Tennessee Move Initiative

Tennessee Mental Health Authority Set to Launch the Tennessee Move Initiative

NASHVILLE- Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service is set to launch the Tennessee Move Initiative. This will be a collaborative effort among the Department’s Division of Mental Health Services and Division of Hospital Services, to provide intensive and customized care coordination services to individuals in long-term units within Tennessee’s state owned regional mental health institutes.

This statewide initiative will feature a local team in each Grand Division across the State of Tennessee.  After an announcement of funding, the Department has chosen and contracted with the following community providers to implement the Tennessee Move Initiative:

• West Tennessee: Alliance Healthcare
• Middle Tennessee: LifeCare Family Services
• East Tennessee: Helen Ross McNabb Center

The primary purpose is to successfully transition identified individuals to community based housing by providing short-term intensive support services; our partnering Community Mental Health Centers will develop, implement, and monitor this Initiative’s programming. In direct partnership with the state owned regional mental health institutes, the local teams will ensure individual, family, and housing provider support while connecting and coordinating with natural and formal supports within the individual’s home community.

Essential Functions of Tennessee Move Initiative Local Teams:

• Work closely with state hospital staff to engage long-term individuals ready for discharge
• Work in close collaboration with treatment provider to coordinate care
• Assist in securing benefits and resources
• Work in collaboration with state hospitals in securing housing if needed
• Connect to community resources (Peer centers, Psychosocial, Supported Employment, etc.)
• Coordinate care with all providers (case manager, therapist, prescriber, etc.)
• Provide 24/7 support to the individuals, their families, and housing providers
• Work with community providers in moving individuals to a more independent levels of living

“Serving patients in the community setting is a priority for our Department,” said Marie Williams, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. “Anytime a person can be served in a more familiar environment, the better off the person will be. I am really excited about this Initiative in our State because it focuses on providing treatment where it belongs, in the community.”