News

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is releasing new data showing the response to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the state.

The three-digit number for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched in mid-July 2022 after two years of planning, preparation, and expansion.  In Tennessee, that included distributing about $2.8 million in federal funding to community-based crisis call centers to hire dozens of new staff.

The preparation paid off with about 21,000 Tennessee calls to 988 in the last six months of 2022.  That’s an increase of about 500 calls per month over the previous 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number.  Tennesseans are also taking advantage of 988’s ability to text or chat.  In the last half of 2022, there were nearly 10,000 texts to 988 and chats with 988lifeline.org from people in Tennessee.

“It’s never been easier to connect with mental health care in a crisis thanks to 988. Our state has an amazing network of crisis services and community mental health providers, and 988 is unlocking the door to mental health help that so many people need right now,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams.  “We are grateful to our community partners who expanded to meet the demand and continue to respond to needs in a caring and compassionate way.”

Even with the increased demand for assistance, Tennessee’s crisis call centers are meeting or exceeding national benchmarks for in-state answer rate and time to answer.  The federal agency that funds the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline sets targets at 90% in-state and 30 seconds.  Any call that’s not answered promptly in-state rolls over to a national backup call center so that no call goes unanswered.

“The power of 988 and Tennessee’s crisis services continuum means that not only are you talking to someone in Tennessee, the call-taker is probably in your region and knows the resources and probably has personal contacts who can help,” said TDMHSAS Director of Crisis Services and Suicide Prevention Jennifer Armstrong.

After the strong start in 2022, TDMHSAS is adding additional capacity in Nashville, Knoxville, and West Tennessee utilizing $1 million in supplemental funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and existing Mental Health Block Grant Funding.  The department previously expanded chat and text capabilities in September 2022 to meet the demand during peak times.

“We’ve long said that we were going to follow the data in our approach to 988, and we’ve done just that.  We’re constantly learning more about how Tennesseans want to access help in a mental health crisis, and increasingly that doesn’t involve speaking to someone on the phone.,” said Matt Yancey, LCSW, TDMHSAS Deputy Commissioner for Community Behavioral Health Programs.  “We’re grateful for the flexibility of our crisis call centers and their amazing staff as we work together to meet the need and connect people to care.”

Tennesseans are invited to join the inaugural ceremony and worship service for Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s second inauguration on January 21, 2023. 

“The Lord has been faithful and poured His great favor over Tennessee,” said Gov. Lee. “Maria and I invite Tennesseans to join us for a celebration of our state, as we thank God for our many blessings and seek His wisdom in the days ahead.”

The 2023 Inaugural Ceremony and Worship Service on Saturday, January 21 are both free to the public with registration. Tickets can be reserved here based on seating availability.

Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris McClarney, Nicole C. Mullen, Chris Tomlin, the Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University and other acclaimed performers will headline the Inaugural Worship Service at the legendary Ryman Auditorium at 8:30 a.m. CT.

Immediately following the worship service, Gov. Lee will take the oath of office at the Inauguration Ceremony at 11 a.m. CT on Legislative Plaza. The oath will be administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page. The event is a joint convention of the 113th General Assembly.

‘Tennessee: Leading the Nation’ celebratory events will take place January 20-21 in Nashville. With the exception of the ticketed Saturday evening events, all activities are free and open to the public with limitations based on venue capacity. Registration is required for all events. Event details, tickets and registrations are available here.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture remind farmers, timber harvesters, and nursery operators that they can buy more items tax-free in 2023.

Under a new state law taking effect January 1, 2023, qualified farmers and nursery operators may purchase building material, fencing material, warranties, and most other items of tangible personal property used primarily in agricultural operations exempt from sales and use tax.

“Farming is an important industry in our state, and we were pleased to work with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, members of the Tennessee General Assembly, and other stakeholders to expand the agricultural sales tax exemption,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said.

“The new tax exemptions will greatly benefit Tennessee’s farmers and foresters when purchasing what they need for their operations to thrive,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “As Tennessee’s number one industry, when agriculture is strong, everyone benefits. We appreciate our policymakers for recognizing the importance and impact of ag.”

