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APS Program Operational Plan: Tennessee

State/Territory/District Tennessee

Contact Renee Bouchillon

Budget Allocation $5,220,066

Timeline AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021- Grant 1 

August 2021 – September 2023 $1,688,868

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 - Proposed Grant 2 

August 2022 – September 2024 $1,842,330 + $1,688,868 = 3,531,198

Vision 2025

The Vision clarifies what your ARPA Grant 1 Program 

aspires to become and to achieve. It is designed to 

inspire by providing a picture of where the program 

is heading in 3-5 years.

Note: If you are a part of a larger organization, does 

it have its own future vision? If so, you may want to 

adapt it to your own program.

The vision of the TN Department of Human Services (TDHS), the department in which 

Adult Protective Services (APS) resides, is to revolutionize the customer experience 

through innovation and a seamless network of services. 

More specifically, the TN APS, strives to be the best in the country at serving our older 

and vulnerable adults.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 2

Mission Statement

Mission and Values statements can be an effective 

tool to educate the public; state and local 

government officials; state government agencies; 

provider agencies; and service recipients as to what 

the Adult Protective Services is and how they do 

business.

Mission Statements answer four key questions 

about your APS Program:

• Who do we serve?

• What needs do they have that we can fulfil?

• How do we meet those needs? How do we 

make the clients' lives better?

• Does it link directly to the Vision Statement?

Note: if you are a part of a larger organization, does 

it have its Mission Statement? If so, you may want 

to adapt it for your own program.

The TDHS Mission is to build strong families by connecting Tennesseans to employment, 

education, and support services.

TN APS services both older and vulnerable adults with a focus on an adult’s right to selfdetermination. After months of collaboration within the APS team and with guidance 

from Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, we developed the following: Our “Why”, or

what our purpose and reason why our organization exists, is because “We believe that 

all adults should be safe, valued, heard and treated with dignity.” We do this by being 

Trustworthy, Resourceful and Effective.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 3

Guiding Principles / Core Values

Guiding Principles or Core Values guide internal 

processes and client interactions for your APS 

Program. 

Note: if you are a part of a larger organization, does it 

have its own set of Guiding Principles or Core Values? 

If so, you may want to adapt it for this program.

Continuing with Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, our core values and what sets our 

program apart, is by being Trustworthy, Resourceful, and Effective. More specific 

definitions are:

Trustworthy: We always follow through on actions we say we will do.

Resourceful: We are diligent and persistent with connecting our clients to services 

that meet their needs when they need it, acknowledging a client’s right to selfdetermination. 

Effective: We create change in the life of a vulnerable adult that frees them from 

abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The full picture of the TDHS vision, mission and values and the APS how and why is 

described below. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 4

Goals for Program Improvement

These are goals to be obtained in order to move your APS 

program from current practices to your Vision.

Now that you have new funds targeted for your work with 

APS, what can be enhanced or improved in your current 

program? These goals must meet the APS Formula Grant 

requirements. It is recommended these goals become 

SMART goals (specific, measurable, actionable, and 

timely).

Using the results of your Environmental Scan, identify key 

issues that need to be addressed during this planning 

cycle. 

These are goals to move your APS Program from current 

practices to your Vision #1.

Goal 1: Enhance the effectiveness of APS services so they are client centered, 

available and easily accessible to APS employees. 

Goal 2: Raise awareness of APS statutes and policies to improve clarity of APS 

efforts and capabilities.

Goal 3: Improve consistency and efficiency across the state.

Goal 4. Ensure client safety. 

Goal 5: Improve employee morale and reduce turnover. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 5 

Targeted Improvement Projects

Using the results of your Environmental Scan and PESTEL, 

describe the targeted improvements and enhancements 

needed for this planning cycle. 

Your improvements should be concrete, measurable, and 

complete.

WHY is this improvement needed? 

What Purpose or NEED will it fill? 

What RESOURCES will be used? 

What ACTIVITIES will it entail? 

What are the direct OUTPUTS of the activities? What are 

the intended results and how will clients benefit?

See example on next page.

