If you're looking for a group home in Tennessee — for an adult with a disability, someone leaving a hospital or treatment, a veteran, or an aging parent who can no longer live alone — here is how the system actually works in this state, in plain terms.
What it's called here
In Tennessee this kind of home is often called an assisted-care living facility or supported living. There is no national word for these homes, and searching the wrong term is one reason families conclude nothing exists nearby. Try the Tennessee term and "group home" together. The full state-by-state list is in our FAQ.
Who licenses them
In Tennessee, services run through the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) and TDMHSAS, and residential facilities are licensed by the Health Facilities Commission. Any provider should be able to give you a license number issued by that agency, and you can verify it yourself. A provider who will not show you a license and a recent inspection report is one to walk away from.
Who pays
Most residents do not pay privately. In Tennessee, funding usually runs through TennCare (Tennessee's Medicaid), delivered through managed care organizations — BlueCare, Wellpoint (Amerigroup), and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan — and the Employment and Community First CHOICES program for people with disabilities. Medicare does not pay for group home room and board — that is one of the most common and expensive misunderstandings. How the pieces fit together is explained plainly in our questions answered.
How to get in
- Contact your DIDD regional office (West 866-372-5709 · Middle 800-654-4839 · East 888-531-9876) or your TennCare plan and ask for a level-of-care assessment.
- Get on the waiver waiting list early — it does not start moving until you are on it.
- Line up documents: ID, a general diagnosis summary, funding information, and guardianship paperwork if any.
- A hospital discharge planner or case manager can start a referral directly — often the fastest route in.
Know your rights
Wherever someone lands, they keep specific rights — to dignity, to their own money, to raise a complaint, and to protection from an unfair discharge. Read resident rights and how to report a problem before you need them.
Help today, and what we're building
For the agencies and helplines that can act right now, see where to get help today. Mai Heaven is working toward small, permanent licensed homes in Tennessee — we are pre-licence and not yet admitting residents, but you can join the waiting list and we will reach out the day a home opens here.