A Problematic Paradox
Despite past assurances, children in the custody of Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services (DCS) are still spending nights in state offices, according to photos obtained by WTVF.
The issue persists two years after DCS claimed it ended the practice by opening transitional homes, now the subject of a federal lawsuit alleging unsafe and prolonged placements.
DCS says a rise in children with severe behavioral and medical needs has outpaced available housing. Critics, including former guardians ad litem, say court oversight may be the only effective pressure, pointing to past federal intervention that ended in 2019.