• Enhance the development of the Coordinated Response to End Self-Neglect 

in Tennessee (CREST) program

• Complete a searchable database for the Intake Resource Guide for 

Information and Referrals (I & R’s)

• Enhance intake’s online reporting process for reporters

• Connect the Structured Decision Making (SDM) process within the APS

Case Management System (TNAPS)

• Create Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) and videos that target 

specific partners such as financial institutions, health care workers, and 

reporters 

• Develop a responsive social media approach 

• Review APS accepted cases that occurred during COVID when face to face 

cases were not permitted

• Promote teambuilding and cross-training within APS divisions

• Provide opportunities for strategic planning with external partners, 

community members and APS 

• Complete a formal time study and offer trainings 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 6

Purpose/Needs 

to be filled by 

ARPA Funds

Inputs (Resources 

Deployed)

Activities Outputs from 

Investment

Short-Term Outcomes Long-Term Outcomes

Improve service 

delivery for selfneglect clients 

through AAAD 

partnerships, as 

there is no 

program that 

offers case 

management and 

emergency 

services for the 

self-neglect 

population. 

$1,231,368

Contract with 

AAAD’s to provide 

case management 

services as well as 

emergency, shortterm and “wrap 

around” services

ARPA 1 

Project 1

CREST -

Collaborative 

Response to End

Self-Neglect in 

Tennessee

Provide the right 

resources to x number 

of people 

Reduce repeat reports 

(recurrence rates) by 

X%

Policies and procedure 

in place

Contracts with AAAD’s

submitted and 

approved

Program Implemented 

by April 1

Self-neglect clients will 

have case management 

with access to 

emergency clientcentered services they 

need.

Improve APS 

technology 

infrastructure

$200,000

Contract with 

Evident Change to 

connect 

Structured 

Decision Making 

Tools with the APS 

Case Management 

System (TNAPS)

ARPA 1 

Project 2

Structured 

Decision Making 

(SDM)

APS providers and 

clients will be more 

satisfied with APS 

response (survey)

APS system and 

processes will be more 

efficient and effective

APS clients and 

providers will receive 

consistent care across 

the state. 

Improve access to 

emergency 

placements for 

APS clients who 

are suffering 

from abuse, 

$100,000

Funds to pay for 

emergency 

placements and 

re-home APS 

ARPA 1 

Project 3

Emergency 

Placements and 

X number of clients will

be offered housing

APS will have resources 

to support clients who

are being abused, 

neglected, exploited, 

including those needing 

Clients will be offered a 

safer place to live.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 7 

neglect, 

exploitation, or 

need to be rehomed due to 

residing in an 

unsafe unlicensed 

facility

clients when 

unsafe unlicensed 

homes are closed 

Unlicensed 

Facilities 

to be re-homed from an 

unlicensed home

Increase the 

knowledge and 

expertise of APS 

employees

through trainings 

and certification

$262,000

 

Funds to pay for 

NAPSA 

Certification and 

other trainings 

through internal 

trainers and 

external trainers, 

including 

conferences

ARPA 1 

Project 4 

Training

100% of APS employees 

will be trained 

90% of APS employees 

will agree that the 

training was helpful.

APS staff will learn more 

about Capacity 

Assessments, Undue 

Influence, Cognitive 

Interviewing 

Techniques, and other 

topics that will improve 

APS response

Clients will receive 

enhanced interviewing, 

assessments, and 

services which will

decrease identified risks. 

There is no 

program that 

offers case 

management and 

emergency 

services for the 

self-neglect 

population. 

$2,986,500

Contract with 

AAAD’s to provide 

case management 

services as well as 

emergency, shortterm and “wrap 

around” services

ARPA 2 

Project 1

CREST - 

Collaborative 

Response to End

Self-Neglect in 

Tennessee

Provide the right 

resources to x number 

of people 

Reduce repeat reports 

(recurrence rates) by 

X%

Updated contracts with 

AAAD’s 

Self-neglect clients will 

have more access to 

services, they will be 

more personalized, and

there will be a faster 

response. 

Information and 

Referral Calls to 

our intake 

continue to 

increase each 

$125,000

Paid Intern or 

Contractor to 

research needs, 

ARPA 2 

Project 2 

Intake Resource 

Guide for I & R’s

Reduce time intake staff 

spend on searching for 

resources for callers

APS intake employees 

will have a user-friendly 

searchable database of 

resources to provide to

reporters who call

APS reporters will be 

offered more specific 

services more quickly
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 8 

year and there is 

a need to update, 

expand, and 

reformat the 

current resource 

guide to a 

searchable 

database. 

services, and 

reformatting to a 

searchable 

database. IT to 

connect the 

database to TNAPS

100% satisfaction by 

APS Intake employees

Providers and 

community 

members may 

not know that 

APS exists or if 

they do, they 

may not know 

what we do.

