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Message from the Executive Director

Friends and Colleagues,

Fifty years ago this month, President Kennedy signed the “Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act.” The bipartisan passage of this Act began a revolution in American mental health policy and started an incredible shift in the way we view individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders and the way we view recovery. When this Act was signed, there were already three mental health centers operating in Tennessee and the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Centers (TAMHC) had already been in operation for 5 years. TAMHC would change its name in 1994 to Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations or TAMHO.

This Act was signed less than a month before President Kennedy’s tragic and untimely death. President Kennedy did not live to see the impact this Act would have on so many individuals and their families who might not have known that recovery was possible. He

didn’t see the Community Mental Health system that was created as a result of the Act and the subsequent movement of individuals out of institutions into communities where they are able to live, work and enjoy being in their neighborhoods. He was not able to witness the incredible body of knowledge that has been developed, or the improved medications and technologies that support wellness and recovery. He did not see the nation begin to unite to fight the stigma that can isolate those who feel different and discourage them from seeking treatment.

President Kennedy was courageous in introducing this bold new initiative. If he were alive today, I believe he would be proud of the work that has been done and the progress that has been made. There is more to do before we can say we have achieved his vision. Sufficient financial resources must be invested in the system’s infrastructure and into the delivery of services that have been proven to work. We must stand together to dispel stigma and remind our friends and neighbors that one in four people experience a mental illness at some point in their life. We must continually strive to find ways to include people with lived experience in the conversation about mental illness.

We challenge you to stand with us as we work toward President Kennedy’s vision of a world where deinstitutionalization will be “…supplanted by the open warmth of community concern and capability” and where those with mental illness will be….” successfully and quickly treated in their own communities and returned to a useful place in society.“ ¹

¹ John F. Kennedy, Special Message to Congress, February 5, 1963.

Children’s Cabinet Launches New Website to Support Families: kidcentraltn.com

Co-chaired by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam, the Children’s Cabinet has a mission to coordinate, streamline and enhance the state’s efforts to provide needed resources and services to Tennessee’s children.

Recently, the Children’s Cabinet rolled out kidcentraltn.com, a one-stop shop for Tennessee families to connect with important information and resources provided by state departments. This new website organizes content from across departments, making it easier for families to find what they need. In addition to articles about valuable topics relating to health, education, development, and support, kidcentraltn.com features a comprehensive directory of state-operated and state-funded services for children and families.

"I am grateful to the many parents, teachers, child care providers, state employees, and other stakeholders that participated in this

project,” Gov. Haslam said. “Our goal is to make these resources and information more accessible and useful to Tennessee families.”

Not only is kidcentraltn.com a great resource for families, but it is also a valuable tool that doctors, case managers, teachers, childcare providers, librarians and other professionals can use in serving their clients.

Visit www.kidcentraltn.com today and share it with your staff and the families, parents and children you serve.

Ellyn Wilbur

Executive Director

TAMHO

ADDRESS 42 Rutledge Street

Nashville, TN 37210

PHONE 615-244-2220 TOLL FREE IN TN 800-568-2642

FAX 615-254-8331

http://www.tamho.org

President John F. Kennedy Abbie Rowe, White House Photographs

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and

Museum, Boston

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Contracted Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in West Tennessee to be Centrally Located Crisis, detoxification services move to Memphis Mental Health Institute

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) has announced a plan to co-locate a number of behavioral health services that the state contracts with Southeast Mental Health Center (SEMHC) for residents of Memphis and Shelby County in a single location at Memphis Mental Health Institute (MMHI), effective July 1, 2013.

The affected services – all of which are voluntary services – are:

Walk-in Services: Assessment, referral and follow-up for individuals in need of outpatient behavioral health services or immediate, limited, crisis intervention services.

Mobile Crisis Services: Assessment, triage and referral of individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The assessment can be within the facility or elsewhere in the community.

Crisis Stabilization Services: An alternative to inpatient hospitalization providing up to 96 hours of assessment, care, and supervision, including group therapy and medication management.

Respite Services: Short-term support in a setting with limited supervision allowing for individuals to de-escalate or resolve an environmental crisis.

Medically Monitored Crisis Detoxification (MMCD) Services: Safe detoxification from chemical dependency for individuals in a behavioral health crisis may utilize this level of care for up to seven (7) days. Priority is given to pregnant women and intravenous (IV) drug users. Individuals are transitioned from MMCD Services to long-term substance abuse rehabilitation.

“Co-locating these services in one centrally located facility will provide the community with a ‘safety net hub’ where people who are in need can potentially access any level of care that might be appropriate,” says TDMHSAS Commissioner Douglas Varney. “This will be a better use of resources and provides more opportunities for integrating services in one location. It will also help us improve patient care by integrating the acute-care services and crisis services in one location.”

“We believe the citizens of Shelby County would be served more efficiently and effectively through the co-location of contracted TDMHSAS crisis services within the Regional Mental Health Institute,” wrote Gene Lawrence, Executive Director of SEMHC, and Lisa A. Daniel, CEO of MMHI, in a letter to Commissioner Varney, requesting this change.

The TDMHSAS anticipates that this move will save the state about $2.5 million; that projected savings will be used to help develop local community placements for people in West Tennessee – especially from Memphis and Shelby County – who have long-term care needs instead of having to keep them in other state-run hospitals. The TDMHSAS is in the process of working with community behavioral health partners to create up to 32 new or enhanced supportive housing options in Memphis and Shelby County, in addition to other community mental health and substance abuse services.

