Longtime state employee Liz Ledbetter today received the Hank Pirowski Award for her efforts to create and expand Veterans Treatment Courts in Tennessee. The award was presented by Justice for Vets in National Harbor, MD at the annual conference of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.

The Tennessee REDLINE unveiled its new text message capability for people seeking a referral to addiction treatment services. The number for confidential referrals via voice call or text message remains the same: 800-889-9789.

More Tennesseans are now eligible for free mental health services through the state’s Behavioral Health Safety Net program. New, broader eligibility criteria take effect today (July 1, 2019) increasing the number of uninsured, underinsured, and indigent people who can receive services through the program.

TDMHSAS is adding seven new team members and 19 new counties to its Tennessee Recovery Navigator program. With the expansion, the TN Recovery Navigators program is adding coverage in rural areas at both ends of the state, the Cumberland Plateau, and suburban areas around Nashville.

TDMHSAS today released a report on the usage of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) techniques across the state noting the successes seen in areas where the specialized training for law enforcement is improving outcomes for residents living with mental illness.

The Departments of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and Environment and Conservation (TDEC) are urging Tennesseans to do their part to address addiction in Tennessee by participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The 17th National Take Back Day is this Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In response to federal arrests of medical professionals in Tennessee and other nearby states through the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force Takedown, the Departments of Health and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Division of TennCare have activated community-based substance abuse resources and statewide call lines to serve affected patients.

A program aimed at improving the emotional and behavioral health of youth and young adults is growing to new areas of the state with the support of a new federal grant.

TDMHSAS announced that its Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) distributed 35,000 units of naloxone across the state from October 2017 to present. More than 14,000 of the units were distributed directly to law enforcement.

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.”