To purchase farm equipment and machinery tax-free, farmers must show their Tennessee sales tax exemption card. To obtain a card, famers should complete the Agricultural Sales and Use Tax Exemption application.

Automobiles, trucks, household appliances, and gasoline or diesel fuel used in vehicles operated upon public highways remain subject to sales tax. Additionally, contractors and subcontractors who use property in the performance of a contract with a qualified farmer or nursery operator are subject to sales and use tax on that property.

For more information about the agricultural sales tax exemption, read this important notice and this tax manual on the Department of Revenue’s website. For questions, please call 615-253-0600 or email revenue.support@tn.gov.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2022 fiscal year, it collected nearly $20.9 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $4.3 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

The Tennessee Department of Health is recognizing National Birth Defects Awareness Month in January 2023 to encourage healthy choices and habits for prospective parents to help lower their risk of having babies born with birth defects.

Birth defects are structural changes that can affect almost any part of the body. In Tennessee, more than 3,000 babies are born with birth defects every year. Birth defects cause one in five infant deaths in the state and cause lifelong physical and intellectual challenges for others.

“There are resources to help people to be as healthy as possible, whether they are preparing for pregnancy, caring for a child with birth defects, or are individuals living with birth defects” said Dr. Tobi Amosun, Assistant Commissioner for the Department of Health and Director of Family Health and Wellness. “The Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program is an important resource for nutrition and the Community Health Access and Navigation in Tennessee (CHANT) program is available in every county to assist with other needs for children, particularly those with special needs. We are working to make sure all Tennesseans receive the services and treatments they need, in the ways they need them. Supporting family and child health creates a better Tennessee.”

Adopting healthy behaviors even before becoming pregnant can increase the chances of having the best outcomes. These healthy behaviors include:

• Maintaining a healthy diet;
• Engaging in daily exercise;
• Taking 400mcg of folic acid daily;
• Starting prenatal care early;
• Staying current on vaccines;
• Managing chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension;
• Spacing healthy timeframes between pregnancies; and,
• Avoiding alcohol, nicotine products, and the misuse of substances.

Women of childbearing age are encouraged to ask their healthcare providers about ways to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. This is particulately important for women taking medication regularly.

For more information, visit the TDH Birth Defects website (www.tn.gov/health/BirthDefectsInfo) and the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (https://www.nbdpn.org/bdam.php).

Cannon County Schools take pleasure in honoring the school-level Teachers of the Yearfor the 2022-2023 School Year.  Each teacher was selected to represent their respective school in three categories:  PreK-4th Grade; 5th Grade – 8th Grade; 9th Grade – 12th Grade.  One Teacher in each category will be selected by a committee to represent Cannon County as the District Teacher of the Year in the Upper Cumberland CORE Region and will be announced during the Week of January 24th, 2022.  The following teachers were selected to represent their individual schools:

                   Teacher of the Year School Nominations 2022-2023

School	PreK-4	5 – 8	9-12
Cannon County Elementary School	Beth Todd	Bobbie Ford
Cannon North Elementary School	Alicia Barrett	Roger Haley
Cannon South Elementary School	Elleana Nave	Jordan Anderson
Cannon County Middle School		(6-8) Melissa Anderson
Cannon County High School			Lacy Eckart

Director of Cannon County Schools William Freddy Curtis stated, “We are tremendously proud of each one of these outstanding educators.  Teachers work incredibly hard to serve their students, communicate with parents/guardians, and strive to improve their craft every day of the school year.  They also work long hours after school and during the Summer months honing their skills and attending training sessions in their respective areas of responsibility.  Each one of these deserving teachers exemplify Cannon County Schools’ VISION – ‘Engaged in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ through our MISSION – ‘To Create an Environment of Excellence That Will Provide Opportunities for All Students to Reach Their Full Potential!’ These individuals live the VISION and MISSION every moment of every day, and we salute them for their distinguished

Cannon County Schools will be CLOSED on Friday, January 13th, 2023 due to potential inclement weather forecasted. Director of Cannon County Schools – William Freddy Curtis stated, “Cannon County Schools will be CLOSED on Friday, January 13th, 2023 due to the threat of potential winter precipitation forecast to move into Cannon County tomorrow.

