Peer Support Centers

What is a Peer Support Center?

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Peer Support Centers are places where people with mental illness and substance use disorders can learn about recovery, find peer support, and have fun—all for free. The friends you make there will become like family to you.

There are 45 Peer Support Centers in Tennessee. The staff members are people who have mental illness and/or substance use disorder and who have been trained to give peer support. 

If you live in a county that a Peer Support Center serves, the peer staff can give you a free ride to the Center at least once a week. You do not need a referral and you do not need to receive services from the host agency in order to attend.

Click this link for a list of Peer Support Center Locations

What do you do at a Peer Support Center?

  • You can take classes on subjects like stress, anger, recovery, health, wellness, and grief.
  • You can go to peer support groups where you can talk  about what’s on your heart.
  • You can go on outings, play games, and do arts and crafts, among other activities.
  • You can help others in your town.

FindingMyRecovery is a positive, strengths-focused virtual Peer Support Center to support people in recovery from mental health disorders and/or substance use disorders.

For more information, contact:
​Lisa Ragan, Director
Office of Consumer Affairs and Peer Recovery Services
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Email: Lisa.Ragan@tn.gov


Video Training

Community Participation as a Medical Necessity
Presented by: Dr. Mark Salzer, Temple University
March 2025

In this training, Dr. Salzer discusses the benefits of community participation for everyone, especially for folks living with behavioral health challenges.  He covers how it helps promote recovery and wellness, addresses the social determinants of health, and improves cognitive functioning.  Dr. Salzer also shares the fundamentals of increasing community participation for the people we serve. 

You can view this one hour training at this link.

After you view this video training, you can request a certificate of completion at this link.