How One Tennessee Family Thrives Because of Medicaid

Amelia has been receiving support from TJC for almost three years. After leaving her job in the medical field to care for her children, she dedicated herself to protecting and advocating for them and for other children like them.

After Amelia married her husband and best friend, their family was terminated from TennCare Medicaid, leaving them suddenly unable to afford life-sustaining care for their two medically complex children. Without TennCare, Amelia’s son would be confined to the house. He needs constant specialized care and supervision from a nurse, and the family had relied on the same nurse for three years. Without coverage, all of that support would disappear.

TJC had helped Amelia and her family on three separate occasions, firstly securing Social Security benefits for Amelia’s son after TennCare tried to pull his essential care. Secondly, TJC advocated for Amelia’s son when his school did not want his private duty nurse on campus, saying it would be distracting to other students.

Amelia was made to feel as though she was unreasonable—until TJC stood beside her. Staff attorney Emily Jenkins helped her feel brave and supported her in pushing back with the school. TJC also referred Amelia to TNSTEP, a nonprofit that provides free education advocacy support and helped defend her son’s right to equal access to education. With TNSTEP, Amelia was able to design the best IEP possible for her son and understand her child’s rights in school.

Everything seemed to be going well until Amelia’s daughter needed $8,000 in dental and sinus surgeries. Amelia was brought to tears. She and her husband knew they could not afford another $8,000 in medical bills. They even considered separating because her son’s social security was ending, putting them at risk of losing their son’s nurse. That crisis drove Amelia to call TJC for a third time. “I remembered how TJC and Emily had been there for me before,” she says, lighting a fire in her when she was ready to give up hope.

Without TennCare Medicaid, Amelia’s son would be confined to the house, and the family would struggle to make ends meet while trying to afford essential care for their children. But thanks to TJC’s help securing TennCare coverage, Amelia and her family can run freely through the garden they tend together behind their home. They grow wildflowers, pecan trees, pear trees, onions, and potatoes that become part of their family meals. Amelia likes to compare her family to that garden: the more you tend to something and nurture it, the more it blooms and thrives. That is what TennCare makes possible for families like Amelia’s. It allows children and families to bloom and live life to the fullest.