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T E N N E S S E E D E P A R T M E N T O F M E N T A L H E A L T H A N D S U B S T A N C E A B U S E S E R V I C E S

West Tennessee Licensure Employees Assist in Solving Crime

The U.S. Department of Justice is crediting TDMHSAS employees in the WestTennessee Office of Licensure with helping solve a crime. In December 2011, members of the Licensure Office were investigating to determine

whether a facility was providing services without a license when they found somethingamiss: An individual was fraudulently taking social security checks from service recipients.

According to reports, Benjamin Rhodes, the head basketball coach and athletic directorat Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, stole social security benefits byusing rental property to provide lodging to disabled tenants and cashing the tenants’ checks,even after they died.

In October 2012, Rhodes pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of theft of morethan $12,000. He faces up to 10 years in prison and criminal fines.

An investigator with the Department of Justice in Memphis said “they could not havedone this without the excellent investigative work done by the West Tennessee Office ofLicensure.” n

In May 2012, Governor Bill Haslamsigned the Tennessee Prescription Safety

Act into law. The bill requires all medicalprofessionals to register with the state’sControlled Substance Monitoring Databaseand to check a patient’s history of opiateand benzodiazepine use before prescribingpain medications.

Before 2012, state law requiredprescribers to report data but left checkingthe database up to each person’s discretion.Beginning in January 2013, the databasemust be updated once a week bypharmacists and dispensers, instead ofonce a month. The law also allows theTennessee Department of Health to shareinformation across state lines so thatpatients will not be able to use multiplepharmacies and doctors in more than onestate to obtain these medicines.

These measures are expected to prevent“doctor shopping,” a term used to describethe unauthorized procurement of multiple

prescriptions by one person throughseveral doctors. The database will allowdoctors and pharmacists to verify that apatient is not getting the same or similarmedicine from different sources. The lawinvolves multiple agencies, includingTDMHSAS, TDOH, and the Departmentof Safety and Homeland Security, toimprove public safety by monitoring useof Schedule II & III medications.

Physicians, nurse practitioners,physician’s assistants, dentists, oralsurgeons, and pharmacists will be requiredto use the database by April 2013, withpharmacies coming on board by January2014. Some pharmacists have alreadybegun to use the database to trackprescription information.

One of the reasons for the change inthe law is the alarming increase in abuseof prescription medications and the equallyalarming statistic that an average of two

On Feb. 28, theDepartment’s Central Office Staffwill have an opportunity to learnabout some new programs andchanges in Tennessee law aboutprescription drugs as part of ourongoing “Lunch and Learn” series.

The program will focus on the“epidemic” of prescription drugabuse in Tennessee and thechanges in state law for medicalprofessionals such as doctors,assistants, nurse practitioners,dentists, oral surgeons, andpharmacists. The new laws willaffect Schedule II and IIImedications, such as oxycodone,hydrocodone, Xanax and Valium.

Presenters for the session willbe Rodney Bragg, MA, M.Div.,Assistant Commissioner for theDivision of Substance AbuseServices, and Dr. David Reagan,Medical Director for the TennesseeDepartment of Health.

The Lunch and Learn conceptwas developed by MarthagemWhitlock, Assistant Commissionerfor the Division of Planning,Research & Forensics. KarenEdwards, Research Coordinator forDPRF, and Gwen Hamer, Directorof Education for the Division ofClinical Leadership, areimplementing each session for thecoming year. The first Lunch andLearn highlighted the Shield ofCare Train the Trainer Program. n

Continued on page 6

Prescription Safety Act Takes EffectControlled Substance Monitoring Database rules begin to be implemented; more to follow

Lunch and Learn toFocus on

Prescription DrugAbuse

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MTMHI’s Dana Taylor Named Department’s 2012 Employee of the YearSocial Worker Does Whatever it Takes to Help Patients Return to the Community

Dana Taylor, aPsychiatric Social

Worker in the ExtendedTreatment Program atMiddle Tennessee MentalHealth Institute (MTMHI),was recently namedEmployee of the Year forthe entire TennesseeDepartment of MentalHealth and SubstanceAbuse Services for 2012.

A ceremony was held atMTMHI on Friday,February 8, where shereceived her honoraryplaque from TDMHSASCommissioner Doug Varneyand MTMHI CEO BobMicinski, along with her award as MTMHI’s 2012 Employee ofthe Year.

In nominating her for the award, Mr. Micinski cited Dana’sdiligent work toward providing discharge opportunities tomultiple long-term patients, many of whom other social workershad attempted to discharge and were unable to do so “because oftheir very complicated and complex life situations or their lackof resources to pay for aftercare services.”

Dana often volunteered to work on holidays and weekends todevelop discharge plans for patients who are eligible todischarge on the weekends, thereby opening up much-neededbeds for other patients quickly, rather than forcing these patientsto wait until after the weekend. Because of her hard work, thehospital was frequently able to avoid going to diversion (due tothe limitations of Available Suitable Accommodations) onnumerous occasions, which was a tremendous service to the

mentally ill in thecommunity who neededemergency hospitalization,as well as a tremendous costsavings to the state.

Dana’s immediatesupervisor, Social WorkDirector Debbie Wynn, citedDana’s attitude of nevergiving up, likening her to“The Little Engine ThatCould” who refuses to takeno for an answer.

Dana has been workingat MTMHI since 2008. Priorto that, she worked at EastState Mississippi Hospitalfor seven years beforecoming to Tennessee in 2007to be closer to her now-

husband, Brandon, who serves on the police force inMurfreesboro. Brandon joined his wife at the Employee of theYear celebration, along with their son, Brady, Dana’s parents,

Brandon’s parents, and Brandon’s sister.Commissioner Varney commended herentire family for their support ofDana’s work at MTMHI, noting thatthey often had to take the “brunt” of hersacrifices when she would workholidays and weekends to help thepatients at MTMHI. n

MTMHI CEO Bob Micinski (left) and Commissioner Doug Varney honoredDana Taylor with the department-wide award in a ceremony at the facility.

