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TCCY previews State of the Child report, data dashboard and Second Look Commission work
Summary
Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth executive director Richard Kennedy previewed the agency’s annual State of the Child report (public release Jan. 9), announced a new data dashboard to accompany the report, and described the commission’s coordination role for the statutorily required Second Look Commission and upcoming Children’s Advocacy Days on March 11.
Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth Executive Director Richard Kennedy used the commission’s last meeting of the year to preview several deliverables and explain statutory duties the agency will continue into the next legislative session.
Kennedy outlined TCCY’s role as Tennessee’s State Advisory Group to the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and described the agency’s responsibilities for the annual State of the Child report. He said TCCY will submit the required report to the governor and the general assembly’s depository by Dec. 31 and that the report will be publicly released on Jan. 9 along with a new online data dashboard.
Why it matters: Kennedy argued the report and dashboard will allow policymakers, practitioners and community members to access the commission’s child- and youth-focused indicators—covering juvenile crime, child welfare, education, health and adverse childhood experiences—so stakeholders can make data-informed decisions about investments and policy.
Second Look Commission and other work: Kennedy described TCCY’s coordination role for Tennessee’s Second Look Commission, which reviews a random sample of cases with two or more indicated incidents of severe abuse to identify system gaps and recommend changes. That group is required to file an annual report by Dec. 31, Kennedy said.
Events and outreach: Kennedy also announced Children’s Advocacy Days scheduled for March 11 in Nashville, with a theme focused on technology, social media and artificial intelligence’s impact on youth. He encouraged attendees to engage with the forthcoming dashboard and to share feedback about data quality and usability before the public release.
Next procedural steps: Kennedy said TCCY will give the governor’s office and serving department commissioners a one-month preview to review data before public release. He asked attendees to look for the January 9 release, to test the dashboard and to send any corrections or contextual notes back to staff.
No formal votes or policy changes were taken at the meeting; the commission closed by soliciting input on 2025 meeting dates and promising follow-up on partnership and funding conversations raised during the Chattanooga presentation.