For more information, please contact TDMHSAS Director of Communications Michael Rabkin at (615) 532-6597 or Michael.Rabkin@tn.gov.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President

Charles Good | Frontier Health

President Elect

Robert N. Vero, Ed.D. | Centerstone of Tennessee

Immediate Past President

Gene Lawrence | Southeast Mental Health Center

Treasurer

Andy Black | Helen Ross McNabb Center

Secretary

Robert D. Vaughn | Carey Counseling Center

REGULAR MEMBERS

Carey Counseling Center

Paris | Robert D. Vaughn, Executive Director

Case Management, Inc.

Memphis | E. Florence Hervery, Chief Executive Officer

Centerstone of Tennessee | Nashville | Robert N. Vero, EdD, Chief Executive Officer

Cherokee Health Systems

Knoxville | Dennis S. Freeman, PhD, Executive Director

Frontier Health

Gray | Charles Good, CEO

Helen Ross McNabb Center

Knoxville | Andy Black, CEO

Pathways Behavioral Health Services

Jackson | Pam Henson, Executive Director

Peninsula-a Division of Parkwest Medical Center

Knoxville | Liz Clary, Vice Pres. – Behavioral Services

Professional Care Services of West TN, Inc. Covington | Becky Hendrix, Executive Director/CEO

Quinco Mental Health Center Bolivar | Darvis Gallaher, PhD, Executive Director

Ridgeview

Oak Ridge | Robert J. Benning, Chief Executive Officer

Southeast Mental Health Center

Memphis | Gene Lawrence, Executive Director

Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System

Murfreesboro | Chris Wyre, CEO/President

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Vanderbilt Community Mental Health Center

Nashville | Williams Parsons, Associate Executive

Director

AFFILIATE MEMBERS

AIM Center

Chattanooga | Rodney Battles, President

Generations Mental Health Center

McMinnville | Kathy G. Campbell, President/CEO

Grace House of Memphis

Memphis | Charlotte Hoppers, Executive Director

LifeCare Family Services

Nashville | Kenny Mauck, CEO/Executive Director

Lowenstein House, Inc.

Memphis | June Winston, Executive Director

Mental Health Cooperative

Nashville | Pam Womack, Executive Director

Park Center, Inc.

Nashville | Barbara S. Quinn, President/CEO

TAMHO STAFF

Executive Director | Ellyn Wilbur

Director of Policy and Advocacy | Alysia Williams

Director of Member Services | Teresa Fuqua

Office Manager | Laura B. Jean

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Nation’s First Statewide Residential Recovery Court Opens in Northeast Tennessee Residents in need of treatment will be diverted from prison to program

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) officially opened the first statewide residential Recovery Court in the nation on August 1.

The court is located in the Morgan County city of Wartburg, which is about 45 miles west of Knoxville. A special ribbon cutting ceremony was held on July 30, with Governor Bill Haslam, State Senator Ken Yager of Harriman, Criminal Court Judge Seth Norman, TDMHSAS Commissioner Doug Varney, TDOC Commissioner Derrick Schofield, Department of Safety & Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons, and many others in attendance.

The 100-bed program has been established to allow the state to divert people in need of substance abuse treatment or mental health services from hard prison beds to effective treatment programs that are evidence-based and proven to have a larger impact on reducing recidivism. It will also allow for prison beds to be reserved for those violent offenders who are in most need of them.

The Morgan County Recovery Court will offer services on a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week basis and will be operated by the Davidson County Drug Court Support Foundation, a private foundation.

While prison costs an average of $65 per prisoner per day, the Recovery Court will cost an average of $35 per person per day. “While incarceration is expensive, this isn’t just about saving dollars,” said Commissioner Varney. “It is about doing what is best for public safety.”

“This program should not be considered being soft on crime,” said Commissioner Schofield. “What it says is that we’re going to place people in the best option to ensure they don’t re-offend. But also, we’re going to make sure we have a prison bed available for people who commit violent offenses that harm our communities.”

TDMHSAS and TDOC are working on this project in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee Department of Health, and the Davidson County Drug Court.

Tennessee State Prevention Enhancement (SPE) Consortium Launches New Website A centralized repository of resources for prevention professionals in Tennessee

The Tennessee State Prevention Enhancement (SPE) Consortium, a coalition of nine state agencies, has launched TNPrevent.org. TNPrevent.org is a centralized repository of resources for prevention professionals in the State of Tennessee. TNPrevent.org offers a statewide provider directory, a searchable resource library and an interactive event calendar and much more.

TNPrevent.org has been developed to support Tennessee's prevention professionals and to showcase prevention-related services and opportunities.

Site Highlights:

Search resource libraries, including data sources and technical assistance listings.

Access online trainings, including the ICRC Prevention Specialist Exam Preparation course.

Print provider directory and resource library reports for use outside of the website, or email a colleague and share the information you found.

Submit workshop, conference and events information to the interactive events calendar.

The Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) is a statewide trade association representing Community Mental Health Centers and other non-profit corporations that provide behavioral health services. These organizations meet the needs of Tennessee citizens of all ages who have mental illness and/or an addiction disorder. The TAMHO member organizations have been the virtual cornerstone of the Tennessee community-based behavioral health system since the 1950s and continue today as the primary provider network for community based care in Tennessee.

TAMHO member organizations provide mental health and addictions services to 90,000 of Tennessee’s most vulnerable citizens each month. Services provided by the TAMHO network include:

Prevention, Education and Wellness: Includes programs for the prevention of addictions, violence, and suicide; early intervention; mental health and drug courts, jail diversion and community re-entry initiatives.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Programs that include peer support, illness management and recovery services, supported employment, and supported housing.

