Last Updated on: April 26, 2026
Finding help after prison or jail is easier when you know who to call first. Tennessee has statewide reentry services, local nonprofit programs, transitional housing, recovery support, job training, food help, legal aid, and education programs that may help people with a felony record rebuild their lives.
If you are also looking for work, see our guide to companies that hire felons. If housing is your biggest problem, read our guide to felon friendly apartments and housing.
Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.
Tennessee Reentry Program Directory
Start with these programs if you need reentry case management, employment help, housing referrals, transportation help, documents, training, or community support.
Tennessee Department of Correction Reentry Services
Address: 320 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615 741 1000
Best for: Statewide reentry planning, housing referrals, documents, transportation, employment support, and local resource connections.
What it offers: TDOC reentry services can help people leaving prison connect with safe housing, transportation assistance, job training, resumes, job placement, identification documents, family reunification, veteran benefits, voting rights restoration, and local community resources.
Tennessee Office of Reentry
Address: 220 French Landing Drive, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 844 224 5818
Best for: Job readiness, workforce help, reentry events, and employment resources for justice involved Tennesseans.
What it offers: The Tennessee Office of Reentry focuses on workforce services for justice involved people, including career building, job readiness, reentry events, employer connections, and support through the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Project Return
Address: 109 Lafayette Street, Nashville, TN 37210
Phone: 615 327 9654
Best for: Employment help, coaching, reentry support, and job placement for people returning from incarceration.
What it offers: Project Return helps people with criminal records prepare for work, build stability, receive coaching, connect with employers, and move toward long term employment. The organization also has a Chattanooga office at 2140 E. 28th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37407.
Project Return Chattanooga Office
Address: 2140 E. 28th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37407
Phone: 423 609 8986
Best for: Reentry employment help and support services in the Chattanooga area.
What it offers: This office connects people returning from incarceration with job readiness support, coaching, employment guidance, and reentry resources through Project Return.
Chattanooga Endeavors
Address: 4009 Tennessee Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37409
Phone: 423 265 1888
Best for: Reentry support, mentoring, employment preparation, and community reintegration in Chattanooga.
What it offers: Chattanooga Endeavors helps justice involved people rebuild after incarceration through reentry support, employment guidance, mentoring, and community based services.
Transitional Reentry Adult Program
Address: Memphis, TN
Phone: Contact through website
Best for: Workforce development, mentorship, education, and supportive services for justice involved people.
What it offers: T.R.A.P. helps criminal justice involved citizens navigate life after incarceration through soft skills, workforce development, education, mentoring, violence prevention, rehabilitation, and support resources.
Shelby County Office of Re Entry
Address: 1362 Mississippi Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38106
Phone: 901 222 4550
Best for: Reentry help and resource navigation in Shelby County.
What it offers: This local office helps people in the Memphis area connect with reentry resources, employment support, community programs, and services that may help with the transition after jail or prison.
Tennessee Higher Education Initiative
Address: 1006 Shelby Avenue, Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615 879 8857
Best for: Higher education access, college support, and long term stability for people impacted by incarceration.
What it offers: THEI works to expand higher education opportunities for people affected by incarceration and publishes the Moving Forward Guide, a statewide reentry resource for Tennesseans returning home.
Persevere
Address: 6266 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119
Phone: 877 260 7209
Best for: Technology training, job skills, career pathways, and support for people impacted by incarceration.
What it offers: Persevere provides workforce training and wraparound support designed to help justice involved people build marketable skills and move toward stable employment.
FOCUS Ministries
Address: Knoxville, TN
Phone: Contact through website
Best for: Prison ministry, reentry encouragement, mentoring, and faith based support.
What it offers: FOCUS Ministries provides faith based outreach and support connected to incarceration, reentry, family needs, and personal rebuilding.
C.O.N.N.E.C.T. Ministries
Address: 3615 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37914
Phone: 865 851 8005
Best for: Men recently released from jail or prison who need reentry support, referrals, employment help, and housing guidance.
