Tennessee Department of Human Services Partners with U.S. Department of Defense to Expand Affordable Child Care Options for Military Affiliated Families

NASHVILLE–Following Veterans Day, the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to expand affordable, quality child care options for active-duty military members in Tennessee. This collaboration, facilitated by TDHS’s relationship with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Fort Campbell military base, is set to benefit military-affiliated families across the state.Through this initiative, eligible child care providers in Tennessee will have the opportunity to participate in DoD’S Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS) program, offering child care payment assistance for military families. Child care providers with a quality score of 80 to 100 under TDHS’s new Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) are eligible to participate, ensuring they meet the state’s regulations for health, safety, and licensure requirements.The QRIS system helps child care agencies demonstrate the level of quality in the care they are delivering for children and their families across a range of indicators. All TDHS licensed child care providers participate in QRIS and receive a Child Care Score Card.“Access to affordable child care is an important issue that we continue to prioritize to support families across the state,” said Governor Bill Lee. “Through this partnership with the Department...