State officials introduce ‘Every Child TN’ initiative to increase the number of foster families

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Monday, the Department of Children’s Services ( DCS ) and the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative ( GFBCI ) held a celebration at Belmont University’s Fisher Center to kick off a new statewide initiative called ‘Every Child TN.’

“During COVID, we saw a decrease in foster homes and a steady increase of kids coming into custody,” GFBCI executive director Lange Villio explained. “There’s a real opportunity there for individuals to raise their hand and say, ‘Yes,’ and not to just say yes to children but also to teens and youth.”

As of publication, there are over 8,000 children in foster care in Tennessee. However, there are only about 5,000 qualified foster homes available.

“One thing we know about our youth who transition out of foster care: about 31 percent experience incarceration before their 21,” Villio said. “Thirty-six percent experience homelessness before they’re 21, so this is a very vulnerable population.”

Every Child TN aims to help mobilize all Tennesseans to care for children, youth, and families as they go through foster care.

In collaboration with stakeholders, DCS and GFBCI introduce four priorities of Every Child TN:

1. Preservation of families to prevent children from coming into state care by addressing
   the root causes of family instability.
2. Recruitment of more families to cultivate a diverse pool of resilient foster families
   capable of meeting the varied needs of children in state care.
3. Retention of foster families to ensure long-term stability and permanency for children in
   foster care.
4. Transition young people as they age out of foster care and provide support as they
   become independent adults.

“The people can solve this problem,” governor Bill Lee said at Monday’s celebration. “They can lean into this challenge. They can — in more ways than we have ever done before — meet the needs of these children.”

Lee pointed to initiatives that have been running in the state, but added an emphasis on how more could be done in the future.

Tennessee is partnering with the non-profit ‘ The Contingent’ to use marketing research initiatives to recruit foster families. The organization has worked in three other states, though they are hoping to make strides in Tennessee.

“We need to love on these kids who are unfortunately coming into custody at no fault of their own,” DCS Commissioner Margie Quinn said at the event. “The state makes a poor parent. It just does. But I know that Tennesseans will love on kids, and that’s what this is about.”

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