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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced three priorities to increase access to mental health treatment and expand suicide prevention efforts across the state. “The mental health of our citizens is foundational to all other goals we seek to accomplish in education, job growth and public safety,” said Lee. “By prioritizing our mental health safety net and suicide prevention, we are caring for more Tennesseans and building healthier communities.”

TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams has been named the recipient of the National Council for Behavioral Health’s 2019 Excellence in Advocacy Individual Achievement award.

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.”

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.

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.”

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.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced his approval of recommendations submitted by the school safety working group he appointed earlier this month to make immediate enhancements to school safety. The working group identified three immediate priorities: 1. A review and risk assessment of all school facilities to identify vulnerabilities; 2.An increase in available resources to help secure school resource officers (SROs); and 3. A statewide technology application for anonymous reporting of security threats.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced he has formed a working group of leaders from the executive branch, General Assembly, safety, education and mental health to immediately begin reviewing school safety in Tennessee and provide recommendations to enhance the security of school children. While all schools in Tennessee currently have safety plans in place, the Governor’s School Safety Working Group will convene this week to review the policies, procedures and process of developing and implementing those plans, as well as other school safety measures, including communication and collaboration among law enforcement, educators and mental health professionals.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.