Community Based Services: Services include mental health case management, Programs for Community Treatment (PACT), intensive in-home services, school based services, therapeutic foster care, and jail liaison services

Clinic Based Services: Services include psychiatric evaluation and medication management; monitoring of core health indicators; individual, couples and family psychotherapy; psychological assessment; specialized treatments for trauma and addiction disorders and co-occurring disorders; partial hospitalization; intensive outpatient services; and forensic services.

Residential Services: Includes residential treatment services, group homes, independent housing.

Inpatient Services: Includes hospital based mental health and addiction disorder treatment services.

Crisis Services: Includes clinic based walk-in services, hospital based emergency evaluation, mobile crisis services, crisis respite, and crisis stabilization services.

The TAMHO mission is to serve its members, promote the advancement of effective behavioral health services, and advocate for people in need

of care. To achieve this mission, the TAMHO Board of Directors formulates an agenda each

year that is designed to improve the effectiveness of treatment and support services for people with mental illness and to increase access to these services throughout the state.

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Obtain all your prevention news from SAMSHA, DOE, CDC and others from one easy-to-read news feed.

Engage with other Tennessee prevention professionals through our "Community of Practice" network site.

Be The First To Know! Review special prevention announcements from state agencies and members of the SPE Consortium.

Nashville Emerging Leader Award Finalists Announced Smith Harris and Carr Partner, Meagan Frazier, is an award finalist

Meagan Frazier, a Partner with TAMHO’s government relations firm Smith Harris Carr, is a finalist for this year’s Nashville Emerging Leader Awards from YP Nashville in partnership with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. She emerged from a pool of more than 400 nominations. NELAs are awarded to professionals under the age of 40 who have achieved great impact in career and community life. For more info- http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20130722/DICKSON06/307220047/Dickson-County-s-Grosvenor-honored-emerging-leader-by-YP-Nashville

TDH Initiative Reduces Use of Antipsychotic Drugs for Nursing Home Residents Dr. Dreyzehner reports...”clear evidence of improvement…”

Tennessee nursing homes have exceeded the national goal of reducing antipsychotic drug use for residents living with dementia in nursing homes. As a result, Tennessee has moved from leading the nation in such use in the fourth quarter of 2011 to 48th for the first quarter of 2013.

The TDH Office of Health Care Facilities worked in partnership with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Tennessee Advancing Excellence Coalition and The Eden Alternative to conduct training sessions for nursing home staff members across the state as part of a nationwide initiative to improve dementia care in nursing homes. The national goal was to reduce the rate of antipsychotic drug use by 15 percent by the end of 2012, and further reduce rates in 2013. When the initiative was unveiled in December 2012, Tennessee had the highest usage of antipsychotic medications in the Southeast Region at 30.1 percent for long-stay residents, with the national average being only 23.8 percent. CMS has released the national reduction rates through the first quarter of 2013, and Tennessee nursing homes have exceeded the initial goal, having reduced overall antipsychotic medication use by 16.46 percent.

“This significant decline in antipsychotic medication use in Tennessee is a testament to the collaborative efforts of many stakeholders who continue to work on this critical quality of life and quality of care initiative,” said TDH Health Care Facilities Director Vincent Davis. “These trainings offered a great opportunity for facility staff and state surveyors to reframe their perceptions of those living with dementia and improve care provided to these individuals.”

Antipsychotic drugs cost hundreds of millions of Medicare and Medicaid dollars and increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, falls with fractures, hospitalizations and other complications resulting in poor health and high care costs. By lowering the use of unnecessary antipsychotic medications, residents’ quality of life has been improved while the cost of health care for these residents is reduced.

For more information about TDH services and programs, visit http://health.state.tn.us/.

December 3-4, 2013 | TAMHO Annual Meeting and Awards & Recognition Ceremony | Embassy Suites Hotel | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | CLICK HERE [www.tamho.org] for details

October 13-15 | Thistle Farms National Conference 2013 | Scarritt Bennett Center | Nashville, TN | CLICK HERE [www.welcometothecircle.org] for additional information and to register.

October 14 | Certified Peer Recovery Specialist State Conference | Montgomery Bell State Park | Burns, TN | CLICK HERE [www.tn-cps.org] for details

October 16-17 | TVC State of the Child Conference / Family Reunion Conference | The Inn at Opryland | Nashville, TN | Click Here [http://www.cvent.com/events/2013-state-of-the-child-family-re-union-conference/event-summary-34178ceeb99740afbe54b8dc0ffd5678.aspx] for additional information and to register.

October 26-30 | National Conference on Correctional Health Care | Nashville Convention Center | Nashville, TN | CLICK HERE [http://www.ncchc.org/national-conference-on-correctional-health-care] for details

November 4-6 | Tennessee Certification Board Fall Conference | Paris Landing State Park | Paris, TN | CLICK HERE [tncertification.org/resources] for details

November 10-12 | International Bullying Prevention Association | Sheraton Hotel Downtown | Nashville, TN | For more information, contact Lynn Lonsway at 1-800-929-0397, or email: ibpainfo@stopbullyingworld.org. Visit www.stopbullyingworld.org to learn more about the organization.

November 20-22 | Rural Health Association of Tennessee | Music Road Convention Center | Pigeon Forge, Tennessee | CLICK HERE [http://www.rhat.org/] for details

November 23-26 | Tennessee Counseling Association 2013 Conference | Embassy Suites Hotel | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | CLICK HERE [http://tncounselors.org] for details

December 11-13 | Tennessee Association of Drug Court Professionals Conference | Embassy Suites Hotel | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | CLICK HERE [http://tadcptn.org] for details

Contact the TAMHO Office to add your statewide or national conference

promotional information.

Meagan Frazier

Partner

Smith Harris Carr | Nashville, TN

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Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Three Branches Institute Addresses Child Safety, Juvenile Justice Initiative aligns work of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

During the coming year, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services will continue the Three Branches Institute, an initiative bringing together members of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches to work with the department on strengthening the state’s child protection and juvenile justice systems.

