The Tennessee Mental Health Consumers’ Association (TMHCA) is Tennessee’s only statewide mental health consumer/survivor owned and operated organization with a board of directors and staff that are 100% mental health consumers.
Founded in 1988, TMHCA is a not for profit organization whose members are mental health consumers and other individuals and groups who support our mission. TMHCA recognizes our members as individuals whose life experiences and dreams for the future are invaluable in the structuring of our plans and policies.
TMHCA has seven program training offerings; Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Illness Management and Recovery (IMR), Supported Employment (SE), Peer Counseling Training, BRIDGES courses and support groups, Regional Advocacy Program. TMHCA also owns and operates a Memphis-based Peer Center.
WRAP is an exciting new recovery tool for people who experience psychiatric symptoms which is designed to decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors, increase personal empowerment, improve quality of life, and assist people in achieving their own life goals and dreams.
The Illness Management and Recovery Program consists of a series of weekly sessions where mental health practitioners help people who have experienced psychiatric symptoms to develop personalized strategies for managing their mental illness and moving forward in their lives. The program can be provided in an individual or group format, and generally lasts between three and six months. In the sessions, practitioners work collaboratively with people, offering a variety of information, strategies, and skills that people can use to further their own recovery. There is a strong emphasis on helping people set and pursue personal goals and helping them put strategies into action in their everyday lives.
Supported Employment is a well-defined approach to helping people with mental illnesses find and keep competitive employment within their communities. Supported employment programs are staffed by employment specialists who have frequent meetings with treatment providers to integrate supported employment with mental health services.
Peer Counseling Training is offered annually to mental health consumers in Tennessee. Peer Counseling is the process by which a trained mental health consumer (Peer Counselor) gives nonjudgmental, non-directive support to a peer who is experiencing a personal crisis. It is short termed and provided by a peer instead of a mental health professional.
Building Recovery & Individual Dreams & Goals through Education & Support (BRIDGES) was founded in 1995. Since that time, BRIDGES has been implemented in large and small communities across Tennessee. Over 4000 individuals take part in BRIDGES annually. BRIDGES is a self-help program that provides education and support to mental health consumers. There are two parts to the program; courses on recovery taught by mental health consumers and support groups facilitated by mental health consumers.
TMHCA coordinates a network of advocates specifically designated to serve mental health consumers in Tennessee. They provide, advocacy for consumers – both individual and system wide, representation of consumers on advisory boards and committees, help in resolving problems associated with services necessary to consumers information and referral to consumers, family members and others about mental heath services and community supports public outreach and public awareness, self advocacy training – Advocates promote the rights, recovery, and empowerment of consumers.
TMHCA Peer Center is a place designed for individuals that have received mental health services, past or present, eighteen years of age or older. It is a mechanism for social change with an extraordinary value placed on education, independence and recovery. The Peer Center is located at 700 Madison Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.