State Mental Health Agency
For more information about admission, care, treatment, release, and
patient follow-up in public or private psychiatric residential
facilities, contact your State mental health agency:
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities
Third Floor, Cordell Hull Building
425 Fifth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615-532-6500
Fax: 615-532-6514
Internet: www.state.tn.us/mental/
State Protection and Advocacy
Agency
Each State has a protection and advocacy agency that receives
funding from the Federal Center for Mental Health Services.
Agencies are mandated to protect and advocate for the rights of
people with mental illnesses and to investigate reports of abuse
and neglect in facilities that care for or treat individuals with
mental illnesses. These facilities, which may be public or private,
include hospitals, nursing homes, community facilities, board and
care homes, homeless shelters, jails, and prisons. Agencies provide
advocacy services or conduct investigations to address issues that
arise during transportation or admission to such facilities, during
residency in them, or within 90 days after discharge from them.
Contact:
Tennessee Protection and Advocacy, Inc.
P.O. Box 121257
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-298-1080
Fax: 615-298-2046
Toll-free: 800-342-1660 (Statewide)
Health Care Financing Administration
The Health Care Financing Administration, which is part of the
Department of Health and Human Services, investigates some
complaints about treatment facilities that receive Medicare and
Medicaid funding. For further information at the national level,
contact:
Health Care Financing Administration
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850
Phone: 410-786-3000
E-mail:
webmaster@hcfa.gov
Internet: www.hcfa.gov
You may also share your concerns with staff at the Health Care Financing Administration office in your area, which is Region 4. The regional office address and telephone number are:
Atlanta Regional Office
Health Care Financing Administration
61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 4T20
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-562-7150
Fax: 404-562-7266
Internet: www.hcfa.gov
Advocacy Organizations
The National Mental Health Association maintains a referral and
information center and can help you locate local chapters. These
local groups have information about community services and engage
in national and state level advocacy. For more information about
the association, write or call:
National Mental Health Association Information Center
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
Phone: 703-684-7722
Fax: 703-684-5968
Toll-free: 800-969-6642
TTY: 800-433-5959
E-mail: infoctr@nmha.org
Internet: www.nmha.org
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill maintains a helpline for information on mental illnesses and referrals to local groups. The local self-help groups have support and advocacy components and offer education and information about community services or families and individuals. For information about the Alliance's affiliates and activities in your State, contact:
NAMI Tennessee
5410 Homberg Drive, Suite 4
Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: 865-602-7900
Fax: 865-602-7809
Toll-free: 800-467-3589
E-mail: nami-tn@nami.org
Internet: www.nami.org/namitn
The Federal of Families for Children's Mental Health is a national parent-run organization focused on the needs of children and youth with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders and their families. They provide support and information on a wide range of issues and make referrals to local chapters. These local groups have support and advocacy components. For information about the Federation and the chapter in your State, contact:
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
1101 King Street, Suite 420
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone: 703 684-7710
Fax: 703-836-1040
E-mail: ffcmh@ffcmh.org
Internet: www.ffcmh.org
Statewide consumer organizations are run by and for consumers of mental health services and promote consumer empowerment. These organizations provide information about mental health and other support services at the State level and are active in addressing and advocating for mental health system issues. For information about consumer activities in your area, contact:
Irene Russell, Executive Director
Tennessee Mental Health Consumer Association
116 Dalton Street
Kingsport, TN 37665
Toll-free: 800-459-2925
Fax: 423-245-6100
E-mail: TNMHCA@aol.com
Joe Swinford
Office of Consumer Affairs
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
425 Fifth Avenue North
Cordell Hull Building, Sixth Floor
Nashville, TN 37243-0675
Phone: 615-532-6722
Fax: 615-253-3920
Toll-free: 800-560-5767
E-mail:
j.swford@mail.state.tn.us
Other Sources of Information
There are many sources of information that you can tap. Your area
mental health authority, which is generally a part of the local
government, may be useful. Other branches of your city or county
government also may be able to help. For example, the education
office might have information about help for children, and the
agency for the aging might know about services for senior citizens.
In addition, your family physician or area hospital may be able to
make referrals. For legal advice, contact your local bar
association. Also, your local library and telephone yellow pages
may have resource lists for sources of help in your community.
5/2000
Back to the Index of State Mental Health Resources
These State resources were compiled by a U.S. Government agency - the Knowledge Exchange Network at http://www.mentalhealth.org .