Upper Cumberland program says pilot helped 572 families move off TennCare; leaders urge interagency action

Mark Farley, executive director of the Upper Cumberland Development District, told the Insurance Committee that Empower Upper Cumberland—an interagency project including workforce boards and Tennessee Tech—has worked with roughly 900 families over four years under a TANF Opportunity Act pilot grant. "For the past 4 years, we have been overseeing 1 of the 7 Tennessee Opportunity Act pilot grants through the Tennessee Department of Human Services," Farley said.

Presenters said 572 adults and children in the program reached income levels exceeding TennCare eligibility guidelines; they estimated a conservative TennCare savings of about $6,200 per individual and described other increases, including a reported $5,000,000 total income increase across participants. Ryan Barnhart described insurance "boot camps" designed to teach families how to transition to employer-sponsored or private insurance and to reduce fear about losing TennCare coverage.

Farley and staff asked the committee to support four actions: better interdepartmental collaboration (including TennCare participation), early referral of new families into supportive programs, federal advocacy to address the benefits cliff, and outcome-based contracting that ties funding to measurable moves out of poverty. Members pressed presenters on program costs, scale and recidivism; presenters said the TANF grants funded infrastructure and that the program typically enrolls families for about 14 months, with very low reapplication rates after exit.

Committee members from across the state praised the program and noted potential fiscal and workforce benefits from moving families into sustainable employment. The presentation concluded with committee members thanking the delegation and expressing interest in coordination between the pilot and state workforce and training entities.