Family & Children's Service Awarded $8M to Support ACA Outreach and Enrollment

Sep 13, 2021 at 12:02 pm by Staff

Michael McSurdy

Nashville-Based Nonprofit Awarded Largest Federal Grant in its History

Family & Children's Service (F&CS) was awarded the largest federal grant in its history this week. The Nashville-based nonprofit received nearly $8M in funding to use over the next three years to support its Affordable Care Act (ACA) outreach and enrollment work. The majority of this work is done through F&CS' www.GetCoveredTenn.org initiative to connect Tennesseans to healthcare access.

This is a big expansion of funding for this program, and is especially notable in the wake of the current pandemic and increasing awareness around healthcare coverage needs.

The GetCoveredTenn Coalition, which is composed of more than 400 community-based partners statewide, will target all 621,500 uninsured consumers in all 95 Tennessee counties. The project will expand services and activities in the Middle and Southern regions of Tennessee and create new services and activities in Western and Eastern Tennessee.

"This kind of federal grant allows us to make a significant impact across the state," said Michael McSurdy, CEO of F&CS. "We will be creating a statewide coalition, which means harnessing established and new relationships with local social service and healthcare providers and hospitals throughout Tennessee. We will bring our resources and experience to these cities, but the local experts will drive what works best for the specific communities in which they operate. This is what we have found works best. It isn't a 'one size fits all' approach. But for sure spreading the resources, knowledge, and funding around will assure our success and the success of all our Tennessee communities."

"We are ecstatic that such an excellent, well-regarded organization like Family and Children's Service received this funding for such vital work in helping uninsured Tennesseans access health coverage," said Brian Haile, CEO of Neighborhood Health Business Office. "F&CS is uniquely positioned to make the largest possible impact, and we are celebrating the news they will receive this funding."

As Lead Applicant, Family & Children's Service, along with approximately 400 named partners, will perform the cooperative agreement activities in partnership with three 501(c)3, community and consumer-focused, non-profit organizations that will be paid subcontractors under this cooperative agreement. F&CS plans to spread funding resources throughout the state, as indicated by the map and chart below:

GetCoveredTenn Navigator Subrecipients (Primary Partners)

  1. Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center
  2. Cherokee Health System
  3. Appalachian Mountain Project Access

Sections: Grand Rounds