Nearby counties are under a Winter Weather Advisory on January 13th, 2023 from 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM on Saturday, January 14th, 2023. The safety of our students and personnel is always our utmost priority. This will be our 2 nd Inclement Weather Day utilized in the 2022-2023 School Year.”

The Nashville office of the National Weather Service lists the following as the expected conditions for Cannon and surrounding counties;

Much colder air will move in with a good chance for snow showers beginning Friday morning and continuing off and on through Saturday morning. Total snowfall accumulations of 1-2 inches can be expected specifically across the higher elevations of the Cumberland Plateau.

Today, U.S. Representative John Rose released the following statement after being sworn in to serve as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District in the 118^th Congress:

“It is an extreme honor to take the oath of office to continue serving the people of Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. As Republicans are sworn into the majority in the U.S. House, I am optimistic about the opportunity to enact policies that encourage job growth, fight inflation, defend our borders, protect law enforcement, preserve our constitution, and hold Washington accountable to the American people,” said Rep. Rose. “I am also thrilled to welcome my new constituents from East Nashville, Van Buren County, and portions of Scott and Warren Counties. I thank you for again trusting me to represent your voice in Congress.”

Governor Bill Lee presented his administration’s strategic infrastructure plan to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities. In the coming weeks, the Lee administration will introduce the Transportation Modernization Act of 2023. 

Tennesseans are invited to view the full presentation here.

“As Tennessee continues to experience tremendous growth, we have an obligation to make strategic transportation investments that prepare our state for continued success – without raising taxes or going into debt,” said Lee. “Our infrastructure plan will prepare Tennessee communities, both rural and urban, for increased economic advantages and improved mobility in the years ahead. I look forward to partnering with members of the General Assembly to solve transportation challenges.”

Lee’s plan will ensure the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), under the leadership of Commissioner Butch Eley, has the resources needed to solve the state’s current and future mobility challenges.

Proposed solutions include: 

·       Seeking the use of public-private partnerships to allow private investment in new urban roadway infrastructure, which will allow the state to reserve funds for more rural infrastructure priorities.

·       The plan for public-private partnerships will include exploring Choice Lanes, which are additional, optional lanes funded in partnership with the private sector on urban Tennessee interstates to decrease congestion and increase economic impact across the state

·       Expanding the alternative delivery model to save taxpayer dollars and deliver road projects more quickly

Additional information about the “Build with Us” plan can be found here. 

“Tennessee is facing a critical juncture when it comes to transportation and mobility,” said Commissioner Eley. “Our infrastructure investments will ensure that TDOT has the tools needed to quickly deliver and maintain quality roads so that Tennesseans and commerce can move across our state, all while saving taxpayer dollars.”

Cannon County High School Officials have learned of a perceived threat at Cannon County High School late in the day on Wednesday, January 4^th, 2023.  Cannon County Law Enforcement Officials were notified and an investigation was begun. Additional Law Enforcement Officers will be present at Cannon County High School on Thursday, January 5^th, 2023. 

Director of Cannon County Schools – William Freddy Curtis stated, “Every threat is taken seriously, even perceived ones. We appreciate the efforts of Principal Courtney Nichols and local Law Enforcement to investigate ANY threat.  Please know that we place a priority on school safety, and we investigate all reports of threats made against schools. We ask that parents please speak to their children about the importance of not spreading false information about threats. Doing so causes nothing but panic and disruption to the educational environment.  Any person that is found to make a threat regarding ANY of our schools will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Working together we desire to have the best possible learning environment and climate.”

Join the Department of Revenue on January 4 at 8:30 am Central time for a free webinar for new businesses.

Participants will learn about state tax obligations for new businesses in Tennessee and about other resources that may help their businesses. Each new business webinar, offered quarterly, covers topics such as tax registration, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise taxes, and how to get help from the Department of Revenue as well as other relevant state agencies.

Register for the January 4 webinar here. You can find information about the new business webinar on our website here.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2021 fiscal year, it collected $18.4 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3.7 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.  To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.