Check-in at the Conference Registration Desk and prepare for a great day of sessions and networking.

Welcome & Opening Remarks and Speaker Introduction

Alysia Smith Knight, Executive Director, Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO), Franklin, TN

Ben Middleton, TAMHO President & CEO, Centerstone, Nashville, TN

0.25 Contact/Clock Hours Available

Guest Speaker

Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Jason O. Harris, No Fail Trust

This transformative keynote empowers leaders and teams to deliver consistently excellent results through a culture of No Fail Trust. Jason shares tactics, techniques, and practical tools for navigating the inevitable turbulence of life and cultivating high-flying levels of empowerment, commitment, and accountability across your organization. 

This program is perfect for leaders and teams: 

• Seeing a lack of engagement and trust but unsure how to foster greater connection and collaboration
• Struggling to improve their team’s performance and productivity (or their own!)
• Needing practical strategies for navigating the ever-changing challenges of life and business

The audience will leave with: 

• A new understanding of the critical role trust plays in improving engagement, collaboration, and performance
• A clear framework for cultivating unparalleled trust and enabling greater empowerment, commitment, and accountability
• Practical techniques for adapting to unexpected conditions and challenges while maintaining a high level of trust
• Immediately actionable steps for improving their collaboration, productivity, and job satisfaction. 

1.00 Contact/Clock Hours Available

Time for a little self-care, nourishment, hydration . . .

Stand-up, stretch, and introduce yourself to at least one person during the break. Visit the display tables in the Networking Expo area.

Speaker Introductions

Kristie Hammonds, President and Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Health, Gray, TN

Session Facilitator

Ben Middleton, TAMHO President & CEO, Centerstone, Nashville, TN

Speakers

Marie Williams, LCSW, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Nashville, TN

Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, TN

Stephen Smith, JD, Deputy Commissioner, Director of TennCare, Nashville, TN

Join us for an enlightening panel discussion featuring the Commissioners of the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Use Services, and the Bureau of TennCare. This session will explore how these key departments collaborate to enhance access to comprehensive health services throughout the state. Attendees will gain insights into innovative strategies and initiatives that ensure a cohesive approach to healthcare, aiming to break down silos and promote coordinated care for improved outcomes across the state.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the collaborative partnerships between the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Use Services, and the Bureau of TennCare to improve access to healthcare services for Tennesseans;
2. Examine key programs and initiatives that showcase integrated care, specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges; and,
3. Understand how providers can engage with and support these integrated health initiatives, promoting a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to healthcare across Tennessee.

1.00 Contact/Clock Hours Available

Welcome Remarks

Chloe Ligon-Smith, Director of Policy & Advocacy, Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO), Franklin, TN

Opening Remarks

Alysia Smith Knight, Executive Director, Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO), Franklin, TN

President's Remarks

Ben Middleton, TAMHO President & CEO, Centerstone, Nashville, TN

Ceremony Emcee

Willie M. Voss, II, Chief Operating Officer, TN Voices, Goodlettsville, TN

The Annual TAMHO Awards and Recognition Program honors individuals, programs, and organizations who have demonstrated exemplary dedication, compassion, and innovation in the field of behavioral health. 

Whether it's a clinician who goes above and beyond for their clients, a program that's making a significant impact in the community, or a leader who's driving positive change, great things are transpiring across Tennessee!

Speaker Introduction

Kelly Odum, Executive Director, Quinco Mental Health Center, Bolivar, TN

Speaker

David Atkins, PhD, CEO / Lyssn, Affiliate Professor / University of Washington Psychiatry, City, WA

Conversations are at the heart of behavioral healthcare. From 988 call-takers to care coordinators to counselors to peer supporters to social work caseworkers, conversations are the intervention. What happens in those conversations contains the necessary information for documentation, quality assurance, when additional training might be needed, and of course whether or not clients improve. AI software tools have arrived for behavioral healthcare, promising to speed documentation, scale quality assurance, increase training uptake, and even provide some care directly. Sounds almost too good to be true and begs the question: Where can AI truly deliver value, and what are the questions that informed consumers should ask before signing on the dotted line?

Starting with the foundational question of what AI is (and is not), I will review current AI applications in behavioral healthcare, where I will specifically focus on AI use cases for training, quality assurance, and documentation. We will examine the strengths and weaknesses of AI models, and what the future may hold for AI tools and applications in behavioral healthcare. Throughout, I’ll focus in particular on key questions that mental health leadership can ask so that they will know that the tools they bring into their clinics are valid, fair, and equitable… in addition to being powerful.  

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe how training data for AI models is related to potential bias;
2. Understand how AI can support training, quality assurance, and documentation in behavioral healthcare; and,
3. Identify specific questions to assess validity, accuracy, and robustness of AI models used in behavioral healthcare.

1.00 Contact/Clock Hours Available

Time for a little self-care, nourishment, hydration . . .

Stand-up, stretch, and introduce yourself to at least one person during the break. Visit the display tables in the Networking Expo area.

Session and Speaker Introduction

Chloe Ligon-Smith, Director of Policy and Advocacy, TAMHO, Nashville, TN

Speaker

Leighanne Gerstbrein, MA, CHES, Wellness Consultant, Exercise Physiologist, & Nutrition Coach, MTM Services, Holly Springs, NC

This insightful session will help you create a positive and thriving work environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated. In this session, we will explore evidence-based strategies to enhance staff well-being and promote mental, physical, emotional and social health that can help boost productivity, engagement, and retention rates within your workforce. Join us to gain practical tools and techniques to implement within your organization and learn how to cultivate a workplace where well-being is at the heart of success.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn tangible strategies you can start implementing in your workplace today to best support staff and boost staff well-being and engagement.
2. Identify common barriers to staff and organizational well-being, and staff participating in our wellness initiatives, and gain tangible tools to overcome each barrier, allowing you to better leverage employee well-being as a catalyst for organizational growth.
3. Discover the correlation between individual and organizational well-being and retention and engagement rates and therefore organizational success. 
4. See if you qualify to gain your own free well-being and engagement assessment tool to share with your people and get the pulse check on where your team stands on well-being and engagement!   

1.00 Contact/Clock Hours Available

Complete Evaluations, CE Requests, etc. for Day 1

Check-in at the Conference Registration Desk and prepare for a great day of sessions and networking.

Speaker Introduction

Jimmie Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Professional Care Services of West TN, Covington, TN

Speaker

Derek Young, Motivational Speaker and Author, Derek "DY" Young Speaks

Throughout time and now more than ever, the role of Behavioral Health leaders is paramount for society’s overall well-being and effectiveness. Much like the people they serve, Behavioral Health leaders across the 95 counties in the Volunteer state need encouragement, support, and professional development. You Matter! Will equip Tennessee Behavioral Health leaders with the knowledge and perspective to expand their impact by elevating their capacity to serve. 

Learning Objectives:

The You Matter! Keynote will help Tennessee behavioral health leaders:

1. Reframe their individual and collective significance and impact;
2. Envision their Career Legacy; and,
3. Envision their Career Legacy. 

1.00 Contact/Clock Hours Available

Complete Evaluations, CE Requests, etc. for Day 2