Seventy years ago, the mental health system in Tennessee was limited to state hospital-based care under the auspices of the Tennessee Department of Corrections!
Our founders, including Mrs. Helen Ross McNabb, shamed the legislature to right that wrong and create the Department of Mental Health, eventually leading to the modernization of our mental health and substance abuse services system.
The behavioral health system is not perfect and is continuously evolving as it adjusts to meet the needs of our communities. Our system advocacy work involves targeted community meetings, needs assessment planning, statewide and local coalition building
