Bill > SB2153

This bill establishes a new early childhood mental health home visiting program in Tennessee, administered by the Department of Health in partnership with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. This program is designed as a voluntary, evidence-based, and home-based intervention for children from birth to five years old and their families, aiming to improve mental health, developmental progress, and family stability, especially for those facing significant stressors like poverty, trauma, or parental substance abuse. Key components include home-based parent-child psychotherapy by licensed clinicians, care coordination to connect families with community resources, developmental and mental health assessments for children, and monitoring to ensure adherence to established standards. The program will prioritize families at risk and can be delivered by qualified nonprofit organizations or community mental health providers, with funding potentially coming from federal, state, and private sources, including TennCare. The Department of Health is also tasked with exploring partnerships with philanthropic organizations and will report annually to the General Assembly on program outcomes and expenditures.