Tag: Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Tennessee Official Says Anxiety, Depression on the Rise Among Children

Peter D'Abrosca

An official with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) said in a recent interview that mental illnesses among children are on the rise in the Volunteer State, as the state’s Attorney General works to tackle some of the potential root causes of those illnesses. 

“The data from all sources point to that we see increased sadness and hopelessness among high school students,” TDMHSAS Deputy Commissioner Matthew Yancey told WKRN. “We’ve seen increases in emergency room presentations related to psychiatric emergencies, increases in suicidal ideation.”

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Hamilton County to Host Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Peter D'Abrosca

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will host a prescription drug take-back day on July 21, which will also double as a senior citizen health fair. 

“Do you have old prescription medications that you need to safely discard? If so, please join us and our partners at the upcoming Drug Take-Back and Shred Event at the Senior Health Fair on July 21, 2023!” the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook. “Help us keep unused, expired medications from getting stolen or misused as well as discarded in our community’s water system.”

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Tennessee to Distribute Nearly $15 Million of State Funds to Support Housing Projects for People with Mental Illnesses

Kaitlin Housler

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) recently announced its intent to distribute approximately $15 million in state funds to local community agencies and organizations that will provide housing for Tennesseans living with behavioral health challenges, recovering from addiction or re-entering society from prison.

The funding, according to TDMHSAS, will be distributed by the department’s Creating Homes Initiative (CHI) to “grantees to develop safe, quality and affordable permanent supportive housing opportunities in the communities they serve.”

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Tennessee Officials Encourage Residents to Participate in Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Peter D'Abrosca

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is urging  Tennesseeans to get rid of their unneeded prescription medications later this week. 

“Whether it’s a recent surgery, dental procedure, or clearing out a home after the death of a loved one, there are so many situations where people have mass quantities of medications just sitting around.  Safe and secure disposal through Take Back Day events is just about the easiest way we all can have an impact on substance use and addiction in our communities,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. “And with deadly doses of illicit fentanyl being pressed into counterfeit pills, there’s never been a more important time to take back your medications so that young people never begin experimenting with medications they find in the home.”

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Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Receives $3 Million Grant to Support Families and Children Affected by Opioid Addiction

Kaitlyn Osteen

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is receiving a $3,000,000 grant to support families and children affected by opioids or other substance abuse.

DMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams said, “When addiction hits a person, it impacts their whole family in ways that will be felt for years to come. We’ve seen time and time again that if a person can achieve recovery, they can unlock the door to being the parent they always wanted to be. We’re so grateful to our partners in this work, and we know that it will truly have a generational impact for hundreds of families.”

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Tennessee Receives $53 Million in Federal Funding for COVID-Related Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Corinne Murdock

Tennessee announced that it received an additional $53 million in federal funds for COVID-19-related mental health and substance abuse treatments. The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) will rely on that funding for the next four years. $27 million of those funds will go to mental health services, and almost $26 million will go to substance abuse services.

The funds come from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Biden allocated $3 billion for mental health and substance abuse services nationwide.

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