“For Tennessee to have a strong and effective system of children’s services, the three branches of government must have a clear vision on the mission of the services, and confidence that the services are generating desired outcomes,” said DCS Commissioner Jim Henry.

The Three Branches model grew from collaboration among the National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Center for State Courts, and the National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges. DCS is working on this initiative with Casey Family Programs and the Georgetown Center for Juvenile Justice Reform.

In Tennessee, the Institute has set a highly focused agenda, including: developing a clear picture of how well Tennessee’s child protection system works; a wide understanding of the complexities of child protection work; using standardized assessments by the courts and DCS to guide their work and to allow for uniform data collection; implementation of evidence-based practice alternatives to incarceration in juvenile justice; and allocation of juvenile justice resources to support community-driven solutions.

The Institute is expected to meet quarterly through August 2014. It began work in August 2012.

Members of the Tennessee Three Branches Institute are:

Legislative Branch | Representative Joe Armstrong, House District 15 | Senator Mike Bell, House District 9 | Representative Harry Brooks, House District 19 | Representative Kevin Brooks, Senate District 24 | Senator Charlotte Burks, Senate District 15 | Representative John J. DeBerry, Jr., House District 90 | Senator Dolores Gresham, Senate District 26 | Senator Jack Johnson, Senate District 23

Judicial Branch | Judge Donna Scott Davenport, Rutherford County Juvenile Court | Judge Nolan Goolsby, Putnam County General Sessions Court | Judge Tim Irwin, Knox County Juvenile Court | Judge Robert Lincoln, Washington County General Sessions Court | Judge William Peeler, Tipton County Juvenile Court | Judge Curtis Person, Juvenile Court of Memphis & Shelby County | Judge Ken Witcher, Macon County Juvenile Court

Executive Branch | Crissy Haslam, Tennessee First Lady | Will Cromer, Office of the Governor | Commissioner Larry Martin, Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration | Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Tennessee Department of Health | Commissioner Bill Gibbons, Tennessee Department of

Safety & Homeland Security | Director Mark Gwyn, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation | Commissioner Jim Henry, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services | Commissioner Derrick D. Schofield, Tennessee Department of Corrections | Commissioner E. Douglas Varney, Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services

Article reprinted with permission of Clarksville Online – the voice of Clarksville, Tennessee | http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2013/09/23/tennessee-

department-childrens-services-three-branches-institute-addresses-child-safety-juvenile-justice/

TSPN “Status of Suicide in Tennessee 2013” Report

Details Suicide Trends and Prevention Efforts in Tennessee

The current report includes a summary of suicide trends within Tennessee, both overall and for various subgroups. In 2011, the latest year for which state-specific figures are available, Tennessee’s age-adjusted suicide rate was 14.6 per 100,000 people, translating into 938 reported suicide deaths. This rate and number are down from previous years but are still above the national average of 12.4 per 100,000 as reported for the year 2010 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rates among teens and older adults, both groups traditionally at high suicide risk, remain stable. White males aged 35-64 account for the largest share of suicide deaths, and suicide rates are higher for white males across the lifespan. Attention is also given to the nature of non-fatal versus fatal attempts and common suicide methods—almost two-thirds of all suicides in Tennessee involve a firearm.

“At least 150 Tennesseans … who deeply care about the most preventable type of death, are meeting monthly to raise their own suicide awareness and to implement activities that educate their communities about suicide and implement the Tennessee Strategies for Suicide Prevention”, observes TSPN Advisory Council Chair Jennifer Harris. “The maintenance and growth of the regional and county efforts should inspire all of us.”

Professional Care Services of West TN Appoints New Executive Director/CEO Becky Hendrix Named Executive Director/CEO

The Board of Directors of Professional Care Services of West TN, Inc. has appointed Becky Hendrix as their new Executive Director/CEO. Professional Care Services is a private, non-profit community mental health center providing out-patient mental health and substance abuse services in Tipton, Lauderdale, Fayette, Haywood, Dyer and Shelby Counties. Becky joined PCS in June of 2000 and has served as Director of Operations and Director of Fiscal Services. Becky brings a diverse background and wealth of knowledge as the new Executive Director. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Mississippi University for Women.

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LifeCare Family Services Returns to TAMHO as an Affiliate Member

TAMHO welcomes the return of LifeCare Family Services as an Affiliate member organization. LifeCare Family Services is a faith-based Community Mental Health Center that offers individual and family therapy, child and adult psychiatric care and counseling, mental health case management, and In Home Child and Family Services.

Helen Ross McNabb Center to Continue Daystar Counseling Services Center expands geographically and programmatically

Effective this month, Daystar Counseling Center will begin a new partnership with the Helen Ross McNabb Center, a regional behavioral health care provider.

Daystar has operated in Athens for more than 22 years, providing individual, couple, family and group services to children, adolescents and adults. The Helen Ross McNabb Center will offer Daystar’s services at its present location (748 Tell Street, Athens, TN) and will hire all Daystar employees.. The counseling center will operate with the name, Daystar, a service of the Helen Ross McNabb Center. There will be no disruption in services provided to Daystar clients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 423‐744‐8734.

This service expansion aligns with the Helen Ross McNabb Center’s on‐going strategic effort to expand both geographically and programmatically. Opening an outpatient center in McMinn County will allow the Center to provide services to five additional counties, which includes McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Polk and Bradley. The expansion will also lay the foundation for the Center to increase access to affordable behavioral health services in these communities.

