Tennessee’s Statewide Suicide Prevention Network

March 07, 2025

News Type:  From the Field, State Infrastructure
Speaker:  Tennessee

The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) is a statewide organization that works to eliminate the stigma associated with suicide and encourage help-seeking. For almost 25 years, TSPN has been developing, implementing, and monitoring the Tennessee Strategy for Suicide Prevention, working to align it with the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and tailor it to meet the needs of Tennesseans.

Drawing on the expertise, passion, and support of 10 regional staff, statewide programmatic staff, a 30-member gubernatorially-appointed advisory council, representatives from state agencies, dedicated volunteers, and the wisdom of a group of emeritus members, TSPN uses a team approach to comprehensively improve the breadth and depth of the state’s prevention, intervention, and postvention services.

TSPN divides Tennessee’s 95 counties into regional catchment areas where 10 TSPN regional directors partner with three local advisory council members to lead suicide prevention efforts at the local level. This allows TSPN representatives to lead efforts in the communities where they live, work, play, and worship. TSPN programmatic staff add an extra tier of support and expertise by educating and recruiting organizations for select initiatives statewide.

More information about TSPN’s membership and history can be found here: Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network.

The Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drugs and other Addiction Services (TAADAS, 501(c)(3)) provides administrative oversight and acts as TSPN’s fiscal agent.

To learn how your state or territory can develop similar suicide prevention infrastructure and to read other state stories, please visit the webpage for the Partner essential element from SPRC’s Recommendations for State Suicide Prevention Infrastructure.