MTMHI CEO Bob Micinski also presented Dana Taylor with thehospital’s 2012 Employee of the Year award during the ceremony.

Dana Taylor thanks all her colleagues and family members for theirsupport as she accepts the Department’s 2012 Employee of the Yearaward. Celebrating with her at the event were (from right) herhusband, Brandon; her parents; her husband’s parents; and her son,Brady.

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On Nov. 15 at Memphis MentalHealth Institute (MMHI), the

TDMHSAS began a three-monthpilot program to test the efficacy ofutilizing tele-video equipment toprovide registered dietitian (RD)services to at-nutritional-risk clients.

Our expectations for embarkingon this project are to utilize existingresources, control labor costs, and testnew technologies while meeting thefacility’s nutrition policy guidelines.The test period will run throughFebruary 15 and involves the dailyservices of the facility’s nursingdepartment staff and Gale White MS,RD, LDN, the central office RD.

For the TDMHSAS, pilot testingof this type of service delivery allowsus to identify and determine processefficiencies and to establish aframework for the possibility of

expanding tele-health services inother areas. For the project to besuccessful, it has involved thecooperation and support from thefollowing departmental staffs: theCentral Office’s division ofadministrative and hospital services;Moccasin Bend Mental HealthInstitute’s (MBMHI’s) administrationand information management; andMMHI’s administration, food serviceoperator, information management,medical, and nursing services.

This isn’t the first time this typeof nutrition service delivery has beenprovided. At the University ofTennessee Health Science Center,Boling Center for DevelopmentalDisabilities in Memphis, tele-healthnutrition services have been providedto patients who live in remote areasof the state. n

On Dec. 12, the Children’s Cabinet sponsored an all-dayevent titled “Systems Alignment Symposium: CoordinatingServices for Tennessee’s Children.”

The event – co-sponsored by TDMHSAS CommissionerDoug Varney and Department of Human Services (DHS)Commissioner Raquel Hatter – was held to obtain input fromyouth, families, state departmental staff, and providers whowork directly with children and families at the community level.

Each member of the Children’s Cabinet (representing sixchild-serving departments: Children’s Services, Education,Health, and Health Care Finance and Administration/TennCare,along with DHS and DMHSAS) was asked to bring a team of10-12 individuals that represented front-line and middle-management staff, local community providers, and consumersfrom across the state – both urban and rural areas. More than 80people attended this historic and innovative event.

The agenda for the event included:• A presentation titled “The 7 C’s of Collaboration” • A presentation titled “Aligning System of Care Values and

Principles Across Systems”• A panel discussion for consumers• A panel discussion for providers

• A panel discussion for front-line staff• Table talks, where groups engaged in 45-minute

discussions about three different topics:

Memphis Mental Health Institute Starts Pilot Program to Provide Tele-health Dietitian ServicesRegistered Dietitian Offers Medical Nutrition Therapy via Webcam to Key Clients

Attending the Children’s Cabinet Symposium in December 2012 are(from left) Tennessee Department of Human Services CommissionerRaquel Hatter; Dr. Altha Stewart, Project Director; JustCare FamilyNetwork (Shelby County government); TDMHSAS Commissioner DougVarney; and Sukey Steckel, LMSW Director, Office of Children andYouth, TDMHSAS.

Continued page 6

MMHI Receives Accreditation from the Joint Commission

On Nov. 21, 2012, the Joint Commission— an independent, not-for-profit organizationthat certifies more than 19,000 health careorganizations and programs in the UnitedStates — notified Memphis Mental HealthInstitute (MMHI) that it had been assessed andwas in compliance with the Medicareconditions for hospitals as well as the specialconditions for psychiatric hospitals, based onthe surveys taken that year.

In particular, the hospital was congratulatedon effective resolutions in the conditions ofpatient’s rights, medical staff and physicalenvironment, and as of Nov. 15, 2012, norequirements for improvement were identified.

Accreditation by the Joint Commission isrecognized nationwide as a symbol of qualitythat reflects an organization’s commitment tomeeting certain performance standards. n

Children’s Cabinet Brings Dozens Together to Coordinate Services

By Susan “Sukey” Steckel, LMSW Director, Office of Children and Youth, DMHSAS

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According to statistics from theTennessee Department of

Human Resources (DOHR), stategovernment currently employs44,000 people and is the largestsingle employer in the state. Inaddition, a sweeping change inleadership through the retirement ofthousands of “baby boomers” with30-plus years of service will create aknowledge and leadership vacuum inthe coming years.

To offset this, the state is taking aproactive and assertive approachtowards creating a talented pool ofleaders for the next generation,hoping to have 440 trainedemployees across multiple agenciesby January 2014. These employeeswill have a shared language andmindset about great leadership,demonstrate eight leadership corecompetencies, provide agency benchstrength, and display the motivationand preparation to lead in whatevercircumstances arise.

The “LEAD Tennessee” trainingprogram, being administered byDOHR, is a 12-month developmentinitiative that includes six one-daysummits of intense, personallytailored, high-impact learningopportunities with a focus oncustomer-focused attitudes,innovation, mission-driven clarity,accountability, employee talents, andtrustworthiness.

Participants learn a combinationof behaviors, knowledge, and skillsthat drive effective job performance.This shared leadership languageenables employees across agencylines to increase networkingefficiency, directly impacting thestate’s workforce and contributing togreater opportunities for resourcesharing and problem solving. Thestate will benefit directly throughhigher productivity, efficiency, andan overall improved organizationalperformance through better trainedleaders. In time, “LEAD Tennessee”will produce a continuing pipeline of

leaders from the preferred serviceand executive service employees whowill not only lead but also motivatetheir staffs to become a betterequipped workforce, serving thecitizens of Tennessee.

According to Trish Pulley, ChiefLearning Office for the program,“Lead Tennessee won the 2010International Public Management HRExcellence Award. It was so amazingto compete on the international stageand receive this type of exposure.”