The Helen Ross McNabb Center is a premier not‐for‐profit provider of behavioral health services in East Tennessee. Since 1948, the Center has provided quality and compassionate care to children, adults and families experiencing mental illness, addiction and social challenges. As the Center begins its 65th year of providing services to communities in East Tennessee, its mission remains clear and simple; “Improving the lives of the people we serve.” For more information, visit www.mcnabbcenter.org or call 865‐637‐9711.

TAMHO Awarded PhRMA 2013 Educational Grant Through the Partnership for a Healthy Tennessee

TAMHO was recently awarded an educational grant through PhRMA and the Partnership for a Healthy Tennessee. We appreciate the support of these organizations and look forward to partnering with them in their efforts to promote better health in Tennessee.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is Now Open! Open enrollment began October 1, 2013 and ends March 31, 2014.

To enroll in the Marketplace, go to:

https://www.healthcare.gov/index.html

http://marketplace.cms.gov/index.html

For help finding a Navigator or Certified Application Counselor, go to: https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/ Enter your city/state or your zip code and select the box “Show Results For Application Assistors”.

United Healthcare Community Plan’s Innovation, Integration, and Inclusion (I3) Award 2013 recipient – Cherokee Health Systems

United Healthcare Community Plan presented the Innovation, Integration, and Inclusion (i3) Award to Cherokee Health Systems. This event, held this summer at Nashville’s Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, recognized Cherokee’s efforts for integrated and inclusive delivery of healthcare services to over 25,000 TennCare members.

The i3 Award, created by United Healthcare Community Plan, recognizes the achievement of a provider or program that seeks to create new opportunities for persons with complex medical, behavioral or disabling conditions, enabling them to receive the appropriate care at the appropriate time and in the most appropriate setting.

How’s Nashville – Ending Chronic Homelessness Campaign Partner Highlights – Park Center and Mental Health Cooperative

Park Center has been supportive of the How's Nashville campaign since its launch. Ashley Blum, Park Center's Homeless Outreach Supervisor, joined a planning team put together by Will Connelly and travelled to San Antonio in spring to attend a Registry Week boot camp, where the story of How's Nashville began.

Ever since, the Park Center team has been hands-on, providing homeless outreach, participating in weekly meetings to help identify people who are vulnerable and have experienced long-term homelessness, assisting people with moving from the streets into their own apartments, providing case management, and

(L-R) Scott Bowers (UnitedHealthcare Community

Plan CEO), Jeff Howard (Cherokee Health Systems

CFO), Keith Gaither (TennCare Director of Managed

Care Operations), Maureen Arden (UHCCP

Behavioral Health Executive Director)

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supporting the How's Nashville effort with its own awareness campaign.

"Park Center is proud to be a partner in the How's Nashville campaign, and we applaud the efforts of the Metro Homelessness Commission to end chronic homelessness in Nashville," Barbara Quinn, Park Center President & CEO, said.

The Mental Health Cooperative PATH (Projects in Assistance in Transitioning from Homelessness) Outreach Team has also been an active participant in the How's Nashville campaign. Outreach specialists Sally Besuden, Deon Trotter, Sam Wise, and Tyler Womack and their program manager have over 25 years of combined experience in working with the homeless population.

"It's not just about putting a roof over someone's head," the outreach team says. "We need to identify the appropriate supportive resources to ensure the housing is sustained."

In addition to participating in the How's Nashville effort, the Mental Health Cooperative PATH Outreach Team continues to canvas the streets, bridges, shelters, and abandoned houses of Davidson County in efforts to identify individuals experiencing homelessness who are also living with severe mental illness. The outreach specialists strive to engage, support, link, and refer individuals to the supportive services they need to succeed in their recovery of mental illness and homelessness.

Visit the How's Nashville website for a complete list of partners.

In FY 2012, of the 9,200 people surveyed, 89% had positive responses about the services they received at a TAMHO organization.

In FY 2012, 64% of 386 adults who described their primary living situation as homeless transitioned to a private residence after receiving behavioral health services

94% of the 1,688 families surveyed felt they were treated with respect by staff who were sensitive to their cultural background.

State Creates Program to Help Adolescents and Youth with Treatment and Recovery of Substance Abuse Issues Federal Grant will help set up programs in Madison and Maury Counties

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) has created a program to help adolescents and youth in Madison and Maury counties with the treatment of substance abuse issues. According to TDMHSAS data, about 4 percent of adolescents age 12-17 and 13 percent of transitional youth age 18 to 24 in the focus area are dependent on or abuse alcohol, while about 4 percent and 6 percent are dependent on or abuse illicit drugs, respectively. As a state, Tennessee ranks in the top 10 nationwide for highest prescription drug use among youth in grades 9-12, and about 13 percent of transitional youth report using prescription pain relievers for nonmedical uses.

The program, called Treatment and Recovery for Youth (TRY), will help adolescents age 12-18, transitional youth age 18-24, and their families by developing a “learning laboratory” that will inform infrastructure development. It is expected that the TRY program will provide direct service delivery for 400 young Tennesseans.

Funding for this program will be from a federal $3.8 million grant from the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to begin Sept. 1, 2013, and go through August 30, 2017.

To create the TRY program, the TDMHSAS will partner with two community-based treatment providers – Centerstone of Tennessee and Pathways of Tennessee – to provide comprehensive treatment and recovery services. These services encompass the complexities of addiction and mental health issues and will include offering assertive outreach, assessment, treatment, and continuing care, such as in-home case management, linkages to other services, and transportation.

As part of the TRY program, the TDMHSAS will collaborate with other state agencies – including the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS), the Tennessee Department of Education (DOE), the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), and the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) – to create a feedback loop that will allow TRY to identify barriers and test solutions in real time. This will help enhance statewide efforts to increase access and improve treatment quality for adolescents and youth with substance use disorders.

