Mission: Creating collaborative pathways to resiliency, recovery, and independence for Tennesseans living with mental illness and substance use disorders.
Vision: A state of resiliency, recovery, and independence in which Tennesseans living with mental illness and substance use disorders thrive.
As a department, we value:
Customer Focused: An unwavering commitment to keep patients and those who serve them at the forefront of every decision.
Integrity: Honesty and truth in all that we do.
Inspired Purpose: The call to action in service of a cause greater than one’s self.
Excellence: The highest standards for services, efficiency, and conduct.
Compassionate and Effective Leadership: The ability to make effective decisions and inspire others through active listening and empathy.
Solutions and Outcomes-Oriented: The commitment to positive outcomes and meaningful changes in response to the critical needs of the Tennesseans we serve.
Partnership: Beyond teamwork, collaboration based on mutual success to the benefit of the Tennesseans we are blessed to serve.
The department oversees four Regional Mental Health Institutes (RMHIs) and contracts with community behavioral health providers across the state to offer services to Tennesseans. The department manages a budget of more than $380 million, with funding from dedicated fees, revenue, federal grants, and state general fund appropriations.