Resources

• Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline — 877-237-0004 ↗

  24/7, 365. Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

• Childhelp National Hotline — 1-800-422-4453 ↗

  Crisis counselors for children, parents, and anyone worried about a child, in any state.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline ↗

  Call or text 988.

• DCS Foster Parent Handbook (Journey to Excellence) ↗

  The canonical reference for every Tennessee foster parent.

• Protocol for Reasonable and Prudent Parenting ↗

  How foster parents choose babysitters and make everyday decisions. This is the standard behind Tier 2 help.

• Protocol for Respite Care and Other Events ↗

  The rules for overnight respite — who can provide it and how much is allowed. This is the standard behind Tier 3.

• DCS: Respite & Emergency Care ↗

  Plain-language overview of respite care in Tennessee.

• DCS Foster Care FAQ ↗

  Thinking about becoming a foster parent yourself? Start here.

Outside Tennessee? FosterPath (below) covers all 50 states.

• FosterPath.org ↗

  Benefits, stipends, and support programs for foster parents — national and state-by-state.

• AfterFoster.org ↗

  Federal programs and timelines for youth aging out of foster care.

• Isaiah 117 House ↗

  Born in the Tri-Cities, now in 13 states. Cares for children on the day they enter foster care. A great next step for volunteers who want to do more.

• Tennessee Kids Belong ↗

  Their Foster Friendly program connects businesses and churches with foster families.

• Tennessee Foster Adoptive Care Association ↗

  The foster parents' own association — training, advocacy, downloads.