Let’s coordinate, share ideas, and learn from our individual customer groups on how we can work together to better serve Tennessee’s low-income families.

At TDHS, we are dedicated to transforming Tennessee's safety net, to ensure that our programs and services help support Tennesseans but also serve as a springboard to reduce dependency to increase capacity. Instead of just determining the eligibility of benefits for our customers, we want to have a universal understanding of the challenges our customers are currently facing in order to create an individualized plan to help them grow beyond the need for government support.

Success for us is different than just delivering a benefit, good or service. Success begins when our customers can say “thanks but no thanks” to needing support or having limited engagement from the government.

At TDHS, we are committed to ensuring that our investments, programs, and services in communities statewide are supported with the resources they need to successfully move families from crisis to and through career pathways. We have implemented several innovative strategies to help us achieve this goal such as:

TANF Opportunity Act: Funding allocated to reshape existing programs to help reduce intergenerational dependency on public benefits by enhancing self-sufficiency, education, and economic mobility of families with children.

Fatherhood Initiative: Strengthening families through proactive measures to address the root causes of economic vulnerabilities and enhance the capacity and engagement of fathers.

Public and Private Partnerships: Cultivating innovative collaborations between the public and private sectors to bolster our efforts.

I recently sat down with Scott Miller, CEO of Poverty Solutions, to discuss the thought process behind Tennessee’s redesigned TANF program and the ways we are working to move families from poverty to economic independence. Please take a moment to listen to our insightful conversation and learn more about how Tennessee is writing a new playbook for economic mobility in America. 

Please find the link to review the Essential Leadership to End Poverty Podcast interview here:  https://www.thepovertysolution.com/podcast. 

In the latest episode of Essential Leadership to End Poverty, Commissioner Clarence H. Carter joins Scott Miller to discuss how TDHS is working to transform Tennessee’s safety net. At TDHS, the human services system is viewed not simply as a provider of benefits and crisis support, but as an engine designed to propel individuals toward economic prosperity. The department’s vision is to reconstruct the safety net in a way that uplifts people from economic vulnerability through a collaborative, statewide effort, with TDHS serving as both a catalyst and model.

Commissioner Carter's vision extends far beyond Tennessee. He calls for new approaches to human services, including the use of flexible “R&D money” that allows states to blend programs, pilot new models, and prioritize building capabilities over compliance. By creating a system that rewards progress rather than punishing it, TDHS seeks to strengthen communities and foster long-term resilience. To listen to the full conversation, please review the link here: https://www.thepovertysolution.com/podcast.

TDHS recently announced updates to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) following the passage of HR 1 in July 2025.

Upon implementation, the work requirements for the SNAP Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) will require customers to follow certain work rules to maintain SNAP eligibility.  The updated ABAWD work rules will apply if adults:

ABAWD customers may only receive SNAP benefits for three months in a three-year period unless they:

ABAWD customers may lose SNAP benefits after three months if they do not adhere to the updated ABAWD work requirements.

Some customers are excluded from ABAWD work requirements and may still receive SNAP benefits if they are:

Customers who believe they qualify for an exemption are encouraged to upload their verification documents via the One DHS Customer Portal (https://onedhs.tn.gov/csp) no later than October 31, 2025.

For additional details, including exemption criteria and resources, please visit the TDHS ABAWD information page at: https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/snap-abawd-information.html.

TDHS is committed to protecting customers benefits from potential fraud. Recently, a fraudulent app posing as the official ebtEDGE Mobile App has been discovered in the Apple iOS App Store. The fake app, titled “Ebt edge – food stamps”, attempts to mimic the legitimate ebtEDGE app while charging users $4.99 per week or $60 for lifetime access. Customers should note that the official ebtEDGE app is always free, correctly titled “ebtEDGE”, developed by FIS (Fidelity National Information Services), and can be identified by its black, white, and yellow egg icon (shown below) —not the green icon used by the fraudulent version.

TDHS urges customers not to download or use the fraudulent app. If customers have encountered any suspicious activity on their EBT cards, please take the following steps immediately:

For safety, customers should ensure they are downloading the official ebtEDGE app from FIS through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is accepting new applications for its successful, multi-million dollar behavioral health scholarship program.