What it offers: C.O.N.N.E.C.T. Ministries assists men with reentry needs through in house services, referrals to community partners, housing and employment assistance, family support, financial literacy, readiness training, and customized reentry support.
Tennessee Correction Academy
Address: 1314 Old Charlotte Road, White Bluff, TN 37187
Phone: 931 461 7100
Best for: State correctional training information and corrections related public education.
What it offers: This is not a direct walk in reentry program, but it is connected to Tennessee correctional training and public correctional education. People looking for direct help should start with TDOC Reentry Services or the Tennessee Office of Reentry.
Halfway Houses and Transitional Housing in Tennessee
Housing is usually the first problem to solve after release. A stable place to sleep makes it easier to keep a job, attend treatment, meet supervision requirements, and avoid old situations. If you are being denied rentals because of your record, read our guide to felon friendly housing while you contact the programs below.
Dismas House Nashville
Address: 2424 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615 297 4511
Best for: Residential reentry housing for men returning from Tennessee prisons and county jails.
What it offers: Dismas House is a TDOC approved residential reentry program with housing, case management, employment support, recovery support, life skills, and community accountability.
Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry
Address: 136 Rains Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615 870 1126
Best for: Transitional homes for men and women leaving incarceration.
What it offers: TPOM operates TDOC approved transitional housing in Nashville and Memphis, including homes for men, women, and step down support for men working toward independence.
Men of Valor
Address: 504 Valor Way, Antioch, TN 37013
Phone: 615 399 9111
Best for: Men leaving incarceration who need faith based reentry housing, accountability, mentoring, and job support.
What it offers: Men of Valor provides reentry housing, prison and jail programs, family ministry, advocacy, mentoring, life skills, accountability, and employment focused support.
Doors of Hope
Address: 428 E. Bell Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Phone: 615 203 5221
Best for: Women rebuilding after incarceration, addiction, homelessness, or crisis.
What it offers: Doors of Hope provides transitional housing, case management, recovery support, life skills, employment support, mentoring, and long term stability planning for women.
Cupid’s Transitional Care
Address: 1005 Pawnee Trail, Madison, TN 37115
Phone: 615 863 2652
Best for: Transitional housing and supportive care for people trying to stabilize after crisis or incarceration.
What it offers: Cupid’s Transitional Care provides housing focused support and guidance for people who need a structured place to rebuild.
The House of Refuge
Address: 3418 St Elmo Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37409
Phone: 423 756 0704
Best for: Faith based support, recovery, and housing related help in the Chattanooga area.
What it offers: The House of Refuge provides community support for people facing homelessness, recovery issues, and barriers to stability.
Safe Entry
Address: 467 Murfreesboro Road, Nashville, TN 37210
Phone: 615 818 6892
Best for: Reentry and supportive services for people trying to reenter the community safely.
What it offers: Safe Entry provides reentry support, connection to resources, and assistance for people working toward housing, safety, and stability.
Forgiveness House
Address: 3515 Summer Avenue, Memphis, TN 38122
Phone: 901 414 9257
Best for: Crisis support, recovery support, and faith based transitional help in Memphis.
What it offers: Forgiveness House provides support for people trying to rebuild after addiction, incarceration, homelessness, or personal crisis.
Family Reconciliation Center
Address: Winchester, TN 37398
Phone: 931 968 0051
Best for: Family support, reconciliation, and rural reentry related help in Middle Tennessee.
What it offers: Family Reconciliation Center helps people and families work through conflict, support needs, and rebuilding issues after incarceration or crisis.
Housing Solutions and Homeless Help in Tennessee
If a transitional house is full, ask them for referral names before you hang up. Many programs know which shelters, sober living homes, recovery houses, and reentry beds currently have openings. You can also use our housing guide for felons for apartment strategies and landlord screening questions.
United Way 211 Tennessee
Address: Statewide referral service
Phone: 211
Best for: Emergency shelter, rent help, food, utilities, transportation, and local nonprofit referrals.
