Governor Lee's State of the State address and budget propose some positive steps
The governor's proposed investments in behavioral health and suicide prevention include:
- $11 million in new funding to expand the Behavioral Health Safety Net to cover an additional 7,000 uninsured individuals living with serious mental illness
- $1 million for a regional suicide prevention outreach program and a mental health promotion program for youth and young adults
These steps should be applauded, and to seriously address our state's mental health crisis and ensure that all Tennesseans have access to affordable, quality care we must go much further.
Today, 60 percent of Tennesseans with a mental health condition do not receive any treatment.
Rural hospital closures exacerbate rural mental health challenges where communities already face severe mental health workforce shortages.
There remain myriad barriers preventing far too many Tennesseans from accessing the mental health care they need- such as cost, stigma, bureaucracy, and a legislature that remains unwilling to consider serious solutions or to join the 36 states that have successfully expanded Medicaid.
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Watch the State of the State Address, Attend a Regional Event
Watch Monday's State of the State address
here:
You can find details and register to attend the 'State of of West TN' in Memphis (Thursday, February 7) here:
Did you attend the State of State addresses in Nashville or Knoxville? Let us know!
Stay involved
Did you know you can
live stream
both chambers of Tennessee's General Assembly? Watch your legislators in action.
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Contact
or call Governor Lee (
615-741-2001
) to tell him that we are encouraged by the steps he has taken and that the urgent mental health care challenges our state is facing demand bolder action.
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House Bill 1455, which will exclude individuals with severe mental illness from the death penalty, is scheduled to be considered by the House Judiciary Criminal Justice Subcommittee on
Wednesday, March 13.
In addition to contacting your legislators, call the members of the
House Criminal Justice Subcommittee
before March 13th
and urge them to support this bill.
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Sample Script:
My name is _______. I’m calling to urge you to support HB1455, which will exclude individuals with severe mental illness from the death penalty. This bill would raise awareness of our state's urgent mental health care needs, save Tennessee taxpayers money, and be a small extension to something we already do.
This legislation would only affect a very small percentage of the population, those who live daily with severe mental illness and the impairments it causes, while streamlining the legal process by getting these complicated cases handled more efficiently. Thanks very much for your time.
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Funding to expand and strengthen Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs-
local collaborative partnerships between law enforcement, behavioral health providers, hospitals, emergency departments, and community advocates supporting strategies to more effectively respond to individuals in crisis and link them to appropriate services-
was left out of the proposed budget.
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Strong partnerships between crisis care systems and law enforcement are essential for public health and public safety. Without the resources police officers need, such as specialized training and alternative diversion options, behavioral health emergencies can lead to unnecessary incarceration or escalate into violence.
Governor Lee, your legislators, and members of the
House Mental Health & Substance Abuse Sub-committee
need to hear from you.
Sample Script:
My name is _______. I’m calling for your support of the appropriation of $500,000 for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to support CIT program expansion, including support for a full-time statewide CIT coordinator. The state has established a strategic collaboration between TN's justice and behavioral health systems, but without additional funding for the CIT in TN's ongoing efforts this critical component of the crisis care continuum would be in jeopardy.
Additional Talking Points & Resources:
- As the de facto first responders to behavioral health crises, law enforcement are often the principal point of entry into emergency behavioral health services. Police officers are critical to mobile crisis services, often providing support in potentially dangerous situations.
- CIT programs can build support for improvements to community behavioral health and crisis care systems through providing law enforcement with 24/7 accessibility to care without 'triage'
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Breaking News: Federal Court Finds Insurance Giant UBH Illegally Denied Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
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Mental Health Treatment Denied to Customers by UnitedHealth
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a unit of UnitedHealth Group, the giant health insurer, created internal policies aimed at effectively discriminating against patients with mental health and substance abuse disorders to save money.
Read more
www.nytimes.com
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This ruling should help persuade TN legislators that further action is needed.
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A big thank you to everyone who came out on February 20th to make NAMI Tennessee's Day on the Hill such a huge success
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We hope your legislative visits were meaningful and that you came away energized and committed to working with NAMI to build support for policies that improve mental health for all Tennesseans.
In order to continue to improve our advocacy work, we need your feedback. Please complete the DOH evaluation and legislative visit reporting form:
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Join Us
Behavioral Health Day on the Hill
Please join us on Wednesday, March 20 for a day of fun, fellowship, advocacy, and education.
Plan to meet at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville from 9 a.m. until Noon CST. Plan to stay for a special presentation by Art for Awareness.
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