Come Join TMHCA as it celebrates 25 years of “Honoring our Past, Building our Present, and Shaping our Future.”

TMHCA’s 25th year celebration will be at the world renowned Jim Oliver’s Smoke House Lodge. Where much of the planning for what is now one of the nation’s largest consumers/survivor groups began – Monteagle, TN.

Date:  May 16, 2013

Time: Registration begins at 8am Central, Conference 8am-4pm Central

Registration Deadline: Registration has closed as the event is fully booked. (register here and apply for scholarship if applicable)

Location: Jim Oliver’s Smoke House Lodge in Monteagle, TN

Paolo del Vecchio, MSW, is the Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS).  SAMHSA is the lead Federal agency designed to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

A self-identified mental health consumer, trauma survivor, and person in recovery from addictions, Paolo has been involved for over 40 years in behavioral health as a consumer, family member, provider, advocate, and policy maker.

Dr. Fisher obtained a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin and carried out neurochemical research at NIMH.

He was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was hospitalized on three occasions, and recovered.  He co-founded the National Empowerment Center and was a Commissioner on the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. He helped organize the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery, a national voice for consumers and Interrelate, an international voice.

Plus a panel of well-known speakers from Tennessee including: Lisa Ragan, MSSW; Daniel Grooms MS, MBA;, Carolina George, LMSW; and Jennifer Jones, MSSW.

For conference questions contact Tory Vaughn at tvaughn@tmhca-tn.org

To register visit: http://tmhca2013.eventbrite.com/ (Registration is now closed)

The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network is excited to announce that we are in the process of planning our Suicide Prevention Symposium, set for  Thursday, May 9 2013, at Trevecca Community Church, located at 335 Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville.

Our theme, “Your Role in Suicide Prevention”, reflects the opportunity for new projects and initiatives made possible by the revised National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.  Jerry Reed, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), has been invited to speak; Dr. Reed co-facilitated the recent revision of the National Strategy. U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin has also been invited to discuss the National Strategy and its implications for Tennessee.  Gov. Bill Haslam, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, and Speaker of the House Beth Harwell have also been invited.

We have arranged for several dynamic speakers leading us in breakout sessions on topics like suicide and substance abuse, suicide among older adults and within the LGBT population, and response to suicide crises within schools and universities. We are expecting around 300 participants at this event including legislators, government officials, health care professionals, educators, clergy, journalists, community activists, survivors of suicide and suicide attempts, and the general public.

Your registration fee of $35 entitles you to participation in all symposium lectures and breakout sessions, as well as the continental breakfast and conference luncheon. 5 contact hours are available for symposium participants.

Registration is now available for this event by submission of the registration form and your check to the TSPN central office.  Guests who wish to pay by credit card may register online at our Eventbrite registration site (www.tspn-sps.eventbrite.com). (Note that the credit card registration price is $38; the higher price being necessary to cover processing fees.)

We look forward to hearing from you and to having you as our guest for this life-changing, life-saving event.  We will be happy to provide with additional information as needed; you can reach us at tspn@tspn.org or (615) 297-1077.