Planning
The Office of Planning within the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services helps guide the department’s long-range priorities by assessing statewide behavioral health needs, identifying regional strengths and service gaps, supporting public and stakeholder input through the Planning and Policy Council, and helping target limited resources where they can have the greatest impact. The office also supports major planning functions such as the department’s annual needs assessment, three-year planning process, administration of planning-related grant resources, and publication of tools like the monthly Grants Finder Resource to connect communities with funding opportunities.
Planning and Policy Council System
As required by Title 33 (the state’s mental health and substance abuse services law) the TDMHSAS Planning and Policy Council is comprised of mental health and substance abuse service providers, stakeholders, consumers and family members, and advocates. Its mission is to advise the department about the service system, policy development, legislation, budget requests, system evaluation and monitoring.
- Advise the Commissioner on plans and Departmental actions impacting the service system, operations, programs and facilities.
- Recommend legislation and appropriations for programs/facilities to the Tennessee General Assembly, and be an advocate for these recommendations.
- Promote the needs of persons with mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and substance use disorders and their families.
- Prepares an annual report to the Governor on the service system, addressing programs, services, supports and facilities.
- To meet at least quarterly.
The Council has a minimum of 11 members, not including ex officio members, appointed by the commissioner for three-year terms.
Both the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives appoint one legislator as a member of the council. The Governor is an ex officio member of the council and appoints the chairman, and representatives of state agencies as ex officio members of the council. The Commissioner serves ex officio as secretary to the council.
Current or former service recipients and members of service recipient families comprise a majority of the Council's membership and represent persons with mental illness and substance use disorders.
The Statewide Planning and Policy Concil maintains several committees which specialize in subject matter of interest to members. These committees meet as needed up to quarterly between Statewide Planning and Policy Council meetings. The committees include:
- Adult Committee
- Children's Committee
- Legislative Committee
- Executive Committee
- Budget and Planning Committee
Regional Planning and Policy Councils
The department supports and encourages the ongoing engagement of seven regional councils representing all areas of the state. The regional councils give communities across Tennessee a formal voice in the department’s planning process by bringing together providers, stakeholders, consumers, family members, and advocates to identify local behavioral health needs, service gaps, and community assets. Participation and leadership in these councils is organized locally and is a great way for people to begin engaging with the department.
Contact Kirby.Fye@tn.gov for more information about becoming a member of the Statewide or Regional Councils.
Council Meeting Accessibility
TDMHSAS is committed to providing individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from TDMHSAS programs, activities, and services. To request reasonable accommodations or modifications, please contact amy.holland@tn.gov at least 10 business days prior to the meeting. Requests for accommodations or modifications made after the deadline will be honored to the maximum extent feasible, but it may not be possible to fulfill them.
Publications from the Office of Planning
For the most recent copy of any of the publications listed below, please contact: Amy.Holland@tn.gov
The Joint Annual Report is required by Title 33 to inform the Governor and General Assembly of achievements and challenges of the Department during the previous fiscal year.
TDMHSAS completes an annual assessment of behavioral health needs in Tennessee in order to prioritize programming. The process helps in two ways:
- The planning and policy councils help identify regional needs and assets in order to influence the mental health and substance abuse system; and,
- It provides a method for the Department to target limited state resources to more effectively and efficiently meet the identified needs.
Needs Assessment Data Resources
The Three-Year Plan is required by Title 33 to inform the public of the Department’s goals, objectives, and strategies for the next three years. The Plan includes prevention, early intervention, treatment service, and supports for people living with mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and/or substance use disorders. An annual assessment of need for services and supports is used to develop the Plan. The Plan is updated annually to reflect milestones in the achievement of Department goals and objectives.
The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has grant funding available for community-based organizations that serve children diagnosed with serious emotional disturbance as well as services for adults living with serious mental illness. The only stipulation on this mental health services block grant funding, is that the programming focus on prevention, recovery, and providing services not covered by third party payment. The TDMHSAS Office of Planning is responsible for submitting the department's application and annual report to SAMHSA annually to provide information on purchases made with block grant dollars.
The Grants Finder Resource is a document that lists local, state, national, and federal government competitive grants as potential funding sources for mental health and substance abuse projects. Some grants listed are specific to your organization’s service area. The Grants Finder Resource is produced and updated monthly by the Office of Planning. Information about grants with close-in application due dates is distributed via bulletin to Statewide Planning and Policy Council members.