Currently, TDMHSAS has 13LEAD graduates. They are:

“The LEAD experience has betterprepared me to serve in a leadershipposition within state government,”said Susan Steckel, Director ofChildren and Youth Services and arecent LEAD Tennessee participant.“The material we covered wasrelevant, challenging andimmediately applicable to my currentjob responsibilities. I highlyrecommend LEAD to anyone who isinterested in professionaldevelopment and gaining confidenceand improving your abilities in avariety of leadership competencies.”

The 2012-13 “LEAD Tennessee”classes are under way now with about110 participants from multiple stateagencies. The “LEAD On” graduationcelebration is set for Dec. 9, 2013.“LEAD Tennessee” is facilitated bythe Division of Strategic LearningSolutions within the DOHR.

For more information about thisprogram, visitwww.tn.gov/dohr/learning/learning.html and click on the “LEADTennessee” logo. n

Shield of Care Program Acceptedto Best Practice RegistrySuicide Prevention ResourceCenter Honors DepartmentProgram that is First of its Kind

The Shield of Care – a juvenile-justice suicide-preventiongatekeeper program developed withfunds from a Garrett-LeeSmith/SAMHSA grant that iscopywrited by the TDMHSAS –was recently accepted to the Suicide PreventionResource Center’s (SPRC’s) Best Practice Registry(BPR), which is a collaborative effort with theAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention andSAMHSA.

A BPR is a source of information aboutevidenced-based programs, expert consensus andcontaining content that meet stringent criteria. TheShield of Care’s submission to the BPR had toinclude evaluation of the curriculum thatdemonstrated efficacy and utility as an instrumentthat increases knowledge and skills in order tointervene and save a life from suicide. The Shield ofCare, a groundbreaking curriculum that is first of itskind nationally, has demonstrated its ability toproduce positive outcomes related to suicideprevention in juvenile justice facilities. It will beused in all of the state’s Youth Development Centers.

“Being on a BPR gives additional credence tothis groundbreaking curriculum,” said LygiaWilliams, Mental Health Planner for the Division ofMental Health Services. “It is our intent to partnerwith Centerstone Research Institute (CRI) andcomplete requisite research in order to pursue thecurriculum meeting evidence-based criteria.”

The Shield of Care Train the Trainer (T4T)curriculum was provided to the TennesseeDepartment of Children’s Services (DCS) Office ofJuvenile Justice’s trainers and counselors working inthe state’s Youth Development Centers (YDC). T4Twas also provided to six county/city detention centerstaffs from across the state. Lygia and Dr. Jeff Feix,Director of Forensic Services for the TDMHSAS,provided this daylong program. Participating weretwo individuals with the Tennessee SuicidePrevention Network (TSPN) who will assist YDCsand detention facilities with providing this trainingand or supporting their efforts.

Also, TDMHSAS and the Tennessee Lives Countevaluation partners have had twopapers/presentations accepted for the 46th AnnualAmerican Association of Suicidology’s Conference,which will be April 24-27 in Austin, Texas, oneabout its development and content and the otherabout the protocol for evaluation. n

• Mike Murley

• Lisa Roy

• Taryn Sloss

• Susan Steckel

• Cynthia Tyler

• Amanda Wilson

Program to Shape Future Leaders in State Government

• Tammy Denise Ali-Carr

• Lisa Daniel

• Charles Dickens

• Donna Finto-Burks

• Zack Griffith

• Bruce Gilmore

• Bob Micinski

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C O N S U M E R C O R N E R

This column is usually reservedfor success stories about

consumers. This month, we wantto share a story with you aboutone of our employees who spendsher days answering phone callsfrom consumers, their families,and friends when they reach outto TDMHSAS. Pam Townsendworks in the Office of ConsumerAffairs and Peer SupportServices. Her story about heroriginal service dog, Astro,appeared in the September 2012Annual Arts Issue of BreakingGround for the Tennessee Councilof Developmental Disabilities. Youcan read that story by Clicking Here to discover how Pamand Astro worked to improve the quality of life for those theycame in contact with every day.

For Pam Townsend, Astro was an amazing service dog.She found him to be guard dog, babysitter, politician, patriot,celebrity, and excellent companion. Not long after shebrought Astro home, he was featured in a full-page article inthe Sunday newspaper. A star was born, and as winter arrived,Pam found good reason to be glad she had a dog at her sideon the way to work.

Out of the dark in downtown Nashville one morning, shedid not realize a man was coming up behind her rapidly in anapparent attempt to rob her. Astro quickly went into guarddog mode and started barking and growling as if he wouldattack the man. Quickly, the fellow ran away. Pam knew shewould be able to go to work without fear as long as Astro wasat her side.

When the terrorist attacks of 9/11 occurred, people in heroffice often gathered to say the Pledge of Allegiance and singa patriotic song. Astro was always excited to go to thegatherings and left Pam to man the phones. Eventually, shediscovered it was not just patriotism that prompted Astro toattend these gatherings but also his ability to pick up somedog treats from her coworkers as he visited their offices alongthe way.

At speaking engagements and at the Tennessee GeneralAssembly, Astro shook paws with influential senators,representatives and councilmen, “acting like a regularpolitician,” Pam remarked. He became known as the “CordellHull Dog” to those who encountered him daily in the stateoffice building. And like a good politician, Astro loved babiesand puppies, always rolling around on the floor with both.When Pam’s twin granddaughters came to visit, Astro stoodguard over them when they slept, and he gave her new puppya spot in his bed, becoming a live-in babysitter for all. Sadly,Astro passed away at age 11. He had lived a long, fulfilling

life, and his legacy has not beenforgotten.

For Pam, life without Astrohas not dampened her enthusiasmfor her job, nor limited her abilityto live a full life as she deals witha rare form of muscular dystrophy.Pam’s daily job at TDMHSASincludes answering phone callsfrom those who wonder how tohelp themselves, a relative, or aneighbor in need of mental healthcare. Many times, those callingsimply do not know where to turnor how to find the help they needin their county. Along with threeother employees, Pam answers

those phone calls to the toll-free hotline (800-560-5767) aswell as the email inquiries that come in.