For more information about Centerstone of Tennessee, call John Page at (615) 463-6627 or go online to www.centerstone.org. For more information about Pathways of Tennessee, call Pam Henson at (731)-541-8270 or go online to www.wth.org. For more information about TDMHSAS or the TRY program, contact Michael Rabkin, TDMHSAS Director of Communications, at Michael.Rabkin@tn.gov or (615) 532-6957.

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TAMHO Symposiums 150 attend the TAMHO Symposiums

TAMHO hosted two Symposiums on August 28th

at Hotel Preston in Nashville. One Symposium Track --Responding to the Behavioral Health Needs of Children and Families in Tennessee— featured the speakers pictured below and focused on trauma-informed care that is grounded in evidence-based research and practices used at TAMHO member organizations. There were also two special panels—one from three child-serving state departments (DCS, DHS and TDMHSAS), along with an update from the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet-- and a second panel discussion on Human Trafficking in Tennessee. For more information on Human Trafficking, follow the links:

TBI Report from 2011 - outlines the scope of Human Sex Trafficking in Tennessee - http://www.tbi.tn.gov/documents/FINALTNHumanSexTraffickingStudyColorrev.pdf

The Tennessee Department of Human Services' Tennessee Human Trafficking Services Coordination and Service Delivery Plan, as per Public Chapter 963 - empowering Tennesseans through human trafficking education, awareness and coordinated service delivery in order to transition those impacted from a state of victimization to one of survivorship - is accessible at http://www.tn.gov/humanserv/adfam/TDHS-2013-HT-Plan.pdf.

Statistics from Global, National, State and City level http://www.endslaverytn.org/the-problem/real-here-growing/

Red Flags-Possible indicators for human trafficking victims http://www.endslaverytn.org/get-involved/redflags/

Resources for therapists http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/07/humantrafficking/treating/ib.htm

The second Symposium Track—Security, Privacy, and Contingency Planning—focused on HIPAA compliance, including the omnibus final rules as well as IT security and contingency and disaster recovery plans. Those presentations were conducted by Hilleyhealth, ProAccura and Patmos.

(L-R) Melissa T. Greene, MA, LPC-MHSP,

(Centerstone of Tennessee, Nashville), Rebecca Sapp,

PhD, LMFT, (Frontier Health, Johnson City), Colleen

K. Weems, LPC-MHSP, (Frontier Health, Johnson

City), Jennifer Muise-Hill, MS, (Helen Ross McNabb

Center, Knoxville)

(L-R) Kate Sjostrom, LCSW (The Guidance Center/

Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System, Smyrna),

Jon S. Ebert, PsyD (Vanderbilt Center Of Excellence,

Nashville), and Shana Parker, LCSW, (Professional

Care Services of West Tennessee, Millington)

(L-R) Commissioner Jim Henry (Tennessee

Department of Children’s Services), Commissioner

Raquel Hatter (Tennessee Department of Human

Services), and Commissioner Doug Varney

(Tennessee Department of Mental Health and

Substance Abuse Services)

(L-R) Karen Karpinski (End Slavery Tennessee,

Nashville), Becky Russell, LPC/MHSP (Sexual Assault

Center, Nashville), Cary Rayson (Magdalene House,

Nashville), Tiffany Day (Tennessee Department of

Human Services, Nashville), Benjamin Maxwell

(Office of Inspector General, Tennessee Department

of Human Services, Nashville), Carla Aaron, MSSW

(Office of Child Safety, Tennessee Department of

Children’s Services, Nashville), Robin Kimbrough

(Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence,

Nashville)Sejal West, MA (Tennessee Department of

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services,

Nashville), and Margie Quinn (Tennessee Bureau of

Investigation, Nashville)

(L-R) Deputy Commissioner Scott Modell

(Tennessee Department of Children’s Services),

Commissioner Doug Varney (Tennessee Department

of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services),

Commissioner Jim Henry (Tennessee Department of

Children’s Services), Commissioner Raquel Hatter

(Tennessee Department of Human Services), and

Jude White (Governor’s Children’s Cabinet)

Edwina Chappell, PhD (Tennessee

Department of Mental Health and

Substance Abuse Services)

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Integrated Care Headlines the 2013 TAMHO Annual Conference Nationally recognized speakers to provide timely information to guide providers of behavioral health services in Tennessee

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Tennessee’s efforts in Financial Reform, there is increased discussion about the importance of integrated care and use of a patient centered medical home model. These approaches have been shown to lower the use of emergency rooms, reduce hospital admissions and re-admissions, reduce health care costs and improve the experience and quality of care outcomes for individuals served. Behavioral health providers are frequently the only medical provider an individual visits. With their extensive experience in client engagement which is a necessary component of the medical home model, Tennessee’s behavioral health providers are poised to move into this new environment. We are excited to bring national experts to Tennessee to discuss different approaches to integrated care and the outcomes we can anticipate with its implementation.

Nadine Burke Harris, MD, MPH, FAAP is founder and CEO of Center for Youth Wellness (CYW). She has earned international attention for her innovative approach to addressing adverse childhood experiences as a risk factor for adult disease such as heart disease and cancer. Her work has demonstrated that it’s time to reassess the relationship between poverty, child development, and health, and how the practical applications of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study can improve health outcomes. Dr. Burke Harris currently serves as an expert advisor on Governor Jerry Brown’s “Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force.” She also advises the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as a committee member for the AAP’s Medical Home for Children Exposed to Violence Committee. Her work was recently profiled in Paul Tough’s best-selling book, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character hailed by NY Times columnist, David Brooks, as “essential.”