What it offers: 211 connects Tennessee residents with nearby help for housing, food, utilities, clothing, health care, domestic violence services, transportation, and other emergency needs.
Tennessee Housing Development Agency
Address: 502 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615 815 2200
Best for: Housing programs, rental assistance information, and statewide housing resources.
What it offers: THDA is Tennessee’s state housing finance agency and can help people learn about housing programs, rental assistance resources, affordable housing options, and local housing partners.
Nashville Rescue Mission
Address: 639 Lafayette Street, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615 255 2475
Best for: Emergency shelter, meals, recovery support, and immediate help in Nashville.
What it offers: Nashville Rescue Mission provides emergency shelter, meals, clothing, recovery programs, case management, and support for people facing homelessness.
Memphis Union Mission
Address: 383 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38105
Phone: 901 526 8403
Best for: Emergency shelter, meals, recovery support, and homeless services in Memphis.
What it offers: Memphis Union Mission provides emergency shelter, food, recovery programs, spiritual support, and longer term help for people experiencing homelessness.
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
Address: 418 N Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917
Phone: 865 673 6540
Best for: Shelter, meals, recovery, and homeless services in Knoxville.
What it offers: KARM provides emergency shelter, meals, recovery services, clothing, case management, and support for people in crisis.
Chattanooga Community Kitchen
Address: 727 E. 11th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: 423 756 4222
Best for: Meals, shelter related support, clothing, and crisis help in Chattanooga.
What it offers: Chattanooga Community Kitchen provides food, supportive services, and community help for people experiencing homelessness or poverty.
Emergency Food, Clothing, and Basic Needs in Tennessee
Food and clothing help can keep you from spending money that needs to go toward rent, phone service, transportation, work clothes, identification, or background check fees. For more survival resources, see our guide to emergency financial help for felons.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Address: 331 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: 615 329 3491
Best for: Food assistance in Middle and West Tennessee.
What it offers: Second Harvest helps connect people with food pantries, mobile food distributions, meals, and hunger relief programs.
Mid South Food Bank
Address: 3865 S Perkins Road, Memphis, TN 38118
Phone: 901 527 0841
Best for: Food assistance in the Memphis area and surrounding counties.
What it offers: Mid South Food Bank distributes food through partner agencies, mobile pantries, and community programs.
Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee
Address: 136 Harvest Lane, Maryville, TN 37801
Phone: 865 521 0000
Best for: Food assistance in East Tennessee.
What it offers: This food bank supplies food to partner pantries and programs across East Tennessee.
Greater Faith Community Action Corporation
Address: 1001 Goldcrest Drive, Springfield, TN 37172
Phone: 615 384 6882
Best for: Local community help, food support, outreach, and family assistance in Robertson County.
What it offers: Greater Faith Community Action Corporation helps local residents connect with community support, basic needs help, and outreach services.
Be a Helping Hand Foundation
Address: 827 W. McKennie Avenue, Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615 227 6000
Best for: Community support, training, and assistance for people rebuilding stability.
What it offers: Be a Helping Hand provides support services, training opportunities, and community based help for people facing poverty, unemployment, and other barriers.
Free or Low Cost Health Care, Mental Health, and Recovery Support
Health care, recovery support, and mental health treatment can be part of staying out of jail or prison. If you are on supervision, keep records of appointments, treatment plans, and attendance. That paper trail can help show progress. You can also review our guide to health insurance for felons.
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Address: 500 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 800 560 5767
Best for: Mental health, addiction treatment, crisis services, and recovery resources statewide.
What it offers: TDMHSAS connects Tennesseans with behavioral health services, substance abuse treatment, crisis support, recovery programs, and local provider information.
Centerstone Tennessee
Address: Multiple Tennessee locations
Phone: 888 291 4357
Best for: Mental health counseling, addiction treatment, crisis services, and outpatient behavioral health.
