Help after prison or jail in Tennessee
We've found 15 places in Tennessee for people after prison or jail, mostly in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis, and 8 that serve the whole state. Our volunteers haven't confirmed these yet, so a quick call ahead is worth it. Most of them help with shelter & housing (8), benefits & cash (6) and food (6).
Places in Tennessee
211 Tennessee (Middle Tennessee)
Free information line covering 42 Middle Tennessee counties that points callers to food, rent help, shelter, utilities, and health services. Dial three digits or text a ZIP code to reach a specialist any time of day.
TDOC Reentry Services
State prison system office that lines up housing, transportation, job training, vital documents (ID, birth certificate, Social Security card, DD214), voting-rights restoration, and family reunification support for people coming home from TDOC custody. Reach the Director of Reentry Services directly by phone or email.
Tennessee Office of Reentry (TOOR)
Workforce-focused reentry office created in 2021 for justice-involved Tennesseans. Publishes an employer hiring guide, runs reentry grant programs and a tablet program, and routes job seekers to American Job Centers and Jobs4TN. Also lists the state hotlines for addiction treatment and mental health crisis.
Nashville Rescue Mission
Largest emergency shelter in Nashville with separate men's and women-and-children's campuses. Walk in for three meals a day, overnight beds, showers, hygiene items, and clothing at no charge, with no limit on length of stay. A long-term Life Recovery Program is available for adults fighting addiction.
Room In The Inn
Daytime campus near downtown Nashville where people without housing can shower, do laundry, store documents and medicine, receive mail, eat lunch, and get one-on-one help obtaining birth certificates and Social Security cards. New guests attend a weekday morning orientation to get connected to housing navigation and classes.
Memphis Union Mission Men's Emergency Shelter
Downtown Memphis shelter for men offering meals, beds, and relief from extreme weather, with new guests allowed up to 60 free nights. Check-in happens during set morning and afternoon windows. The Mission also runs Moriah House for women, the Intact Family Program, and longer-term recovery residences.
MIFA Emergency Services
Memphis nonprofit that pays rent or mortgage arrears for eligible households facing eviction, places homeless families in shelter, and offers rapid rehousing. Applications are taken online, with the main office open weekday business hours.
Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM)
Knoxville's main emergency shelter, open every hour of the year with beds for more than 300 men, women, and children plus showers and three daily meals at the North Broadway campus. Short- and long-term restoration programs are available for adults ready to move beyond crisis.
Volunteer Ministry Center Resource Center
Knox County day shelter with case managers who help literally homeless residents find and keep permanent housing, plus housing-readiness classes and phone and computer access. Entry starts with a CHAMP coordinated-entry assessment at the Bush Family Refuge, held weekday mornings.
Tennessee REDLINE
State-run referral line for substance use and problem gambling treatment, operating since 1989. Call or text the same number any hour and staff will locate treatment or recovery options and can send the details back by text.
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
Free civil legal help across 48 Middle and Upper Cumberland counties, including eviction defense, restoration of rights after a conviction, and legal clinics. Phone intake is required before any in-person appointment; the Nashville office serves Davidson and Williamson counties.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee (Knoxville)
Civil legal aid for Knox, Loudon, and Sevier counties from the downtown Knoxville office, with a dedicated Eviction Prevention Program and attorneys stationed at the Family Justice Center for abuse and trafficking cases. Apply online unless your court date is within 14 days, in which case call the office directly.
Tennessee Office of Vital Records
State office that issues certified birth certificates for $15 per copy. Because records are registered statewide, any county health department can also issue a Tennessee birth certificate; bring identification and fees, and non-parent/child/spouse requesters need proof of entitlement.
Tennessee Identification License
State photo ID for Tennesseans who do not hold a driver license. Apply at a Driver Services Center with proof of citizenship or legal presence, proof of Social Security number, and two proofs of Tennessee residency; a free permanent ID is available to residents whose disability prevents driving.
One DHS Customer Portal (SNAP, Families First, Child Care)
Tennessee's online door to food stamps and other DHS benefits, open around the clock, with a contact center for people who prefer to call. Upload copies of ID, income, and shelter-cost documents within 10 days of applying to avoid delays.
National lines that work in Tennessee
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for any mental health or substance use crisis. Available to anyone in any program.
Lifeline free phone program
Free or discounted phone and service for people on Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or low income. Apply online or through a carrier.