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A resolution honoring Angie Thompson for her leadership as the Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness Division at the Metro Public Health Department.
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WHEREAS, Angie Thompson served Metro Public Health as the director of the Behavioral Health and Wellness (“BHW”) Division, which she led for 14 years from 2008 until her retirement in July 2022; and
WHEREAS, her vision, work and accomplishments are broad and far-reaching, and will continue to shape Metro Nashville’s approach to the behavioral health and wellbeing of its residents; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure, five awards were received from the private and public sectors honoring the innovative work of ACE Nashville, the Suicide Prevention and African American Communities Coalition and advocacy for children’s mental health; and
WHEREAS, she was charged with aligning MPHD’s BHW Division with Public Health 3.0 which focuses on expanding beyond direct care to engagement with community partners to address complex public health needs, including behavioral health needs; and
WHEREAS, a highly effective convener and strategist, Angie has led the development of a Community Engaged and Responsive Behavioral Health System which includes pioneering the use of monitoring mental health crisis and overdose injuries and death county-wide, fueling a public health, data-to-action approach to mobilize community action to improve behavioral health systems, prevent and mitigate the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACE)s, prevent suicide, decriminalize mental illness and addiction, respond to the epidemic of fatal and non-fatal overdoses, and link individuals to resources and care-all issues with citywide impact.; and
WHEREAS, she has led the mobilization of community action to strengthen infrastructure and form strategic partnerships across public and private sectors and interfacing with multiple Metro Departments. She has engaged community partners and those with lived experience to identify needs, priorities, and strategies to shape the ongoing work of behavioral health systems change in the community; and
WHEREAS, BHW developed and leveraged partnerships and created a sustainable infrastructure to address near and longer-term gaps and needs. This has been accomplished through evidence-based consensus building and a collective impact approach; and
WHEREAS, under her leadership the Behavioral Health and Wellness Division served as a catalyst for the development and implementation of evidence-based and award-winning initiatives that addressed decriminalizing mental health conditions, substance use disorders and childhood trauma by engaging hundreds of organizations across Metro, building performance data systems to monitor the incidence of mental health crisis and overdoses, measure results, and restructure first responder services for those with behavioral health needs as well as the crisis continuum and available treatment; and
WHEREAS, she has accrued numerous accomplishments. Some noteworthy achievements, reflecting her leadership and influence, can be summarized across three areas that have shaped services, engagement and policy in Metro Nashville:
• County-wide decision-making to improve access to services for all communities: Behavioral Health and Wellness Advisory Council established by Executive Order in 2018; County-wide Behavioral Health Needs Assessment.
• Data-to-action initiatives to decriminalize mental health conditions, address the rapid escalation of overdose fatalities, prioritize adverse childhood experiences, and provide resources to address suicide in African American communities:
o Community Mental Health Systems Improvement to decriminalize mental health conditions and reduce the number of social-emotional and behavioral health crises requiring intervention.
o Overdose Prevention and Response Program focusing on overdose reduction through timely surveillance, rapid linkage to care and data informed stakeholder coordination. Additionally, overseeing the creation of one of the first Overdose Fatality Review panels in Tennessee.
o Founding member (2015) of ACE Nashville focused on the prevention/mitigation of adverse childhood experiences.
o Founding Co-Chair (2009) Suicide Prevention in African American Faith Communities Coalition which works to reduce suicide in the African American Community by engaging faith communities in suicide prevention efforts.
• Policy guidance and implementation: Served as the inaugural public sector co-chair of BHWAC and served on the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) Statewide Policy and Planning Council and as Vice-Chair of Region IV TDMHSAS Policy and Planning Council; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council recognize Angie Thompson and her immeasurable contributions to Nashville and Davidson County on the occasion of her retirement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as recognizing Angie Thompson for her dedication to the wellbeing of Nashville residents, congratulating her on retirement and extending to her best wishes.
Section 2. The Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.