The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services today premiered its One Team|One Vision video profiles featuring the stories of people across the state who are working at the community level to improve the lives of Tennesseans affected by substance use disorder.
To mark International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and its partners are conducting a week of awareness events to empower people to create change and reduce deadly drug overdoses in their communities.
Grantees receiving new state funding to prevent suicide and promote better mental health among young Tennesseans are planning innovative ways to rise to the challenge of reducing the state’s number of unnecessary deaths. Ideas to make an impact include a statewide expansion of a successful program, new outreach and interface with pediatricians, and a social media campaign to reach young people.
Longtime state employee Liz Ledbetter today received the Hank Pirowski Award for her efforts to create and expand Veterans Treatment Courts in Tennessee. The award was presented by Justice for Vets in National Harbor, MD at the annual conference of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.
The Tennessee REDLINE unveiled its new text message capability for people seeking a referral to addiction treatment services. The number for confidential referrals via voice call or text message remains the same: 800-889-9789.
More Tennesseans are now eligible for free mental health services through the state’s Behavioral Health Safety Net program. New, broader eligibility criteria take effect today (July 1, 2019) increasing the number of uninsured, underinsured, and indigent people who can receive services through the program.
TDMHSAS is adding seven new team members and 19 new counties to its Tennessee Recovery Navigator program. With the expansion, the TN Recovery Navigators program is adding coverage in rural areas at both ends of the state, the Cumberland Plateau, and suburban areas around Nashville.
TDMHSAS today released a report on the usage of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) techniques across the state noting the successes seen in areas where the specialized training for law enforcement is improving outcomes for residents living with mental illness.
The Departments of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and Environment and Conservation (TDEC) are urging Tennesseans to do their part to address addiction in Tennessee by participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The 17th National Take Back Day is this Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In response to federal arrests of medical professionals in Tennessee and other nearby states through the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force Takedown, the Departments of Health and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Division of TennCare have activated community-based substance abuse resources and statewide call lines to serve affected patients.
A program aimed at improving the emotional and behavioral health of youth and young adults is growing to new areas of the state with the support of a new federal grant.
TDMHSAS announced that its Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) distributed 35,000 units of naloxone across the state from October 2017 to present. More than 14,000 of the units were distributed directly to law enforcement.
TDMHSAS today premiered a new video and photo project documenting the faces and stories of people who have received treatment and found recovery through or who work in the state’s recovery courts.
TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams has been named the recipient of the National Council for Behavioral Health’s 2019 Excellence in Advocacy Individual Achievement award.
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is adding five new community anti-drug coalitions to its statewide network. Coalitions provide information, coordinate resources, and conduct education events with the goal of preventing addiction in their communities.