Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth
Linda O'Neal, Executive Director

NASHVILLE – Dennis Embry, Ph.D., CEO and president of PAXIS Institute and an expert on prevention for children and youth, will speak in Nashville this week about how to prevent substance abuse, mental illness and violence among youth using cost-effective strategies and building upon existing community infrastructure.

Dr. Embry will speak to the Council on Children’s Mental Health at 10:30 a.m. CDT on Thursday, June 24, 2010, at the Otter Creek Church of Christ in Brentwood, Tenn. The meeting is free and open to the public.

"It is such a welcomed opportunity for the Council on Children’s Mental Health and Tennessee to have Dennis Embry in Nashville to speak with a variety of audiences that are eager to learn more about implementing prevention strategies in our homes, schools, and communities,” said Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Virginia Trotter Betts. “Substance misuse and abuse exist on a continuum, and we in Tennessee are committed to taking a strong stand on prevention services."

Dr. Embry is the author of more than 40 books and other educational materials to help parents deal with the prevention of childhood injuries; effective parenting; dealing with family difficulties; preventing violence, substance abuse and mental illness; and positive youth and child development. He often speaks about how a child’s brain develops and how communities can reduce drug use and abuse among their young citizens.

The Council on Children’s Mental Health was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2008 to design a plan for a statewide system of mental health care for children. It requires the Council to develop a plan for a statewide system of care where children’s mental health services are child-centered, family-driven, and culturally and linguistically competent, and provides a coordinated system of care for children’s mental health needs in the state. The Council is co-chaired by the commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and the executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth and meets on a regular basis.

For more information on children’s mental health, please visit www.tn.gov/mental or contact TDMHDD’s Office of Communications at 615-253-4812. For more information on the Council on Children’s Mental Health, please visit www.tn.gov/tccy or contact the Council at 615-532-3073 or 615-741-2633. For more information about the PAXIS Institute, please visit www.paxis.org.

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