Pam did not start her state career of 32-plus years inmental health, but in air pollution control for the TennesseeDepartment of Environment. When she came to TDMHSAS,she entered a field with a learning curve about issues, such asovercoming stigma and learning the appropriate serviceproviders for various mental illnesses and substance abuse.As time went on, those challenges proved conquerable, and itwould not be an exaggeration today to say that PamTownsend is an encyclopedia of mental health informationafter 10 years on the job.

For Pam, the most rewarding part of the job is “when Iknow I have helped someone.” And the most frustrating partcomes when Tennessee does not have a particular serviceprovider for someone. “For example, there are people whohave a mental illness and also need nursing home care,” sheadded. “Most Tennessee nursing homes are not equipped toaccept these individuals, and some do not qualify for nursinghome care.”

Her care and concern for others is mirrored in her statusas an associate minister for the Bethesda Original Church ofGod in Nashville. Pam has served the congregation of morethan 200 in this capacity for a decade, along with nine otherassociates.

“Our pastor has been ill recently, so he has relied on all ofus to pitch in and fill in where necessary,” she explained.

Pam also serves her community as an advocate for charityand government. She is a public speaker for the MDFoundation and has served Metro-Davidson County throughthe Partners in Policy Making, the Mayors AdvisoryCommittee, and on various boards.

As an expression of her creativity, Pam enjoys writingpoetry. Some of her work was published in a textbook forstudents with developmental disabilities. For her, every day isan accomplishment on many levels in service to others. n

Pam Townsend and Astro

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013, will be anexciting day for mental health agencies

and consumers as they attend the annual“Mental Health Day on Capitol Hill” at theWar Memorial Plaza and environs. In theafternoon, the annual statewide Art forAwareness Conference, co-sponsored byTDMHSAS and the Healing Arts Project,Inc. (HAPI), gets under way as consumerartists from across Tennessee come togetherto share their works and their experiences.This year’s theme is “Art—One Path toWellness.”

Art for Awareness begins at 1 p.m., withregistration opening at 11 a.m. in TheNashville Room of the Tennessee/Snodgrass Tower, across 7th Avenue fromthe War Memorial Building. Handicappedaccess is through the 8th Avenue RosaParks entrance. This location will allowconsumers, family and friends to quicklymove from the Mental Health Day onCapitol Hill events to this annualcelebration of consumer art.

Registration forms and additionalinformation about Art for Awareness wentout in advance to peer support centers andare available online at www.tn.gov/mental.Pre-registration is important to allow quickentry into the building and to provideparticipating consumer artists withappropriate conference materials and I.D.badges. The registration deadline isTuesday, February 26.

New this year will be exhibitor boothsby industry and government agencies with afocus on wellness through multi-dimensional experiences in recovery.Registered consumer artists should bringone piece of artwork, framed for display inthe Legislative Hall. Registration materialsprovide information on correct, inexpensivemethods for framing. The artworksubmitted will showcase a variety ofthemes and media, and some consumershave sold their works to admirers in thepast.

Art for Awareness has grown every yearfor the past seven years, moving from aregional to a statewide conference in 2010.

Since that time, more than 1,000 consumersin recovery from mental illness andsubstance abuse issues have participated inthe art-based stigma reduction programthrough HAPI-sponsored art classes at peersupport centers. A few have enteredindividual instruction programs and arecontinuing to study art on their own.

In peer support art classes, consumersdo not have to display great artistic talent toparticipate and often express emotions ofcalmness, pride, and joy while creating art.A peer support counselor once reported that“students transition from being afraid tomake a mark on paper to listening todirections, freely adding their own creativetouches, and expressing more self-confidence and pride in their works.”

Marilyn Beasley of Middle TennesseeMental Health Institute (MTMHI) reportedin 2011 that patients taking art classes camein withdrawn and, as time went on, becamehighly cooperative with her and with eachother, eventually requesting more time instudio.

For more information on Art forAwareness, contact Lorene Lambert atLorene.Lambert@tn.gov or call (615) 253-4812. For more information onHAPI, contact Jane Baxter atjanebaxter@comcast.net or visithttp://healingartsprojectinc.org/. n

rt for

wareness

will coincide withMental Health Day on Capitol Hill in MarchRegistration Deadline is February 26

Tennesseans die every day ofaccidental drug overdoses.Currently, there are more deaths dueto substance abuse than autoaccidents in Tennessee. Tennessee isthe second leading state in the U.S.in per capita use of prescriptiondrugs, and although there are validreasons for use, too many incidentsdo not fall under that category.“Doctor shopping” is a felony, andpainkillers such as oxycodone andhydrocodone, along withtranquilizers such as Xanax andValium, routinely rank among someof the most abused prescriptiondrugs in Tennessee.

Unfortunately, the system willnot be able to prevent prescriptiondrug abuse by people who do notvisit a doctor and obtain pills byillegal means, but it is expected toput a dent in the excessive amountof prescription drugs available thatsome people have illegally sold toothers. n

Prescription Drug…cont.

Children’s Cabinet…cont.

† adopting or adapting Systemof Care values and principlesacross departments

† recommendations for how tobetter integrate services at thelocal level

† recommendations for whatstate departments can do toimprove how citizens accessservices

Governor Bill Haslam also spoketo the group in the afternoon andaddressed his commitment toreducing departmental overlaps andimproving efficiencies of servicedelivery to children, youth, andfamilies by focusing on interaction ofsystems at the local level.

The event was deemed a bigsuccess, and a final report withrecommendations for the Children’sCabinet strategic plan is expected inearly February 2013. n

12th Annual Mental Health Day on Capitol Hill

Presented by the Tennessee Coalitionfor Mental Health And Substance Abuse

ServicesWar Memorial Auditorium

301 Sixth Avenue North • Nashville, TN9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Keynote Speaker: Veteran, CPT Luis Montalvan, Ret.,

Author of A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him

To register:www.dayoncapitolhill.eventbrite.com

For more information email Anne Fox ataross88@bellsouth.net

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Rare Artwork Transferred to State Museum“Myrllen’s Tapestry” Joins Her Coat Along with Dorothea

Dix Mural from Lakeshore Mental Health Institute

In November 2012,representatives from the

Tennessee State Museumreceived a Gift of Deedfrom Commissioner DougVarney to transfer“Myrllen’s Tapestry” to themuseum collection forprotection and preservation.It joins “Myrllen’s Coat”that former CommissionerGina Betts deeded in 2003.