What it offers: Centerstone provides counseling, psychiatry, addiction recovery, crisis care, and behavioral health services across Tennessee.
Mental Health Cooperative
Address: 275 Cumberland Bend, Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: 615 726 3340
Best for: Mental health treatment, case management, crisis support, and medication services.
What it offers: Mental Health Cooperative provides mental health treatment, care coordination, crisis response, medication support, and services for adults and children.
Rutherford County Recovery Court
Address: 525 N University Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Phone: 615 217 7124
Best for: Court connected recovery support and accountability in Rutherford County.
What it offers: Rutherford County Recovery Court provides structured accountability, treatment support, supervision, and recovery focused services for eligible participants.
Re Entry Recovery Center
Address: Nashville, TN
Phone: 615 754 8977
Best for: Recovery support and accountability during reentry.
What it offers: Re Entry Recovery Center appears to provide recovery focused support for people working through addiction, accountability, and reentry challenges. Call first to confirm current services and intake requirements.
Legal Documents, IDs, and Legal Help in Tennessee
A state ID, birth certificate, Social Security card, driver license, and court paperwork can affect housing, work, benefits, and treatment access. Start with TDOC Reentry Services if you are recently released, and use legal aid if you need help with civil legal problems. For record issues, see our guide to expungement and record sealing.
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
Address: 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37217
Phone: 800 238 1443
Best for: Free civil legal help for low income people in Middle Tennessee.
What it offers: Legal Aid Society helps with civil legal issues such as housing, benefits, consumer problems, family safety, employment related civil issues, and other non criminal matters.
West Tennessee Legal Services
Address: 210 W Main Street, Jackson, TN 38301
Phone: 800 372 8346
Best for: Free civil legal help in West Tennessee.
What it offers: WTLS helps eligible residents with housing, benefits, family safety, consumer problems, expungement related information, and other civil legal issues.
Memphis Area Legal Services
Address: 22 N Front Street, Suite 1100, Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: 901 523 8822
Best for: Civil legal help for low income residents in the Memphis area.
What it offers: MALS provides legal help with housing, benefits, family safety, consumer issues, and other civil legal problems.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee
Address: 607 W Summit Hill Drive SW, Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: 865 637 0484
Best for: Free civil legal help in East Tennessee.
What it offers: LAET helps eligible residents with housing, public benefits, family safety, consumer problems, elder law, and other civil legal needs.
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Driver Services
Address: Statewide driver service centers
Phone: 866 849 3548
Best for: Tennessee ID cards, driver licenses, reinstatement information, and license services.
What it offers: Driver Services helps with state identification, driver licenses, reinstatement steps, testing, renewals, and official license related records.
Employment Help and Job Training in Tennessee
A felony record can make job searching harder, but it does not make employment impossible. Start with reentry focused programs, then use American Job Centers, staffing agencies, trades, warehouse work, food service, construction, CDL training, manufacturing, and second chance employers. For more job options, see jobs for felons and companies that hire felons.
American Job Centers Tennessee
Address: Multiple Tennessee locations
Phone: 844 224 5818
Best for: Job search help, resumes, training referrals, unemployment resources, and local workforce services.
What it offers: American Job Centers help job seekers find openings, prepare resumes, connect with training, use computers, attend hiring events, and access local workforce programs.
HopeWorks
Address: 3337 Summer Avenue, Memphis, TN 38122
Phone: 901 272 3700
Best for: Adult education, job training, prison and reentry services, and employment support in Memphis.
What it offers: HopeWorks provides adult basic education, employment training, reentry programming, coaching, and support to help people move toward work and stability.
Center for Employment Opportunities
Address: 2714 Union Avenue Extended, Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38112
Phone: Contact through website
Best for: Immediate employment support for people recently released from incarceration.
What it offers: CEO helps people coming home from incarceration with paid transitional work, job coaching, placement support, retention services, and long term employment planning.
Project WIT
Address: 1414 Vance Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: 901 274 4733
Best for: Social services and workforce related support in Memphis.
