AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33 and Title 68, Chapter 1, relative to early childhood mental health programs.
HB2313 establishes an early childhood mental health home visiting program in Tennessee, administered by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The program is voluntary and evidence-based, and is designed to provide intensive, home-based support for children from birth to age five and their families, especially those facing poverty, trauma, domestic violence, or parental mental health or substance use challenges.
The bill requires the program to include home-based parent-child psychotherapy, care coordination, developmental and mental health assessments, and fidelity monitoring to ensure services follow approved evidence-based standards. It also directs the state to prioritize eligible families with significant socioeconomic, environmental, or behavioral health risks, and allows the Department of Health to contract with nonprofit organizations, community mental health providers, and other qualified entities to deliver services.
HB2313 also creates a funding framework that allows the state to seek and accept federal funds, state appropriations, grants, private donations, and potentially TennCare reimbursement for medically necessary services. The bill requires coordination with existing state programs to avoid duplication and mandates an annual report to the General Assembly on families served, outcomes, funding, and recommendations for improvement or expansion.
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 68, Chapter 1, and references Title 33 in its caption. It takes effect July 1, 2026, except for rulemaking authority, which becomes effective upon enactment. In practical terms, it authorizes a new state-run service model for early childhood mental health intervention and expands the administrative responsibilities of the Department of Health and its partner agencies.
The bill adds a new part to Tennessee Code Annotated Title 68, Chapter 1, authorizing the Department of Health to establish and administer an early childhood mental health home visiting program. It creates new statutory duties for the Department of Health and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, including provider oversight, eligibility prioritization, funding coordination, annual reporting, and rulemaking. It also opens the door to use of federal funds, grants, private donations, and TennCare reimbursement, while encouraging coordination with existing programs and outside nonprofit providers.
The available voting history suggests generally favorable support for the bill. It received unanimous support in the Population Health Subcommittee and strong majority support in the House Health Committee and House Government Operations Committee. The bill’s structure and findings indicate a broad policy consensus around early intervention, family stability, and evidence-based mental health services for young children.
The main points of potential contention appear to be administrative and fiscal rather than ideological. Committee votes show some opposition in the House Health Committee and House Government Operations Committee, which may reflect concerns about program cost, implementation burden, provider oversight, or overlap with existing services. The bill’s reliance on multiple funding sources, including TennCare and private philanthropy, and its requirement to coordinate with existing initiatives suggest lawmakers were attentive to sustainability and duplication concerns.