The Pathways Behavioral Health Scholarship program provides up to $30,000 over a two-year period (up to $15,000 per academic year) for students to pursue a master’s degree in a field related to behavioral health.  In return for the scholarship support, the recipient commits to work for a community-based agency that contracts with the department for the same amount of time they were on scholarship.  The program is designed to increase the number of professionals in Tennessee and address workforce shortages among in-demand careers including counseling, psychiatric nursing, social work, psychology, and more.

In total, the state of Tennessee has invested more than $10.3 million in this scholarship program over two years.  The scholarship program debuted in March 2024 with $3 million in state funding, and the initial response from applicants surpassed expectations.  State leaders added another $900,000 in funding that summer.  For the new state fiscal year, Governor Bill Lee budgeted and the Tennessee General Assembly appropriated a second round of scholarship funding of more than $4.4 million.  Also, for this second round of applications, the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council is contributing $2 million to the scholarship fund. 

TDMHSAS is continuing to partner with the Tennessee Association of Alcohol Drug and other Addiction Services (TAADAS) and the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) to administer the scholarship and ensure graduates meet their commitment for public service. 

What: Parents and Partners Connect – Child Support

A virtual question and answer session with Child Support professionals from the Tennessee Department of Human Services. These online sessions are an opportunity for Tennessee parents to get answers about Child Support Services from TDHS with topics including services offered, case classifications, the parties involved in child support, the application processes, and problem-solving.

If you’re new to child support in Tennessee or have questions about related services, this is a great opportunity to ask questions with experts.

When: October 16, 2025 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CT

Where: Online; Register Here

DHS Direction Partner Submission:

What: First 8 Memphis Early Care and Education Conference

This conference is designed for everyone who champions young children and their families—from educators and clinicians to parents, researchers, and policymakers. The theme Innovate. Inspire. Impact., reflects the bold future First 8 Memphis is working to build for early care and education in Memphis and Shelby County. Explore the full conference details here: https://www.first8memphis.org/ece-conference.

When: October 24-25, 2025 

Where: Bridges USA

477 North Fifth St.
Memphis, TN 38105

Please register for the event by October 17th by using this link: https://www.first8memphis.org/ece-conference.

At TDHS, we are consistently looking for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who are eager to make a meaningful difference in our state. If you are interested in joining our team, please review new career opportunities on our website.

Detailed listings on all open positions (Preferred and Executive Service) can be found at https://www.tn.gov/careers/apply-here.html. Preferred Service job postings through the Tennessee Department of Human Resources (DOHR) open on Thursday and close on the following Wednesday evening at 11:59 pm CST, depending on the length of the requisition.

Child Care and Community Services

Field Supervisor 2
Davidson County – 71192 (Closing Date 9/29/2025)    

Family Assistance and Child Support

DHS TANF Case Manager          
Shelby County – 71189 (Closing Date 9/29/2025)         

Eligibility Assistant
Davidson County – 71193 (Closing Date 9/29/2025)    

Eligibility Counselor 1*
Madison County – 71194 (Closing Date 9/29/2025)
Sullivan County – 71190 (Closing Date 9/29/2025)       

Rehabilitation Services

Administrative Secretary         
Rutherford County -  71191 (Closing Date 9/29/2025)  

TDHS staff celebrated the grand opening of Saint Mary Villa Child Development Center at Renewal House on Clarksville Pike. As a part of TDHS Community Child Care Hub Service Grant, the new 7,400-square-foot building is designed to serve up to 75 children, infant to Pre-K, with approximately 30 spaces designated for children of Renewal House clients. Saint Mary Villa officially opened its campus on September 22nd. For more information, please visit Saint Mary Villa website here: https://stmaryvilla.org/.

This Newsletter will be distributed on the last Wednesday of each month, and we kindly ask that all news be approved by leadership and submitted at least three weeks in advance.

Let’s coordinate, share ideas, and learn from our individual customer groups on how we can work together to better serve Tennessee’s low-income families.

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