What it offers: Project WIT appears to provide social services and community support for people facing barriers. Call first to confirm current programs, eligibility, and whether reentry services are available.
Be a Helping Hand Foundation
Address: 827 W. McKennie Avenue, Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615 227 6000
Best for: Job training, community support, and construction related employment help.
What it offers: Be a Helping Hand provides training and job support for people who need help building work skills, finding direction, and improving stability.
TRICOR
Address: 6185 Cockrill Bend Circle, Nashville, TN 37209
Phone: 615 741 5705
Best for: Occupational training, certification, and work readiness for incarcerated Tennesseans.
What it offers: TRICOR provides occupational and transitional readiness training inside Tennessee correctional facilities, including job training, professional certification, coaching, and life skills.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Address: 220 French Landing Drive, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 844 224 5818
Best for: Workforce programs, job search tools, training help, and labor resources statewide.
What it offers: The department operates workforce services, job search tools, American Job Centers, training resources, unemployment information, and reentry workforce initiatives.
Financial Help and Benefits in Tennessee
Money problems can lead to missed appointments, transportation issues, unpaid phone bills, unstable housing, and failure to keep basic needs covered. Apply for benefits you qualify for, and avoid anyone charging upfront fees for guaranteed grants or loans. For more help, read financial help for felons and grants for felons.
Tennessee Department of Human Services
Address: 505 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 866 311 4287
Best for: SNAP food benefits, Families First cash assistance, child care help, and public benefit programs.
What it offers: TDHS handles major benefit programs that may help with food, family support, child care, employment related supports, and stability after release.
Benefits.gov Tennessee
Address: Online benefit screening tool
Phone: Online resource
Best for: Checking possible benefit programs before applying.
What it offers: Benefits.gov helps users screen for government benefit programs related to food, health care, housing, income, education, and family support.
Modest Needs
Address: Online assistance program
Phone: Apply online
Best for: Small emergency grants for people who are working or recently employed but facing a short term crisis.
What it offers: Modest Needs offers short term emergency assistance for eligible applicants with urgent expenses that could cause a larger crisis.
The Salvation Army Tennessee
Address: Multiple Tennessee locations
Phone: Contact local office
Best for: Emergency help, food, clothing, shelter referrals, utility help, and crisis support.
What it offers: Local Salvation Army offices may help with emergency assistance, food pantries, clothing, shelter referrals, disaster support, and utility assistance when funding is available.
Substance Abuse Help in Tennessee
If addiction is part of your case history, get support early. Treatment can also help with employment, housing, family reunification, and supervision compliance. For more reentry job planning, use our guide to jobs for felons after you have recovery support in place.
Tennessee REDLINE
Address: Statewide phone referral service
Phone: 800 889 9789
Best for: Addiction treatment referrals and recovery resource navigation.
What it offers: Tennessee REDLINE is a statewide information and referral line for substance abuse treatment and recovery support services.
TAADAS
Address: 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 155, Nashville, TN 37217
Phone: 615 780 5901
Best for: Addiction treatment referrals, advocacy, and recovery information.
What it offers: TAADAS helps Tennesseans connect with substance abuse treatment information, recovery resources, and behavioral health support.
Recovery Within Reach
Address: Tennessee statewide recovery housing resource
Phone: Use website directory
Best for: Finding recovery housing and supportive housing options in Tennessee.
What it offers: Recovery Within Reach lists recovery housing options, including programs that may serve people reentering the community after jail or prison.
Buffalo Valley Reentry Housing
Address: Tennessee
Phone: Use website listing
Best for: Reentry housing connected to mental health or substance abuse recovery needs.
What it offers: Buffalo Valley Reentry Housing serves Tennessee adults who are reentering the community from prison or jail and have a history of mental health or substance abuse challenges.
County and Local Programs From Tennessee Search Results
The programs below appeared in local Tennessee search results and had at least three reviews in the screenshots provided. Some may be court programs, recovery programs, shelters, ministries, or local support organizations rather than traditional reentry programs. Always call first and ask exactly what they offer for people with felony records.
