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Tennesseans Pause to Remember International Overdose Awareness Day

Monday, August 30, 2021 | 10:11am

Tennesseans are pausing to remember International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31) after a year when sadly more people than ever died from a drug overdose. The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Health, and community groups across the state are holding memorials, trainings, and awareness events to remember the lives lost, celebrate the survivors of overdose, and empower Tennesseans to prevent deadly overdoses in their communities.

Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services

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Tennesseans Participate in Twentieth National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 | 08:34am

Tennesseans have a renewed opportunity to remove harmful and potentially-addictive prescription medication from their homes as a part of the upcoming 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event is ¬¬¬set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 24, 2021.

Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | RuralTN

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Gov. Lee Announces New COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Tool

Tuesday, January 05, 2021 | 02:43pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced a new digital tool to help inform Tennesseans when they will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Health | COVID-19 Press Release | Governor Lee

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TDMHSAS and TDH Announce New Campaign to Reduce Drug Overdose and Prevent Suicide

Wednesday, December 02, 2020 | 08:01am

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and Department of Health are kicking off a new campaign centered around the risk of drug overdose and suicide during the winter holidays.

Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Health

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Extended Hours at Select Locations Bookend Tennessee’s Thanksgiving Holiday to Encourage COVID-19 Testing

Monday, November 16, 2020 | 03:24pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Governor Bill Lee’s Unified Command Group is making more COVID-19 testing options available for Tennesseans statewide leading up to and just after Thanksgiving.

Health | Tennessee Emergency Management Agency | COVID-19 Press Release | Governor Lee

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Tennessee Marks Annual International Overdose Awareness Day

Monday, August 31, 2020 | 09:47am

Tennesseans are pausing this last day of August with people around the world to remember, reflect, and recover from the effects of overdose.

Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services

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Governor, First Lady Haslam Honor State Employees for Providing Outstanding Service

Tuesday, August 07, 2018 | 11:55am

NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today honored 23 state employees who are helping Tennessee lead by providing outstanding state services every day. The employees, who were nominated by their departments’ leadership for the Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards, were invited to attend a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence for providing efficient and effective service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans. “The employees honored today are on the forefront of improving how Tennessee state government delivers services,” Haslam said. “By exceeding leadership and customer expectations, creating innovative solutions or improving processes and services, these state employees are helping provide taxpayers with the highest quality service at the lowest possible cost.”

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Haslam Praises Commission for Creating Competencies To Better Train Future Prescribers on Pain Management, Addiction

Thursday, July 26, 2018 | 02:16pm

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today praised the Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education for identifying core competencies for Tennessee’s medical education institutions to ensure future doctors, nurses, dentists and other prescribers receive in-class training on how to best manage patient pain and properly treat addiction in response to the state’s opioid epidemic. Haslam established the 19-member commission by executive order in January as part of the TN Together plan to fight opioid addiction in Tennessee. The commission submitted a report to the governor outlining 12 competencies for health care educators, as well as strategies to assure they are successfully adopted.

Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Governor Haslam

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Haslam Signs TN Together Legislation

Friday, June 29, 2018 | 12:19pm

MARYVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today signed legislation to support TN Together, the governor’s aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid crisis in Tennessee through three key areas – prevention, treatment and law enforcement. “This legislation is a major step in helping fight this epidemic by limiting the supply of opioids and providing resources to provide treatment for those addicted,” Haslam said in a ceremonial bill signing at the Blount Memorial Hospital. “I am proud to sign the TN Together legislation today and I thank the members of the 110th General Assembly for their commitment to addressing this crisis. Opioid addition affects the entire state in some form, and with this comprehensive plan I feel confident that we can make a difference in the lives of Tennesseans.”

Safety & Homeland Security | Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Governor Haslam

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Haslam Encourages Tennesseans To Partcipate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Thursday, April 26, 2018 | 02:44pm

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today joined Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson to encourage Tennesseans to make an impact on the state’s opioid crisis by cleaning out their expired or unwanted medications on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The biannual event urges citizens to find the medications in their homes, including prescription opioids, and safely and securely dispose of them. During the most recent national take back event last October, Tennesseans disposed of more than 68,000 pounds of medication.

Safety & Homeland Security | Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Environment & Conservation | Governor Haslam

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Governor, First Lady Haslam Honor State Employees for Providing Excellent Service

Tuesday, February 06, 2018 | 01:48pm

NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today recognized 22 state employees for providing outstanding service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans at a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence. The Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards was launched in 2016 to honor outstanding state employees who are helping Tennessee lead by providing efficient and effective state services every day.

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Haslam Establishes Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education

Wednesday, January 24, 2018 | 03:26pm

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Wednesday named members to the Tennessee Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education. The commission, established by executive order as part of the TN Together plan to help end the opioid epidemic, is charged with developing competencies for Tennessee’s medical educational institutions to address proper treatment for pain, safe and effective prescribing practices, and proper diagnoses and treatment for individuals abusing or misusing controlled substances. Once developed, the competencies shall be available for adoption by Tennessee’s medical educational institutions for best-in-class training for Tennessee’s future doctors, nurses, dentists and other prescribers.

Correction | Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Governor Haslam

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Haslam Announces Aggressive, Comprehensive Plan To End Tennessee's Opioid Epidemic

Monday, January 22, 2018 | 02:16pm

NASHVILLE – Joined by leadership from the House and Senate and Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday announced an aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid epidemic in Tennessee by focusing on three major components: prevention, treatment and law enforcement. TN Together is a multi-faceted initiative that addresses the issue of opioid addiction through legislation, proposed funding in the governor’s 2018-19 budget and executive actions. TN Together is a collective effort and has been designed in partnership with the General Assembly through the Ad Hoc Opioid Abuse Task Force established by Speaker Beth Harwell and chaired by Speaker Pro Tem Curtis Johnson and a working group established by Haslam that included Harwell and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s appointee, Speaker Pro Tem Ferrell Haile.

Correction | Health | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Governor Haslam

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Children's Cabinet Seeks Nominations for Governor's Awards for Excellence in Early Foundations

Monday, November 13, 2017 | 01:20pm

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today announced the Tennessee Children’s Cabinet is accepting nominations for the 2018 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Early Foundations. These awards were created to recognize collaborative and innovative projects that are helping Tennessee students enter the classroom prepared to learn. “In Tennessee, we believe an education is the pathway to a better future, and that begins with our youngest citizens,” Governor Haslam said. “These awards give us the opportunity to honor the many community agencies and partners across the state who help Tennessee children succeed and start school prepared to learn.”

Health | Children's Services | Education | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Governor Haslam | TennCare | Human Services

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Schedule for Governor Haslam's FY 2018-2019 Budget Hearings

Tuesday, October 24, 2017 | 08:44am

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will hold budget hearings for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 on Monday, November 6 through Thursday, November 9. The hearings will be held in the Executive Conference Room on the ground floor of the State Capitol. Haslam, Finance and Administration Commissioner Larry Martin, Chief Operating Officer Greg Adams and David Thurman, state budget director, will preside over the hearings.

Safety & Homeland Security | Veterans Services | Tennessee Bureau of Investigation | Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities | Human Services | Military | Children's Services | Tourist Development | Correction | Environment & Conservation | Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services | Commerce & Insurance | Human Resources | Education | Higher Education Commission | Governor Haslam | Press Releases | Finance & Administration | Transportation | Economic & Community Development | Health | Labor & Workforce Development | Financial Institutions | TennCare | Revenue | General Services | Agriculture

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