Kathleen Reynolds is a leading national expert on the bidirectional integration of behavioral health and primary care. She has more than three decades of experience in integrated health and is a staunch advocate of addressing health disparities for persons with mental illness and addiction disorders. At the National Council for Behavioral Health, Reynolds offers consulting services on bidirectional integration of services to primary and behavioral health organizations and has expertise in financing of integrated healthcare, clinical models of integration, and facilitating partnership discussions between senior managers. Before coming to the National Council, Reynolds was the executive director of the Washtenaw Community Health Organization, an integrated health system that includes a community mental health services program, a substance abuse coordinating agency, and primary healthcare capitation dollars for Medicaid and indigent consumers. She is the co-author of Raising the Bar: Moving Toward the Integration of Health Care, a provider guide to integration published by the National Council.

Kenneth Minkoff, MD. is a board-certified psychiatrist with a certificate of additional qualifications in addiction psychiatry; a dedicated community psychiatrist, and currently is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is recognized as one of the nation's leading experts on integrated treatment of individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance disorders (ICOPSD) or "dual diagnosis", and on the development of integrated systems of care for such individuals, through the implementation of a national consensus best practice model for systems design: the Comprehensive Continuous Integrated System of Care (CCISC), referenced in SAMHSA's Report to Congress on Co-occurring Disorders (2002).

Joel Hornberger is the Chief Operating Officer at Cherokee Health Systems, where he has served in various roles since 1988. Currently he has responsibility for the primary care and behavioral health management of this $40 million not-for-profit, federally-qualified community health center (FQHC) that is also a state-licensed Community Mental Health Agency (CMHA). Mr. Hornberger received his Masters in Health Science at Johns Hopkins where he was elected into the Delta Omega Honor Society. He continues as Adjunct Faculty in the University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health.. He has been active on the national Mental Health America Board and was appointed to the Joint Commission’s Professional and Technical Advisory Group.

Jeff Howard is the Chief Financial Officer at Cherokee Health System, having worked there since 1998. Jeff is a Certified Public Accountant with a BA degree in Accounting and a Masters Degree in Christian Education. His role at Cherokee is to Provide direction, oversight and hands-on leadership in all functional areas related to financial management. Mr. Howard is a Board Member of Q-source and is the Chair-Elect of their Audit & Compliance Committee.

The Preliminary Program, which includes conference details and registration information, is in the final draft stages and will soon be available. Sponsorship opportunities remain for the 2013 Annual Conference but there is limited on-site exhibit space. Please visit http://www.tamho.org/pushdoc.php?fileId=222 for details or contact Teresa Fuqua at the TAMHO office [TFUQUA@tamho.org; 615-244-2220 ext. 14].

Sponsors committed thus far include . . . .

PLATINUM SPONSORS Janssen | Johnson & Johnson Qualifacts Tennessee Department of Health,

Maternal and Child Health Division

United Health Community Care

GOLD SPONSORS Netsmart Tennessee Department of Mental

Health and Substance Abuse Services

SILVER SPONSORS Genoa Healthcare Relias Learning

BRONZE SPONSORS KidLink Treatment Services Mental Health America Middle

Tennessee NAMI Tennessee Patmos Peninsula -- a division of Parkwest

Medical Center

PhRMA & The Partnership for a Healthy Tennessee

ProAccura QoL Meds, LLC Tennessee Association of Alcohol,

Drug and Other Addiction Services Tennessee Certification Board Tennessee Co-Occurring Disorders

Collaborative Tennessee Mental Health

Consumers’ Association

Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network

Tennessee Voices for Children The Echo Group tnREC Welligent

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National Council Hill Day 2013 Tennessee sends 18 advocates to National Council Hill Day

A group of 18 Tennesseans joined the group of 600 advocates from across the United

States who visited lawmakers to ask their support for behavioral health. The TN group

had visits with each Congressional office and asked support for:

The bipartisan Excellence in Mental Health Act (S. 264/H.R. 1263), introduced by

Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Representatives Doris

Matsui (D-CA) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ), would help community behavioral health

organizations meet the increased demand for robust services. This legislation provides

enhanced Medicaid funding to these centers in return for meeting an advanced

standard of care that ensures they offer a high quality, comprehensive range of

evidence-based interventions to the individuals they serve. If enacted, the Excellence

Act would help as many as 750,000 uninsured and low-income Americans with the

most serious and persistent mental health conditions, including 100,000 returning

veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Mental Health First Aid Act of 2013 (S. 153/H.R. 274) authorizes $20 million in grants to fund

Mental Health First Aid training programs around the country. Each year, more than one in five

Americans experiences a mental illness or addiction. Yet, as a society, we remain largely ignorant

about the signs and symptoms. Our lack of awareness — along with the stigma associated with

seeking help — often prevents people who need treatment from getting appropriate care. While

many Americans know how to administer first aid and seek medical help should they come across

a person having a heart attack, few are trained to provide similar help to someone experiencing a

mental illness or addiction-related crisis..This demonstration project would offer training

programs to emergency services personnel, police officers, teachers, school administrators,

primary care professionals, students, and others — with the ultimate goal of improving

Americans’ mental health, reducing stigma around mental illnesses, and helping people who may

be at risk of suicide or self-harm and referring them to appropriate treatment.

The Behavioral Health Information Technology Act (H.R. 2957) would extend financial incentives for the meaningful use of electronic health

records to specified mental health and addiction treatment providers and facilities. This bipartisan legislation corrects an oversight in the 2009

HITECH Act that excluded these key providers of mental health and substance use treatment services from much needed funding to enhance

quality of care.

The bipartisan Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013 (S. 689) would reauthorize and improve federal education and healthcare

programs related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental illnesses. This legislation makes targeted improvements designed to

advance federal efforts to help states and local communities address their citizens’ mental health needs.

