Tennessee § 33-1-304 - Duties of commissioner.

§ 33-1-304. Duties of commissioner.

The commissioner shall: Based on best practice and research, assess the needs of service recipients and potential service recipients throughout the state, plan for a system to meet the needs, set standards for services and supports for service recipients, promote the development of services and supports for service recipients in a community-based, family-oriented system, perform the department's duties, and achieve the department's goals; Collaborate with all relevant state agencies to coordinate the administration of state programs and policies that directly affect service recipients with respect to treatment, habilitation and education; Advise the governor, general assembly, state, local, and private agencies, and the public in matters affecting service recipients, and advocate meeting their needs; and Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, assist the council on children's mental health care in developing a plan that will establish demonstration sites in certain geographic areas where children's mental health care is child-centered, family-driven, and culturally and linguistically competent and that provides a coordinated system of care for children's mental health needs in this state. Acts 2000, ch. 947, § 1; 2008, ch. 1062, § 2. Compiler's Notes. For the Preamble to the act regarding the mental health needs of Tennessee's children and youth, please refer to Acts 2008, ch. 1062. Acts 2016, ch. 894, § 1 provided: On or before January 31, 2017, the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services shall submit a report to the health and welfare committee of the senate and the health committee of the house of representatives concerning the feasibility of a pilot program for one (1) county that seeks to address overcrowding in jails and correction institutions by providing diversionary or transitional services that include mental health services and supports, substance abuse treatment and counseling, health care, and employment and housing supports. The report shall examine, but not be limited to, the following topics: The costs and benefits of implementing the pilot program; The number of people the pilot program could expect to serve; Approaches taken by other states to address prison diversion and prison transition issues where mental health and substance abuse services are involved; Best practices for this type of pilot program; Prospects for and barriers to potential expansion of the pilot programstatewide; and Potential federal funding sources to support the pilot program.