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A Look Inside SWORPS

Tennessee Child Support Employment and Parenting Program (TCSEPP)

The UT Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) specializes in program evaluation, applied research, software development & systems engineering, and staff training & development. They have the capacity to help design, implement, and/or evaluate projects of any scale. As a center within the College of Social Work, they are committed to improving the lives of children and families by helping improve the quality of the services they receive. 

 A big part of SWORPS is the TCSEPP program. Since July, the program has expanded across the state with an additional presence in Middle and West Tennessee.

TCSEPP Helps Families
Parents express a sense of well-being when they have opportunities to thrive financially, they experience physical and mental health, and their children demonstrate educational success and are secure and happy.  Navigating the child support system while looking for a job and establishing a healthy and strong relationship with their children is difficult for some parents. In partnership with the communities they serve, TCSEPP provides a wide array of comprehensive, trauma-informed, evidence-based services to parents involved with the child support system to enhance their sense of well-being and help them and their children thrive.   

Who does TCSEPP help?
If people have been ordered to pay child support in a county covered by TCSEPP, and they are ready to get help to overcome barriers and find a job, then they are eligible for TCSEPP support.

TCSEPP serves the following judicial districts:

  • Judicial District 4: Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier counties
  • Judicial District 5: Blount County
  • Judicial District 6: Knox County  
  • Judicial District 7: Anderson County
  • Judicial District 8: Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott, and Union counties
  • Judicial District 9: Loudon, Meigs, Morgan and Roane counties
  • Judicial District 10:  Bradley, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties
  • Judicial District 13: Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White counties
  • Judicial District 21: Williamson County
  • Judicial District 26: Chester, Henderson, and Madison counties
  • Judicial District 32: Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties

How does TCSEPP help?

  • Employment preparation, job search assistance, and job readiness assistance
  • Intensive personal advocacy
  • Parenting support
  • Resource linkage
  • Transportation assistance and supportive services

What happens when TCSEPP helps?
TCSEPP participants…

  • Set and achieve goals for economic mobility, self-sufficiency, and parenting.
  • Enjoy enhanced physical and emotional health.
  • Develop a stronger parent/child bond and more effective interpersonal coping strategies.
  • Enjoy increased positive social support and community connections.
  • Contribute to the economic stability and well-being of their children by meeting their child support obligations.
  • Are more likely to pay more of their child support and meet a greater portion of their child support obligations in the 12 months after program participation when compared to the 12 months prior to program participation.


TCSEPP Values 

TCSEPP has eight core values which drives the work of SWORPS:

  • The Power of Family:  The staff members work continuously with parents to develop and support safe, stable, nurturing family relationships and multiple paths to parent success and self-sufficiency. 
  • Healing: The staff members are trauma-responsive when working with parents.
  • Community and Collaboration: SWORPS builds community partnerships to provide a wide array of services to meet the needs of the parents served.
  • Honesty, Transparency, and Trust:  Staff members are authentic and truthful in every interaction with parents, families, partners, communities, and one another; showing respect and regard for each person’s unique lived experience, strengths, and beliefs; and are transparent about decision-making and outcomes. 
  • Safety:  SWORPS creates an environment where power is shared and work in partnership with parents, families and the community toward change that will result in safe, stable, nurturing relationships for children. 
  • Fairness and Equity:  SWORPS staff maintain awareness of institutional and personal bias, and respect and hold in high regard people of all ethnicities, cultures, gender identities, sexual identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds and perspectives.
  • Empowerment:  SWORPS staff members affirm the unique strengths and needs of each parent and respect their voice and choice in decisions about their lives.
  • Accountability and Results:  SWORPS employs evidence-informed services and interventions and track and analyze data to improve all practices and policies. 

SWORPS Director Daryl Chansuthus pictured with Debbie Abrams-Cohen
Debbie Abrams-Cohen, Statewide Director presented on TCSEPP at Tennessee’s first Fatherhood Conference
Matt Keller, Lead Program Manager presented on TCSEPP at Tennessee’s first Fatherhood Conference.

Visit the SWORPS website for more information:
https://www.sworps.tennessee.edu/index.php/programs/childsupport/