West Tennessee
Amy Bechtol
(731) 256-6886
amy@jmprevent.org

The TDMHSAS Faith-Based Community Coordinators are people with lived experience who connect with communities of faith to recruit, train, and certify through the Tennessee Certified Recovery Congregation program.  Each community coordinator is employed by their local Community Anti-Drug Coalition.  The department currently has four Faith-Based Community Coordinators, one for each grand division of the state and one dedicated to Shelby County.

Prescription drug take-back boxes provide a place where unused prescription drugs can be safely disposed.

These permanent boxes prevent prescription and over-the-counter medications from getting into the hands of children and into the waterways. They make sure they are disposed of in a safe, environmentally-friendly manner. Medication collection events and programs are part of a nationwide effort to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical products being flushed or poured down drains.

The Dyersburg and Dyer County Anti-drug coalition is a group of businesses, organizations, and individuals who share one common goal: to create a healthier and safer environment for our community by encouraging our citizens to make healthy decisions about drinking, prescription drug use, and tobacco use.

Please visit the website or Facebook linked above to learn more.

Learn More About Substance Use Prevention Coalition!

In counties and communities across Tennessee, substance use prevention coalitions are working to reduce dependence on harmful and potentially lethal substances such as prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. These local efforts, funded by the state of Tennessee since 2008, help get the word out about the dangers and consequences of substance use. Coalitions are also key partners in many of the department’s special initiatives focusing on opioid overdose prevention and reversal, connection to treatment and recovery resources, and faith-based outreach.

Eight Ways Coalitions Benefit Tennessee Communities:

• Increase the number of community permanent prescription drug take-back boxes per community
• Conduct community-based drug take-back events
• Work to standardize penalties for alcohol and drug offenders
• Education for individuals handling alcoholic beverage transactions
• Monitor current smoke-free ordinances to encourage enforcement
• Post anti-drug, anti-alcohol, and anti-smoking billboards in the community
• Offer a reward for information on illegal drug manufacturing
• Engage youth to participate in drug, alcohol, and tobacco-free efforts

Visit Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to find prevention coalitions located across the state and learn how you can get involved!

Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) are located throughout the state of Tennessee as a point of contact for training and education on opioid overdose and for overdose prevention through the distribution of naloxone.

ROPS focus on three primary groups with their work:

• First Responders
• Individuals at high risk of overdose, their families, and friends
• Agencies and organizations that provide treatment and recovery services or community resources

In addition to the priority populations, the ROPS will train all interested community members.

Regional contact information is routinely updated. Visit the website linked above to find a map with your region’s contact information. 

Peer Support Centers are places where people with mental illness and substance use disorders can learn about recovery, find peer support, and have fun—all for free. The friends you make there will become like family to you.

There are 45 Peer Support Centers in Tennessee. The staff members are people who have mental illness and/or substance use disorder and who have been trained to give peer support.

If you live in a county that a Peer Support Center serves, the peer staff can give you a free ride to the Center at least once a week. You do not need a referral and you do not need to receive services from the host agency in order to attend.

Host Agency:  Pathways

Peer Support: Center: The Hope Center

Address: 222 E Court St Suite A Dyersburg 38024

Phone Number: 731-287-7535

Hours of Operation:  Tue – Thu 8 am – 3:30 pm

For more information and a full list of Tennessee Peer Support Centers visit the website linked above.