Health System with 2 hospitals across 1 state
| Health System | Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services |
|---|---|
| Total Hospitals | 2 |
| Commercial/Acute Hospitals | 0 |
| Total Beds | 165 |
| Commercial/Acute Beds | 0 |
| Headquarters | Nashville, TN |
| Website | tn.gov/samhsa |
| Hospital | Type | Beds | Teaching | Recently Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Mental Health Institute | Psychiatric | 65 | No | No |
| Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute | Psychiatric | 100 | No | No |
No recent news available for this health system.
Marie Williams, LCSW, serves as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS). [1, 2] She was reappointed by Governor Bill Lee on January 19, 2019, and was initially appointed by Gov. Bill Haslam, effective October 22, 2016. [1, 2] As Commissioner, she oversees and leads the department as the state's public mental health and substance abuse authority. [1] Under her leadership, the TDMHSAS annual budget has grown significantly, and the department serves approximately 750,000 Tennesseans annually. [1] She provides leadership and oversight to over 1,850 full-time employees and manages contracts with community providers and the operation of regional mental health institutes. [1] Her work has focused on behavioral health workforce challenges, youth mental health, the opioid crisis, criminal justice reform, and expanding peer-led services. [1, 2] She developed the Creating Homes Initiative, which provides affordable housing for people with mental illness. [3] Williams began her career as a mental health case manager for people experiencing homelessness in Memphis. [1, 2]
Matt Yancey, LCSW, MPA, serves as top advisor to Commissioner Marie Williams regarding public behavioral health community programming. [6] He provides executive leadership for the Department's Division of Mental Health Services and Division of Substance Abuse Services. [6] Yancey oversees an annual budget of over $250 million and the implementation of over 900 contracts with partnering grantees. [6] He previously served as Assistant Commissioner for the TDMHSAS Division of Mental Health Services and held director positions in Georgia's behavioral health and public health departments. [6] He is a licensed clinical social worker and holds graduate degrees in social work and public administration. [6]
Heather Gundersen is the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for Administrative and Regulatory Services at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS). She returned to this role, having previously served as the Executive IT Director for the department. Gundersen also worked with the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration as the Domain Director for TDMHSAS and other departments. Her educational background includes a Master of Business Administration with a focus on healthcare management from Western Governors University, earned between 2014 and 2016, and a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Christian Brothers University, where she graduated summa cum laude between 1998 and 2001. She is also a graduate of Coffee County Central High School in Manchester, Tennessee.
Ty Thornton, Esq. serves as the Chief of Hospital Operations at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. He holds a Juris Doctor from the Nashville School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Ty Thornton has been a member of the Tennessee Bar since 2008. Prior to his current role, he served as Chief of Staff at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services from January 2020 to August 2020.
Jessica Youngblom, LMSW, is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS). In this role, she is responsible for overseeing several projects aimed at developing innovative approaches to serve Tennesseans with mental health and substance use needs. These projects include the Tennessee Recovery Navigators, Project Rural Recovery, and ED Boarding Protocol Recommendations. As a Licensed Master Social Worker, Jessica Youngblom plays a key role in programs that provide integrated, mobile healthcare to rural areas of Tennessee through Project Rural Recovery. She is also involved with the Tennessee Recovery Navigators program, which connects patients in hospital emergency departments with substance abuse treatment and recovery services. Her work involves finding new and innovative ways to serve those most in need of mental health and substance use services in Tennessee.
I am unable to find information about the professional background of Cynthia Tyler as the Assistant Commissioner, Division of Administrative & Regulatory Services at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services based on the conducted searches. The search results provided information about other individuals named Cynthia Tyler, including an actress, a poet, and an endodontist, but none matching the specified role and department in Tennessee.
Alex King, J.D. is the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Administrative & Regulatory Services at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. He is an alumnus of the Nashville School of Law, graduating in 2016. King was promoted to his current role in early 2020.
Daniel Giannotti, the Director of Licensure at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), has a background that includes previous service with the department. He first worked as an attorney with TDMHSAS in 2005-2006, focusing primarily on licensure. Giannotti also served the State of Tennessee as a special hearing officer with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and was general counsel for the remainder corporation of Baptist Hospital in Nashville. Before rejoining TDMHSAS in October 2020, he was in private practice, providing counsel for individuals and small businesses on matters such as business contracts, negotiations, start-up ventures, and business legal management. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Middle Tennessee State University and a law degree from Roger Williams University, and has been a licensed attorney in Tennessee since 2005. In his current role as Director of Licensure, he is responsible for overseeing and managing the department's licensure division.
Paul Havlicek is associated with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in the area of Subrecipient Monitoring & Audit.
Taryn Sloss is the Assistant Commissioner related to the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services (SUPTRS) Block Grant. [9]
Linda McCorkle is the Director of Treatment and Recovery Services for the Division of Substance Abuse Services within the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, a position she has held since 2011. She also serves as the National Treatment Network (NTN) Coordinator for Tennessee. McCorkle has a long career with the State of Tennessee, spanning 47 years. She began in the Tennessee Department of Correction, working in counseling and prison management. In 1992, she transitioned to the substance use disorder field as a mental health program specialist. In her current role, her primary responsibilities include the oversight of Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services (SUPTRS) Block Grant funding for treatment services, as well as other programs and grants like the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 1975, with a major in psychology and sociology and a minor in secondary education.
Mary Shelton serves as the Executive Director of Tennessee's Opioid Abatement Council, providing day-to-day leadership, management, and oversight for the Council's functions. [11]