Since the meetings on the Hill, the Excellence in Mental Health Act has gained four new cosponsors and the Behavioral Health IT Act has welcomed

six new cosponsors! Please help us to continue to advocate for this important legislation by contacting your members of congress and asking for

their support! http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

TAMHO Delegation

(L-R)Alysia Williams (TAMHO, Nashville), Ellyn Wilbur (TAMHO,

Nashville), Robert N. Vero, EdD (Centerstone of Tennessee,

Nashville), Estie Harris (SmithHarrisCarr, Nashville), Janet Whaley

(Southeast Mental Health Center, Memphis ), Gene Lawrence

(Southeast Mental Health Center, Memphis), Kim Baldwin

(Centerstone of Tennessee, Nashville), and Robert Vaughn (Carey

Counseling Center, Paris)

(Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations)

TMHCA Delegation

(Tennessee Mental Health Consumers’ Association)

(L-R) Carolina George (TMHCA), Stacy Murphy

(TMHCA), Anthony Fox (TMHCA), and Jennifer Jones

(TMHCA)

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Tennessean Highlighted in National Council’s Stories of Recovery Commemorates the 50

th Anniversary of the Community Mental Health Act

Far too often, mental illnesses and addictions make the headlines only in the wake of tragedies, while stories of hope and courage get little attention. To commemorate the 50

th anniversary of the Community Mental Health Act, the

National Council for Behavioral Health has compiled 50 stories of recovery in a special issue.

Congratulations to Tennessee’s own Clarence Jordan, Vice President for Wellness and Recovery for Value Options who was recognized in this publication. Mr. Jordan exemplifies recovery in action. To read his story, among others, visit www.thenationalcouncil.org

We applaud and appreciate these 50 individuals — for sharing their struggles, their dreams and their accomplishments, and for reminding us that people don’t recover in isolation, they recover in community.

New Toolkit Will Combat Opioid Overdose Opioid overdoses responsible for 17,000 deaths in 2012

An opioid is a drug used to reduce pain. Drugs like Oxycontin, Lortab, and Vicodin are opioids. Opioids are powerful medications that are sometimes misused or used incorrectly, which can result in a life-threatening overdose situation.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has developed an Opioid Overdose Toolkit to educate first responders, physicians, patients, family members, and community members on ways to prevent opioid overdose, as well as how to use a drug called naloxone to prevent overdose-related deaths.

Opioid abuse has become a major health problem that accounts for a growing number of overdoses each year. Last year alone it was responsible for close to 17,000 deaths in the United States.

Anyone who uses opioids for long-term management of cancer or non-cancer pain is at risk for overdose, as are those who use heroin. The good news is: we now know that the drug naloxone can be used as an antidote to opioid overdose and can prevent related deaths when naloxone is administered in a timely manner.

Inside the toolkit are five separate booklets, each designed for a specific audience:

Patients can learn how to minimize the risk of opioid overdose.

Prescribers can understand the risks of opioid overdose, as well as clinically sound strategies for prescribing opioids and educating and monitoring patients.

First Responders will find five steps to use in responding to an overdose, including how to use naloxone and provide other life-saving assistance.

Community Members can view facts about opioid overdose that can help local governments, community organizations and private citizens develop policies and practices to prevent overdoses and deaths.

Survivors and Family Members can gain information and support through the information provided in this booklet.

The entire toolkit can be viewed at http://1.usa.gov/1fiZCl6 or downloaded from SAMHSA’s website.

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Tennessee Co-Occurring Disorders Collaborative 10 presentations and 54 outreach opportunities provided education awareness to nearly 19,900 individuals

Congratulations to the Tennessee Co-Occurring Disorders

Collaborative, who in fiscal year 2012-2013, provided

educational and awareness outreach to nearly 19,900

individuals through 10 statewide, regional and local level co-

occurring disorder presentations and 54 marketing and

information sharing opportunities.

Steering Committee work for fiscal year 2013-2014 includes

launching a website, developing additional brochures and

informational resources, and continued educational

presentations at statewide, regional, and local levels.

Contact the Collaborative to learn more about how you can

assist with spreading the messages of HOPE, ACCESS TO

SERVICES, and RECOVERY.

B E H A V I O R A L H E A L T H

N E W S & E V E N T S The Behavioral Health News & Events is a newsletter publication produced by the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) that is edited and published quarterly by TAMHO. It is distributed electronically to behavioral health professionals, advocates, members of the Tennessee General Assembly and representatives of various State Departments of Government, as well as key stakeholders in the provision of behavioral health products and services procured by behavioral health agencies, and numerous individuals in local communities and throughout the state and nation who have an interest in the advancement of behavioral health in Tennessee. TAMHO does not currently accept advertising for inclusion in the Behavioral Health News & Events Newsletter but does recognize the support of sponsors of various projects and events by placement of their logos in the newsletter. Please contact the TAMHO office to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. Information provided within the Newsletter does not imply support or endorsement in any way by TAMHO and/or its member organizations.

Executive Director | Ellyn Wilbur | ewilbur@tamho.org

Director of Policy and Advocacy | Alysia Williams | awilliams@tamho.org

Director of Member Services | Teresa Fuqua | tfuqua@tamho.org

Office Manager | Laura B. Jean | ljean@tamho.org

Please contact the TAMHO office for more information about TAMHO, member organizations, collaborative arrangements with TAMHO, or contributing to the content of future editions of the Newsletter.

ADDRESS 42 Rutledge Street

Nashville, TN 37210

PHONE 615-244-2220 TOLL FREE IN TN 800-568-2642

FAX 615-254-8331

http://www.tamho.org