Connecting the Dots: Mental Health and Student Success in Tennessee through Evidence-Based Programs and Data Analysis

The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) and NashvilleHealth co-hosted an event at the state capital addressing mental health and its impact on students’ educational outcomes. The symposium, held at Lipscomb University, provided a platform for stakeholders to share innovative programs, best practices, and student-lived experiences. Over 200 community, education, and mental health leaders attended the event.

The discussion focused on the research gaps in mental health services’ impact on state education outcomes and included the release of new county-level data on mental well-being vulnerabilities in Tennessee by the Belmont Data Collaborative. The research identified Lake and Haywood Counties in West Tennessee and Hancock County in East Tennessee as the three most vulnerable counties, with the most vulnerable zip codes in Memphis and Chattanooga.

Senator Bill Frist, M.D., founder and board chairman of NashvilleHealth and SCORE, emphasized the importance of inspiring and connecting state and national organizations working on research and programs supporting positive student mental health. The hope is to highlight evidence-based work that could contribute to Tennessee programs and support students struggling with mental health.

The event aims to encourage stakeholders to conduct more research and find positive ways to support students facing mental health challenges. Information from the “Connecting the Dots: Mental Health and Student Success in Tennessee” symposium is available for further reading.