Commissioner Varneyalso signed a Gift of Deedfor a large wall muralrepresenting the plight ofinstitutionalized patients andDorothea Dix, a 19thcentury humanitarian formental health care, who wasinstrumental in changingconditions for mental health patients in Tennessee. CandaceAdelson, Senior Curator of Fashion & Textiles, and RobDeHart, Curatorial Assistant, accepted the deed on behalf of themuseum.

According to TDMHSAS Publication Editor LoreneLambert, who oversaw the transfer, “Giving this treasure to themuseum represents the best possible way to preserve rareartifacts from the early days of Tennessee’s mental healthinstitutional history. The tapestry, a work that ‘Myrllen’ createdas a patient, is not only beautiful, it is a story about the type ofcare that once was and is no more in state institutions. Once‘Myrllen’ was treated with powerful psychotropic drugs andprocedures typical for the time, she lost the ability to craft herbeautiful textiles. Her story is one we can all take to heart as werealize the great strides Tennessee has made in patient care.”

“Myrllen,” or “Marilyn” as she is sometimes called, is nother real name. That is protected and lost to history. She wascommitted on a July morning in the late 1940s at Eastern StateHospital for the Insane, bound in handcuffs. Her story, asconveyed to the staff, was that she terrorized her neighborhoodand tried to kill her sleeping husband with a kitchen knife. Thediagnosis was schizophrenia. Eventually, her contact with theoutside world diminished, and as it did, her inner world soared,and she spent many days feverishly embroidering with threadand rags taken from the institution’s laundry.

Myrllen’s journey into creativity began when she helpedsave a suicidal patient, so her nurse lent her a needle and pair ofscissors. The scenes that Myrllen recorded in thousands ofstitches are interspersed with words and non-words,

representing whatpsychiatrists call“glossolalia,” anincomprehensible imagerythat appears to have randompatterns.

By the 1950s, drugsbrought her frenzy undercontrol, and Myrllen paidfor her upkeep throughhospital chores for a smallsalary. Once heavilymedicated, she disclaimedall knowledge andownership of the textilesshe had created.

Twenty-six years afterher admission, she died inher sleep. She had evolvedfrom the delicate, red-hairedyoung beauty to a slow

moving, 300-pound lethargic patient. Her body was unclaimedfor burial, and her work might have been discarded but for theadmiration and appreciation of the staff of the hospital who hadgrown to love her. The coat was sent to Central State andeventually transferred to Commissioner Betts, and from thedepartment to the museum with the help of Cynthia Tyler, legalcounsel. The tapestry remained with Lakeshore Mental HealthInstitute (LMHI), the heir of Eastern State. When LMHI closedin June 2012, the tapestry, along with many other Eastern StateHospital records, photographs, and artifacts, were transferred tothe Communications Office on behalf of the commissioner.

In addition to the tapestry, “Hope”, a 10-foot by 20-foot wallmural of acrylic on canvas by Knoxville artist Rand Bradford(executed in the Italian Renaissance tradition), was alsotransferred to the museum by a Gift of Deed. The mural wascreated in 1971 and hung for many years at the Village HallAuditorium at Eastern State Psychiatric Hospital (originallyEastern State Hospital for the Insane). The central figure in themural represents Dorothea Dix, a humanitarian who broughtfocus on the conditions patients were forced to live in the 19thcentury, advocating sweeping changes in how those with mentalillnesses were treated and solicited through state-funded care.

Some patients posed for the work and some helped with thedrawing. The figures surrounding Dix represent the terribleconditions of the incarcerated. The artist sought to depict theevolution of facilities and medical care at state mental institutes.Bradford, a self-taught artist, received no commission for hiswork, and the materials, costing about $200, were donated bythe Advancement of the Arts at Eastern State. n

Candace Adelson, Senior Curator of Fashion & Textiles, and Rob DeHart, CuratorialAssistant, accept “Myrllen’s Tapestry” on behalf of the Tennessee State Museum withthe Gift of Deed from Commissioner Douglas Varney.

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Tennessee Voices for Children (TVC), a nonprofit organization,honored those who have made a tremendous positive impact

on Children’s Mental Health Initiatives on Sept. 20, 2012. TDMHSAS Commissioner Doug Varney was honored for his

support of the System of Care in Tennessee. CommissionerVarney has been a consistent support for the needs of children inTennessee, and TVC has collaborated with TDMHSAS on variousprojects to sustain funding for vital programs for children.

Other honorees included: WATE Knoxville, Lisa Cobb, EdithKidd, Danielle Frazier, Patti van Eys, Mary Beth Franklyn,Charlotte Wood, Amerigroup, Madison County Court, SenatorDoug Overbey, Alpha Sigma Tau at Belmont University, KimTribble, Memorial Foundation, Pat Wade and the CPORT Team,and the Tennessee Justice Center.

TVC was organized in 1990 by Tipper Gore as a statewidecoalition of individuals, agencies, and organizations workingtogether as a Steering Council to promote children’s health andeducation services. TVC has progressed to become a statewideand national source of referral, support, and advocacy for familiesand the systems that serve them. TVC has taken the lead inpromoting the use of a coordinated system of care in Tennesseethat includes family support and community engagement as keycomponents.

TVC works with parents, professionals, state and federalofficials, policy makers, and members of the departments ofMental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Education, andChildren’s Services to ensure that services provided to childrenand families in Tennessee are family-driven, community-based,and culturally and linguistically competent.

For more information on TVC, go online tohttp://tnvoices.org/ or call (615) 269-7751.

