CHILDREN'S
HEALTH
We have a directory of resources with information about eligibility for various public programs, food assistance, and more.
TJC IS A STRONG, INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR CHILDREN.
TennCare and CoverKids are the primary ways children have health insurance coverage in Tennessee. TennCare is our state's Medicaid program and CoverKids is our state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These programs are critical to protecting our young ones and ensuring that they are receiving the proper medical care and treatment they need from early development to their teenage years.
We provide direct service help for families having difficulty navigating the TennCare and CoverKids program. We also inform the public and policymakers about the importance of TennCare and CoverKids and the need to preserve, protect and improve these programs to better meet the needs of children and families in Tennessee. Failing to preserve these programs would adversely impact children and the healthcare infrastructure overall. Finally, we educate community partners and advocates through in-person and virtual trainings, education materials, and our newsletter.
Please visit "Our Work" page to learn more about our work and see if we can help you!
For help with children’s coverage issues, please visit our Need Our Help page, or call 615-255-0331 if you or someone you know needs our services.
OUR PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
INSURE OUR KIDS
We are on a mission to enroll every eligible child in Tennessee in Medicaid and CHIP. These programs are instrumental in providing health insurance coverage to children in low- and middle-income families so that they can have a healthy start. Almost every uninsured child is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, and they often need help with the application process. By partnering with other organizations, we are training volunteers and professionals who encounter uninsured children to help them enroll.
For more information about this campaign, visit insureourkids.org. If you would like to sign up for training or if your organization is interested in becoming a partner, please contact Outreach Coordinator Shana Watkins at swatkins@tnjustice.org. With your help, we can bring the number of uninsured children in Tennessee to ZERO!
IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES
TJC is committed to improving health outcomes for people of all races, ethnicities, gender, and sexes including sexuality across the state. Systemic discrimination has a longstanding history in national and state policies that negatively impact health outcomes for rural Tennesseans and marginalized groups. Our health equity work seeks to eliminate barriers to access by presenting research and policy solutions.
For regularly updated resources and information on health equity issues as well as a breakdown of the history of structural racism in Tennessee’s healthcare system, visit our Health Equity page.
