Tennessee Models and Innovations

These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.

Effective Examples

Farm Dinner Theater

Updated/reviewed August 2022

• Need: To encourage farmers to make health and safety changes on their farms.
• Intervention: Farm Dinner Theater is an event in which farmers and their families watch three 10-minute plays covering health and safety topics and then discuss solutions to the issues addressed in each.
• Results: In a study, farmers who attended the plays were more likely to make changes and tell others what they learned, compared to farmers who received an educational packet with the same information.

Other Project Examples

Positively Living & Choice Health Network

Updated/reviewed February 2024

• Need: To provide affirming, destigmatized healthcare and support to thousands of Tennesseans living with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness – and prevention services for individuals at risk of contracting HIV.
• Intervention: Positively Living & Choice Health Network provides services including a medical clinic, pharmacy, therapy, case management, client services like housing aid and transportation, HIV prevention, and a harm reduction program.
• Results: The program currently serves 5,000 individuals and families through its offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Cookeville and its mobile medical unit for rural communities in Cocke and Claiborne counties.

Camp Mariposa

Updated/reviewed August 2023

• Need: To help children whose family members are struggling with substance misuse.
• Intervention: A year-round program provides mentoring as well as substance use prevention education.
• Results: In 2022, Camp Mariposa served a total of 123 youth in its four rural locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. In a study, 93% of participants reported no use of any substance to get high.

MIST: Mothers and Infants Sober Together

Updated/reviewed May 2023

• Need: To address the needs of pregnant women who are using substances and infants born into drug-positive families.
• Intervention: The Mothers and Infants Sober Together (MIST) program assisted mothers who used substances get treatment and provide a safe, drug-free home for themselves and their newborn.
• Results: MIST has helped mothers find treatment and education and has helped children grow up in safe and healthy homes.

SMiles Senior Transportation

Updated/reviewed August 2022

• Need: To provide transportation to rural seniors who are no longer able to drive.
• Intervention: SMiles, a rural senior transportation program, was implemented in Blount County, Tennessee.
• Results: Since 2013, SMiles has provided over 41,500 rides and errands to its rural seniors.

Lunch Express Summer Food Program

Updated/reviewed April 2021

• Need: With school lunch programs inactive during summer months, rural children in Northeast Tennessee experienced food insecurity.
• Intervention: Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee used repurposed school buses to expand meal delivery to rural children in remote areas of eight counties.
• Results: During summer months, four converted school buses bring meals to nearly 350 children, traveling 11,000 miles in rural and remote areas. In toto, the organization reaches nearly 6,000 school children with food insecurity.