Supporters of Children’s MentalHealth Honored by TennesseeVoices for Children

Dick Blackburn, TVC board member, honors TDMHSAS CommissionerDoug Varney during an event in September.

Licensure Review PanelRecognized for Service

Staff of the Office of Licensure honored panel members who will rotateoff this year. Picture with their certificates are Scott Finney and DonRedden. Carol Westlake was not available for the photo session.

COMMUNITY NEWS& INDUSTRY AWARDS

The Licensure Review Panel plays an integral part inreviewing the Office of Licensure’s decision to deny licenses andgrant waivers. The panel was designated by Tennessee statute 33-2-403(d) and is designed to review issues relative to obtaining andmaintaining a TDMHSAS-licensed facility. The panel is veryimportant in that it brings the agency and facility’s perspective tothe table and ensures solid review of Licensure’s decisions.

Panel members review cases and make a recommendation foraction to the commissioner, who has the final dispositionauthority. The members are dedicated to protecting servicerecipients, and their tireless dedication and service to ourdepartment ensures Licensure makes the most informed and soundjudgments in regard to issuing waivers and licenses. The panelmembers bring a certain level of expertise and experience to thetable that is so important to protecting and fulfilling ourdepartment’s mission.

TDMHSAS and the Tennessee Department of Intellectual andDevelopmental Disabilities (DIDD) will be splitting theirlicensure review panel this year. Three members of theTDMHSAS panel were recognized recently for their service asthey rotate off and were given certificates of appreciation signedby Commissioner Varney. They are Scott Finney, Don Redden andCarol Westlake.

SHARE YOUR NEWSHave something interesting that you want to include in an

upcoming issue of this newsletter? Send your informationand/or photos (in jpeg format) to Lorene Lambert atLorene.Lambert@tn.gov, and call (615) 253-4812 if you havequestions.

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In December 2012, the Tennessee Association of MentalHealth Organizations (TAMHO) honored TDMHSASCommissioner Doug Varney with the President’s Award, itshighest honor given at the discretion of the outgoing TAMHOboard president to recognize extraordinary contributions to thefield of mental health.

Gene Lawrence, TAMHO president and executive director ofSoutheast Mental Health Center in Memphis, presented the awardto Commissioner Varney during the TAMHO 2012 Annual Awardsand Recognition Ceremony. Having known and worked besideCommissioner Varney for more than 20 years, Lawrence said inhis comments that he views the commissioner “as a true visionarywhose career has been based on doing what is right and … hisview of the world has always been one in which everyone has thechance to develop their full potential. Commissioner Varney issomeone who naturally sees opportunities and ways to removeobstacles, and he has a long and distinguished history ofadvocating at the local, state, and national level to improveservices, obtain funding, reduce the stigma of mental illness, andimprove the lives of others.”

Prior to his appointment in January 2011, CommissionerVarney provided many years of service as a member of theTAMHO Board of Directors, including service as president andchairman of the Legislative Committee. He had previously beenawarded the TAMHO 2005 Dorothea Dix Professional Serviceaward.

TAMHO is a statewide trade association celebrating over 50years of service and representing Community Mental HealthCenters (CMHCs) and other not-for-profit corporations that

provide behavioral health services. These organizations continueto meet the needs of Tennesseans, from all age groups andsocioeconomic levels, with a mental illness or substance abusediagnosis. The TAMHO member organizations have been thevirtual cornerstone of the community-based behavioral healthsystem throughout the state since the 1950s and today serve as theprimary provider network for the TennCare Partners Program. Tolearn more, visit www.tamho.org.

TAMHO Honors CommissionerVarney with Highest Award

Commissioner Varney receives the Tennessee Association of MentalHealth Organizations President’s Award from Gene Lawrence, TAMHOPresident and Executive Director of the Southeast Mental HealthCenter in Memphis.

COMMUNITY NEWS& INDUSTRY AWARDS

Peer Support Specialist ConferenceFocuses on How ‘Recovery Works’By Lisa Ragan, Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs & PeerSupport Services, Division of Mental Health Services

The TDMHSAS Consumer Advisory Board joined with theTennessee Certified Peer Specialist (TCPS) Advisory Board tohost the second annual Peer Specialist Conference on October 8,2012, in Murfreesboro. This year’s theme was “Recovery Worksfor Personal and Community Integration,” and keynote speakerAlyce Knowlton-Jablonski, executive director of the WisconsinAssociation of Peer Specialists, spoke to the 160 participantsabout how to integrate self and systems to effect transformation.

Conference participants included Certified Peer Specialists,people interesting in becoming certified, and supervisors ofCertified Peer Specialists, with sessions designed for each distinctgroup. Some sessions covered ethics and boundaries,documentation, transitioning into the workforce, and supervisingPeer Specialists, among others.

Awards were a highlight of the conference:• TCPS of the Year was awarded to Lori Rash of the

Tennessee Mental Health Consumers’ Association(TMHCA).

Front row: Joy Patterson, Sheryl McCormick, Mary Nelle Osborne,Loretta Walker, and Kelley Chartier.Back row: Marjorie Diefenbach, Mark Potts, Paul Rom, and AnthonyFox, TMHCA award presenter.

Continued next page

• The Community Service Award was given to SherylMcCormick of Peninsula, a Division of Parkwest MedicalCenter.

• The Advocate of Peer Services, Individual, Award was givento Robin Visnicky of TMHCA.

• The Advocate of Peer Services, Group/Agency, Award wasgiven to Peninsula, a division of Parkwest Medical Center.

• The TCPS Mentor of the Year Award was awardedposthumously to Patsy Cronk of Volunteer Behavioral Health.The TCPS Mentor of the Year Award will be named the PatsyCronk Mentor of the Year Award going forward to honorPatsy’s many years of services to peers across the state.

NAMI Tennessee Honors HAPI withits Model Project Award

Tennessee’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI Tennessee) gave out its 2012 Annual Awards on Sept. 29,2012, in recognition of compassion, dedication, and inspiration byindividuals and organizations in the quest to overcome stigma andassist people recovering from mental illnesses and substance abuse.