Middle Tennessee Rural Reentry
Address: Winchester, TN 37398
Phone: 931 968 0051
Best for: Rural reentry related support and family connection help.
What it offers: This program appears connected to reentry and rural support services in the Winchester area. Call first to confirm current services, eligibility, and intake steps.
RRM Nashville
Address: 801 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615 736 5148
Best for: Federal Bureau of Prisons residential reentry management information.
What it offers: RRM Nashville oversees federal residential reentry contracts and community corrections placement for eligible federal prisoners. Placement is usually handled by the Bureau of Prisons rather than by walk in application.
Rutherford County Recovery Court
Address: 4 S Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Phone: 615 217 7124
Best for: Court supervised recovery support and accountability.
What it offers: Rutherford County Recovery Court provides structured treatment, supervision, and accountability for eligible participants with substance abuse related legal issues.
Sex Offender Treatment Program
Address: Tennessee state correctional and community treatment system
Phone: Contact TDOC or supervising officer
Best for: People required to complete sex offender treatment as part of supervision or correctional programming.
What it offers: Treatment requirements can vary by case and supervision status. People who need this type of program should speak directly with their probation officer, parole officer, attorney, or TDOC contact.
Other Helpful Resources
If you need more than reentry programs, these guides may help:
- Housing for Felons – Find housing options, second chance apartments, and practical tips.
- Companies That Hire Felons – See employers that may be more open to hiring people with records.
- Financial Help and Info – Learn about financial help, grant options, and emergency support.
- Food Stamps for Felons – Find out who qualifies and how to apply.
- Expungement and Record Sealing – Learn whether you may be able to clean up your record.
Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.
What Makes a Good Reentry Program
A good reentry program does more than hand someone a flyer and send them away. The best programs help with the real problems that usually hit first after release, like housing, ID, transportation, job search, food, clothing, recovery support, and staying on track with parole or probation. A strong program should feel practical. It should help you solve immediate problems while also helping you build toward long term stability.
Good reentry programs also have structure and real follow through. That usually means staff who return calls, clear intake steps, honest answers about what they can and cannot do, and connections to other services when they cannot help directly. The strongest programs often combine several things at once, like case management, mentoring, job readiness, housing help, recovery support, and community referrals. Programs that only offer one small service can still be useful, but the best ones usually help you build an actual plan.
Tips for Choosing a Reentry Program
Call before you go if you can. Ask what services they actually offer, who qualifies, what documents you need, whether they help people right after release, and whether they have waiting lists. This can save time and avoid wasted trips.
Ask specific questions. Do not just ask if they help with reentry. Ask if they help with housing, jobs, IDs, clothing, transportation, recovery, legal referrals, or case management. A lot of places sound helpful until you find out they only offer one narrow service.
Look for programs that connect you to other help. Even if one program cannot solve everything, a good one should know where to send you next. That matters a lot in reentry because most people need more than one kind of support.
Do not judge a program only by its website. Some very helpful programs have weak websites. Some polished websites do not actually provide much real help. What matters most is whether they answer the phone, explain the process clearly, and help people solve real problems.
If a program is full, ask what to do next. Ask if they know another program, another shelter, a workforce office, a church ministry, or a local county resource that may help sooner. One good referral can make a big difference.
Keep your paperwork together. If possible, carry your ID, release paperwork, Social Security card, birth certificate copies, parole or probation paperwork, resume, and any referral forms in one folder. That makes it easier to apply for multiple programs fast.
Follow up. A lot of people call once and stop. Reentry services can be overloaded. Sometimes the difference between getting help and not getting help is calling back, showing up on time, and staying on their radar.
Disclaimer
This page is for general informational purposes only. Programs, addresses, phone numbers, services, and eligibility rules can change. Always verify details directly with the organization before relying on them. Nothing on this page should be considered legal advice.
