measure aligns hospital practice with existing hospice procedures and removes the statutory requirement that a death must have been previously “anticipated.”

Senator Taylor, who presented the bill, told the committee the change is intended to streamline hospital procedures following a death and reduce delays that occur when an attending physician must be located to pronounce the death. Senator Hensley and others asked whether practice already exists in hospice or other settings; committee discussion clarified the bill as written applies only to hospitals and does not automatically extend to nursing homes or assisted‑living facilities unless the House later amends the language.

The bill requires a written agreement between the registered nurse and a physician who will ultimately certify the death certificate. Senator Watson and others noted the current statute contains several scenarios for nurse pronouncement and that this bill specifically addresses the hospital circumstance and removes the “anticipated death” limitation for that setting.

The committee moved the bill to the calendar on a recorded vote of nine ayes. No committee amendment was adopted during the discussion.","Senate Bill 668 would permit registered nurses to pronounce a patient's death in a hospital when the nurse has a standing agreement with the attending physician who will later certify the death certificate; committee moved the bill to the calendar after discussion about scope and language.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322684,"Senate advances bill to create state doula certification process; TennCare language to be removed",767,1971000,2738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2&start=1971&end=2738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2/thumbnail_1971000.jpg","/articles/6322684/Tennessee/Senate-advances-bill-to-create-state-doula-certification-process-TennCare-language-to-be-removed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322684-815826c55eabf810676a73dc0baa4c61/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107368&Signature=hPgZXzgF~4YInN09-1Qe-TmcGU3j-nDwkirGD3UGOE8-dJhpTCOdFbTZAh6dL6d0I1MOJZhXVoF1G2qmYk0~GHQAfqZAZj411g5Oz52gtd6rMNdl0PvcXqf~HHxmvpVu1BzcPnDofZ9iVaPRJT7Mwy2mcgqDQHYqmsztIiAEetSskQydV~URqZPgu5kEffojivSX40gs~nSmVXCk9hFkx6MZ3Otunn14G~hCUlbIPOQy7kXpy6Wz8OiIEFVcCRIKEpK4WBfR4cjkyUcO88SlCWL~C-AxfndFoIH2XHM-NyXcEYo1Z4Bkz2PfFpVDqp99uv4ScOJgypYD7yl6qrtcVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved Senate Bill 44 on a vote that sent the measure to the finance committee on Tuesday. The bill, carried by Senator Lamar, would direct the Tennessee Department of Health to establish a rule and verification process for certifying doulas who complete qualifying training programs. The committee approved an amendment that delays rule promulgation until 2026.

“Doula services are associated with improved health outcomes,” Senator Lamar said, citing research presented to the committee that links doula support with lower cesarean and induction rates, higher breastfeeding, and improved birth experiences. Lamar told the committee she intends to file an amendment to remove TennCare coverage language and keep the bill focused on certification.

The committee heard questions about who administers certification and how training is defined. Lamar said the Department of Health would promulgate rules based on recommendations from a doula advisory committee that the legislature previously created; that committee includes health professionals, doulas and clinicians and will submit competency recommendations for Tennessee.

A fiscal note discussed TennCare costs if the program added doula coverage: the estimate assumed 20% of covered pregnant women would use doula services (about 7,841 women) and projected increased annual Medicaid expenditures of about $8.6 million, of which roughly $3.0 million would be state funds and $5.6 million federal funds; the note also estimated potential offsetting savings from lower preterm or cesarean rates. Senator Lamar said she plans to remove TennCare language so the committee would consider certification only and allow TennCare to make its own coverage decisions.

The committee passed the amendment that moved the rule start date to 2026 and advanced the bill to finance. The committee recorded seven ayes, zero nays and two present not voting on the bill.","Committee approved Senate Bill 44 to direct the Department of Health to establish rules for verifying doula certification. An amendment delayed rule start to 2026; sponsor said she will remove optional TennCare coverage from the bill and let TennCare decide separately.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322689,"Senate committee advances pilot for private campus to house adults with developmental disabilities",1359,574000,1933000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2&start=574&end=1933","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347010-ccd5ce0936a9756da04fcf69deab8fc2/thumbnail_574000.jpg","/articles/6322689/Tennessee/Senate-committee-advances-pilot-for-private-campus-to-house-adults-with-developmental-disabilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322689-6de2547d37b18c934911046b3cb02160/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107368&Signature=ND7sg1auRm8w8jbmYmSqt7ZPLKCAYeY~O3ollRCegMkgIDJrdtbwRXNcL8yaGotc7OwsHfhfI0vCZ64yaa2MVTL6fEWZbgS-sYFakQ3iGcTbsf6rY2wy0cEX0dzYVEloqIoYOlG4z-VlIncQaOGTi5vPNHR5LsNFrgZaH4BriTgENNmQiUitcZbHI3sYKYmaOW3gbWaZ~waDJfuHd6lXyWofIYKDDsQM-b3pHz4aU9FnW2TgroVpK4goCEnzJRiSSWu8U0WOuC-oI3RGrYdyRrjwdAMUh~SLqaORP9KT0-wyFWt0l0OcSQuMZaAvJfYyuTyxFt-ZBUHYGUzOveL1ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 110, a measure to expand a private residential pilot for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Cleveland area. The bill, sponsored by Senator Lowe, was moved, seconded by Senator Massey and passed on a roll call of 9–0 to go to the calendar.

Supporters told the committee the project — being developed by Real Life Village in partnership with Westmore Church and denominational leaders — would begin with smaller homes and phased services intended to prepare residents for independent, supported living. “Real people living real life,” Billy Worsham, an advocate formerly employed by The Arc of Tennessee and representing Real Life Village, told the committee in testimony.

The bill’s backers described a campus built on a former Rolling Hills golf course near Cleveland that would include cottages intended to house four adults apiece, duplex-style units, and partnerships with existing campus facilities for day programs. Pastor Mitch Maloney, president of Real Life Village, described a family-backed and church-supported plan intended to be privately financed and to provide life-skills training, vocational programs and long-term oversight for residents who might otherwise have limited housing options.

Committee members asked about federal rules on congregate settings that have guided deinstitutionalization. Worsham and Maloney said the pilot would be oriented toward integration and transition, and that residents would be encouraged to move into supported living where appropriate. Worsham said the sponsors welcome regulatory scrutiny and would place additional controls on top of those required by the pilot.

Committee discussion also covered capacity and funding: proponents said initial cottages would house four adults each, the campus could eventually host up to about 42 adults in the residential program, and the development would be privately funded rather than relying on state dollars or Medicaid waivers. Senator Massey and others asked how the model aligns with the federal Home and Community‑Based Services settings rule; witnesses said the project would emphasize community integration and use individualized, person‑centered support planning.

The committee recorded a formal motion by Senator Lowe to advance the bill, seconded by Senator Massey; the clerk recorded nine ayes and the bill was sent to the calendar.

The committee heard the testimony during a recessed portion of the hearing to accommodate in‑person witnesses. No amendment or formal condition was added in committee.","The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved Senate Bill 110 to expand a private, church-affiliated residential pilot in Cleveland to serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; proponents said the site will start small, be privately funded, and emphasize transitioning residents into community living.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Human Services requests technology, childcare and program funding; highlights carryforward and administrative items

Department of Mental Health seeks targeted investments in school liaisons, workforce and opioid grants

Committee backs bill letting registered nurses pronounce deaths in hospitals under physician agreement

Senate advances bill to create state doula certification process; TennCare language to be removed

Senate committee advances pilot for private campus to house adults with developmental disabilities