The Healing Arts Project, Inc. (HAPI), co-sponsor withTDMHSAS for the annual “Arts for Awareness” program, receivedthe Model Project Award. HAPI provides opportunities year roundthrough classes at peer support centers and public exhibitions ofartwork by people in recovery. NAMI Tennessee cited HAPI’s“exceptional efforts in decreasing stigma while raising publicawareness and hope for those living with the effects of mentalillness…especially those who have low income and fewopportunities for creative expression and public recognition.”Through HAPI, approximately 1,000 people in mental health andaddiction recovery in Tennessee have participated in art classes,exhibits and special events…and submitted poems and personalessays published annually in the Faith, Hope and Recovery inLetters booklets. The 2012 booklet is available by contacting HAPIonline at http://healingartsprojectinc.org/or sending an email tojanebaxter@comcast.net.

NAMI is the nation’s largest grass-roots mental health organizationdedicated to improving the lives ofindividuals and families affected bymental illness. NAMI has more than1,100 affiliates in communities acrossthe country who engage in advocacy,research, support, and education.Members of NAMI are families,friends, and people living withmental illnesses such as majordepression, schizophrenia, bipolardisorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder,panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and

borderline personality disorder. Contact the Tennessee chapter bygoing online to http://www.namitn.org/ or by calling (615) 361-6608.

Commissioner and DeputyCommissioner Honored withPatriotic Employer Award

In December 2012, Commissioner Doug Varney and DeputyCommissioner Marie Williams were honored by the EmployerSupport of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for their continuedsupport of former Guard and Reserve personnel in the workplace.The award recognizes their contribution “to national security andprotecting liberty and freedom by supporting employeeparticipation in America’s National Guard and Reserve forces.”

Varney and Williams were nominated by Zack Griffith,TDMHSAS’s General Counsel. Zack originally enlisted in theTennessee Army National Guard after high school and, during his

first tour, was in active duty assignments supporting the first GulfWar. He also served in active duty on the military drug team. In2012, Griffith rejoined the Guard as a member of the JudgeAdvocate General’s Corps. In presenting this award, Griffith saidhe would not have been comfortable returning to service withoutthe “complete and unwavering support” he received from Varneyand Williams. He also noted their dedication to other soldierfocused concerns such as suicide, mental health and substanceabuse issues.

ESGR, part of the U.S. Department of Defense, was establishedin 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between ReserveComponent Service members and their civilian employers. Theorganization is supported by a network of more than 4,800volunteers across all 50 states and outlying U.S. districts. To learnmore, visit www.esgr.mil. n

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COMMUNITY NEWS& INDUSTRY AWARDS

Left to Right: Col. Joe Thomas, retired, chairman emeritus of the ESGR;Delilah Massarotti, ESGR Outreach Volunteer; Deputy CommissionerMarie Williams; Commissioner Doug Varney; and General Counsel ZackGriffith.

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COMMISSIONER’S CORNERBraber-Grove Adds Director ofContracts to Responsibilities

Assistant General Counsel SandraBraber-Grove took on the

additional role of Director ofContracts on October 1. She willcontinue to serve as the department’sprivacy officer and recordscompliance attorney. Her new titlewill be the Director of the Office ofContracts and Privacy Compliance,within the Division of GeneralCounsel.

She was awarded a Doctor of Jurisprudence from DrakeUniversity Law School in Des Moines, Iowa, received aMasters of Library Science from the University of Illinois inChampaign-Urbana and a bachelor’s degree, Cum Laude, fromLoyola University in Chicago. She was licensed to practicelaw by the state of Tennessee in 2003 and admitted to practicebefore the U.S. Supreme Court in 2009. She worked forVanderbilt University School of Law in informationtechnology prior to becoming an attorney.

Sandy joined the department in 2007. Contact her at (615) 532-6520 or Sandra.Barber-Grove@tn.gov.

Social Worker Joins Office of CrisisServices

Laura Martin, a social worker whohas spent the past 11 years

working at the Middle TennesseeMental Health Institute (MTMHI) inNashville, joined the Office of CrisisServices, Division of Mental HealthServices, on October 8 as a MentalHealth Program Specialist. While atMTMHI, Laura provided directpatient care. She has a reputation asa real advocate for those served, andher clinical background and

experience will be an asset to the team.She brings 24 years of total inpatient experience, and she

will assist the Office of Crisis Services in ensuring adequategatekeeping services for the regional mental health institutes,while also considering the best interest of the client’s servedby the department. She will be an integral part of all crisisservices initiatives, and one of her primary responsibilities willbe monitoring contract compliance and identifying/implementing quality improvement opportunities.

You can reach her at Laura.B.Martin@tn.gov or by calling(615) 532-6509.

Consumer Affairs/Peer Support AddsCertification Coordinator

Vik Moore joined the Office ofConsumer Affairs and Peer

Support Services, Division ofMental Health Services, on October15, as the new CertificationCoordinator for the state’s PeerSpecialist Certification Program.

Vik has 14 years of experienceas a Peer Specialist, workingthroughout Tennessee, and mostrecently for the Tennessee MentalHealth Consumers’ Association. Before that, he worked forPeninsula, a Division of Parkwest Medical Center. Vik is anexperienced trainer in addition to his background in directservices and all things technical. He is a significant asset to thecertification program and to the department overall.

You can reach him at Vik.Moore@tn.gov or by calling (615) 741-7693.

Laura Young Named PsychiatricNurse Consultant for RMHIs

Laura Young has joined thedepartment as the Psychiatric

Nurse Consultant for the Division ofHospital Services and will serve allof the TDMHSAS regional mentalhealth institutes (RMHIs). Lauraprovides consultation to RMHINurse Executives, assists RMHIs inmaintaining Joint Commissionaccreditation and CMS certification,and acts as a resource person onproblems regarding patient care and

treatment using best practice guidelines.Laura is certified as a Family Psychiatric Mental Health

Nurse practitioner through the American Nurses CredentialingCenter. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School ofNursing, where she is currently pursuing her Doctorate ofNursing Practice, and was elected to the Sigma Theta TauInternational, Iota Chapter of The Honor Society of Nursing.Laura has worked most recently for Mending Hearts,Generations Mental Health Center and Centerstone as anAdvanced Practice Nurse. She has served as an adjunctclinical instructor at Motlow State Community College and asa research nurse at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital.

