Around the world and right here in Tennessee, we celebrate May as Mental Health Month. After the last year, the opportunity to pause, reflect, and evaluate our own mental health and that of the people in our lives has never been more important.

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.

Tennessee’s Emotional Support Line for Pandemic Stress is adding a new method for people to reach out for help. The free and confidential line now has the capability to offer assistance via text message. Call or text 888-642-7886.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee re-introduced the Mental Health Trust Fund in a renewed proposal to assist K-12 families who are facing significant mental health issues in the wake of COVID-19. This proposal allocates $250 million in available funds to create strong mental health services for school-aged students through a systemwide, evidence-based approach.

For your consideration, please see the following op-ed from Marie Williams, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

TDMHSAS is receiving a new federal grant to expand the System of Care Across Tennessee Network (SOCAT-N). The four-year, $12 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) expands SOCAT services to 13 new, rural counties for service availability in all 95 Tennessee counties.

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.

Nashville, TN—Today, the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), in partnership with several statewide organizations, announced the COVID-19 Emotional Support Line is now available for all Tennessee educators.

Tennessee moved up eleven spots to a ranking of 28th in responding to the mental health needs of its citizens according to the 2021 State of Mental Health in America report published by Mental Health America. The annual ranking of all 50 states and the District of Columbia examines data trends in various categories relating to prevalence of mental illness, substance use disorder, thoughts of suicide, and access to care for both adults and youth.

TDMHSAS is receiving a new federal grant to expand criminal justice alternatives for Tennesseans living with addiction. The $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will cover ten project sites including Anderson, Blount, Bradley, Cheatham, Cocke, Dickson, Grundy, Montgomery, Roane, and Tipton Counties.

New federal funding coming to Tennessee will continue a successful program in Sullivan County aimed at ending the cycle of drug overdose. The Sullivan County Overdose Response Team (SCORT) is receiving almost $900,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance to continue its work for the next three years.

Tennesseans have an opportunity to safely and securely dispose of potentially addictive prescription medications at the upcoming National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Take back events offer an opportunity for anyone to properly dispose of medications that are no longer needed or expired including potentially addictive prescription opioids.

TDMHSAS has secured an additional $7.2 million in federal grant funding to respond to mental health and addiction concerns caused by COVID-19 and recent natural disasters.

Two of Tennessee’s four Regional Mental Health Institutes (RMHIs) are getting new Chief Executive Officers. Josh Carter is the new CEO at Western Mental Health Institute in Bolivar, and Jeff Coons is the new CEO at Memphis Mental Health Institute.

TDMHSAS is expanding its School-Based Behavioral Health Liaison program to all 95 counties in the state. Governor Bill Lee budgeted and the Tennessee General Assembly appropriated an increase of $3 million for the current fiscal year to expand the program.