$239,698

Contractors for 

video 

development and 

marketing (tv, 

billboards, radio, 

social media) 

ARPA 2 

Project 3 

PSAs/videos to 

target financial 

institutions, 

health care 

workers, APS 

reporters and 

general public

Social Media

# of website hits or 

downloads

Survey of State/Local 

CCR members regarding 

value

Offers support and 

provides a tool for APS 

employees to share 

consistent messaging

Improved APS 

knowledge and 

awareness

During COVID, 

face to face 

meetings were 

not able to be 

made with many 

APS reports. 

$50,000

Rehire retired APS 

employees to read 

cases and 

recommend if a 

visit should occur.

APS will use 

retired staff or will 

contract with an 

agency to make 

courtesy visits

ARPA 2 

Project 4 

Review of APS 

cases during 

COVID

# of cases reviewed

# of courtesy visits

Satisfaction Survey 

regarding APS 

involvement

Ensures safety to clients Provides support and 

services to clients who 

may need them 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 9

Address concerns 

regarding 

“hygiene factors” 

per the Herzberg 

model, improve 

morale with APS 

employees and 

relationships with 

external 

stakeholders

$30,000

Offer training and 

teambuilding 

across the state

Room rentals if 

needed, food 

provided during 

trainings and

other training 

materials

ARPA 2 

Project 5

Teambuilding 

and Strategic 

Planning

Survey to participants 

regarding effectiveness

Improve relationships 

within APS and with our 

external partners

Providers and 

community members 

engaged and proactive 

with APS planning

As we make 

enhancements to 

APS, it would be 

helpful to have 

an outside, 

experienced 

consultant review 

updated 

processes. 

$100,000

Contracts with 

consultants

ARPA 2 

Project 6

Formal Time 

Study and 

Trainings

Survey to participants Deeper understanding 

of internal processes 

and recommendations 

received regarding 

improvements

More consistent 

processes and clarity of 

APS role and 

responsibilities
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 10

Budget / Spending Plan for ARPA funds – Semi-annually for 3 to 5 years

Budget/Spending Plan will be used to enhance, improve, and expand the ability of APS workers to investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and 

exploitation. Be sure to use separate line items for each major improvement project.

Operational Plan Submission due by January 31, 2022.

ARPA 1- First Grant Allocation - August 2021 - September 2023

Description 2022 

Period 1

2022 

Period 2

2023 

Period 1

2023 

Period 2 Total

Project 1 CREST $0 $ 363,790 $ 381,539 $ 381,539 $1,126,868 

Project 2 Improve APS Technology Infrastructure $0 $0 $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $200,000

Project 3

Emergency Placements & Unlicensed 

Home Process $0 $0 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $100,000

Project 4 APS Staff Training $0 $ 87,333 $ 87,333 $ 87,334 $262,000 

Total $0.00 $ 451,123.00 $ 618,872.00 $ 618,873.00 $1,688,868

ARPA 2- Second Grant Allocation - August 2022 September 2024

Description

2023 

Period 1

2023 

Period 2

2024 Period

1

2024 Period 

2

2025 

Period 1

2025 

Period 2 Total

Project 1 CREST $ 383,750 $ 383,750 $ 383,750 $ 383,750 $ 383,750 $ 1,067,750 $2,986,500 

Project 2 Intake Resource Guide $ 12,500 $ 22,500 $ 22,500 $ 22,500 $ 22,500 $ 22,500 $125,000 

Project 3 PSA/Videos/Social Media $ 23,970 $ 43,146 $ 43,146 $ 43,145 $ 43,145 $ 43,146 $239,698 

Project 4 Review of COVID Cases $ 5,000 $ 9,000 $ 9,000 $ 9,000 $ 9,000 $ 9,000 $50,000 

Project 5

Teambuilding and Strategic 

Planning $ 3,000 $ 5,400 $ 5,400 $ 5,400 $ 5,400 $ 5,400 $30,000 

Project 6 Time Study and Trainings $ 10,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $ 18,000 $100,000 

Total $ 438,220 $ 481,796 $ 481,796 $ 481,795 $ 481,795 $ 1,165,796 $3,531,198
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 11

Summary of ARPA 1 + ARPA 2 Expense

2022 

Period 1

2022 

Period 2

2023 Period 

1

2023 Period 

2

2024 Period 

1

2024 

Period 2

2025 Period 

1

2025 

Period 2 Total

Summary $0 $ 451,123 $ 1,057,092 $1,100,669 $ 481,796 $ 481,795 $481,795 $1,165,796 $ 5,220,066