You can reach her at Laura.Young@tn.gov or by calling(615) 741-7694.

Sandra Braber-Grove Vik Moore

Laura Martin

Laura Young

Bob Micinski Named CEO of MTMHI

Bob Micinski has been namedChief Executive Officer (CEO)

for Middle Tennessee Mental HealthInstitute (MTMHI). Prior to hisappointment on Feb. 4, 2013, Bobserved as interim CEO since October2012.

Prior to this appointment, Bobworked as the AssistantSuperintendent of QualityManagement for Lakeshore MentalHealth Institute (LMHI), where he

oversaw all medical records, patients’ rights, and qualityservices for the hospital, devoting much of his energy toensuring the hospital’s compliance with all applicable federal,state, and local health care regulations as well as standards andcertification requirements of monitoring bodies.

Most recently, Bob served as Director of the EastTennessee Behavioral Health Transformation Project(ETBHTP), where he worked with community outpatientproviders and private inpatient psychiatric providers to ensurea continuity of quality health care in the area formerly servedby LMHI and all around East Tennessee.

You can contact him at Bob.Micinski@tn.gov or by calling(615) 902-7400.

Ledbetter Returns to TDMHSAS toOversee Drug Courts

Liz Ledbetter, formerly the Mental Health ProgramSpecialist for the department, has returned to TDMHSAS

to the Office of Criminal Justice Services as Drug Courtadministrator and will oversee the Drug Courts across thestate.

Her long history of working in state government isconcentrated in the field of mental health/substance abuseservices and criminal justice. Most recently, she worked in theDepartment of Finance & Administration in the Office ofCriminal Justice Programs (OCJP) as a Program Manager,where she was responsible for providing primaryprogrammatic support for grants under Byrne/JAG programs.

Liz’s primary focus in the OCJP was working withcommunity and criminal justice agencies to develop re-entryprograms for offenders in jails or prisons who were returningto the community. In her previous position with TDMHSAS,Liz had responsibility for the development, implementation,and oversight of the criminal justice/mental health liaisonprojects and the Tennessee Mental Health and Criminal JusticeTraining Program.

To reach Liz, call (615) 532-3411 or emailLiz.Ledbetter@tn.gov.

Remembering Charles Battenslag

Charles D. Battenslag came to work for TDMHSAS onDec. 17, 2007, as an Accountant III from the Office of the

Secretary of State. His primary responsibility as a new hirewas to process invoices submitted from sub-recipient agenciescontracting to provide services to Tennessee consumers.

In 2010, these responsibilities changed to monitoring grantsub-recipient agencies in Middle and West Tennessee, inaccordance with the Tennessee Department of Finance andAdministration’s Policy 22.

Charles worked with many mental health and health relatedorganizations in this capacity, including Meharry MedicalCenter, Nurses for Newborns, Tennessee Voices for Children,Centerstone, the Healing Word Counseling Center, SynergyTreatment Center, and the Dickson Police Department.

Charles, with a combined state service of 16 years, was aquiet, unassuming man who was well-known to many, havingalso worked for various state departments, includingEducation, Revenue, Corrections, Commerce and Insuranceand F&A. He retired in 2012 and passed away Jan. 13, 2013,after a brief illness. His memorial service was held Jan. 19 atthe Woodbine Hickory Chapel in Nashville. There are noimmediate family members. n

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Commissioner’s Corner…cont.

Bob Micinski

Charles Battenslag (center) celebrated 15 years of service inDecember 2011 with Commissioner Doug Varney and DeputyCommissioner Marie Williams.

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SHARE YOUR NEWSHave something interesting that you want to include in an

upcoming issue of this newsletter? Send your informationand/or photos (in jpeg format) to Lorene Lambert atLorene.Lambert@tn.gov, and call (615) 253-4812 if you havequestions.

Published online at http://www.tennessee.gov/mental/index.htmlby the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and SubstanceAbuse Services. Publication Authorization #339454.

Tennessee Department of Mental Healthand Substance Abuse Services

Volume 16, Number 1, Winter 2013 Issue

Published quarterly online at:http://www.tn.gov/mental/

Newsletter StaffMichael A. Rabkin, Director of Communications

Lorene Lambert, Publications Editor/Web ManagerRichard Martin, GS/GA Designer

Art Colebank, GS/GA Web Master

TDMHSAS Office of Communications601 Mainstream DriveNashville, TN 37243

Please send newsletter queries, suggestions,corrections, or information to:

lorene.lambert@tn.govor call (615) 253-4812

Send Website queries to:OC.Tdmh@tn.gov or call (615) 532-6610

Photographer Credits this issue:Tennessee Photographic Services

Michael Rabkin and Lorene Lambertwww.iStockphoto.com

Pursuant to the State of Tennesseeʼs policy ofnondiscrimination, the Department of Mental Health andSubstance Abuse Services does not discriminate on thebasis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin,age, disability or military service in its policies, or in theadmission to, or treatment or employment in, itsprograms, services or activities.

Contact the departmentʼs EEO/AA Coordinator at 615-532-5680, the Title VI Coordinator or the ADACoordinator at 615-532-6700 or 1-800-560-5767 forinquiries, complaints or further information.

Tennessee Department of Mental Healthand Substance Abuse Services

Tennessee Department of Mental Health

TDMHSAS Central Office Temporarily Moves toMetro Center

The Department’s Central Office moved Dec. 17, 2012, totemporary quarters in Metro Center, north of downtown

Nashville, as part of an ongoing project to renovate statebuildings. Our current mailing address is 601 Mainstream Drive,Nashville, TN 37243. The UPS and FedEx ZIP code for thisaddress is 37228. All phone numbers, fax numbers, and emailaddresses remain the same. n