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FHF CONFERENCE

Franklin’s Mental Health: “Together We Can Find Hope” Conference

Franklin’s Mental Health: “Together We Can Find Hope” Symposium

Franklin’s Mental Health: “Together We Can Find Hope” is an event dedicated to raising awareness and providing support for mental health issues.

Franklin—Find Hope Franklin, founded by Franklin Mayor, Dr. Ken Moore has scheduled a mental health symposium featuring Senator Bill Frist and Dr. Stephen Loyd M.D Chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council. Many other Franklin health professionals will speak in three panels throughout the day focusing on Franklin’s community wellness, youth mental health and also offer solutions and assistance for our community. The symposium is scheduled for October 25, 9am-3pm at Columbia State Community College Franklin Campus at 1228 Liberty Pike. There is no cost to attend, seats will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis. Lunch will be provided.

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Franklin—Find Hope Franklin, founded by Franklin Mayor, Dr. Ken Moore has scheduled a mental health symposium featuring Senator Bill Frist and Dr. Stephen Loyd M.D Chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council. Many other Franklin health professionals will speak in three panels throughout the day focusing on Franklin’s community wellness, youth mental health and also offer solutions and assistance for our community. The symposium is scheduled for October 25, 9am-3pm at Columbia State Community College Franklin Campus at 1228 Liberty Pike.

There is no cost to attend, seats will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.
Lunch will be provided.

Panel 1
Community Wellness Check

BRITTANY LABORDE

 

Brittany Laborde is a Prevention Coordinator with the Williamson Prevention Coalition and a Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist (ROPS) for Williamson, Trousdale, Wilson, Cannon, and Rutherford Counties with the TN Dept of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

She works in the community to prevent youth substance use, promote mental health, give parents and teachers tools to talk to teens, promote available substance abuse related resources for all community members, reduce stigma, harm reduction, and promote partnerships for healthier communities.
Her educational background is in public health education and has personal experience helping friends and family who struggle with substance use disorders.

 

    DR. ANDY RUSSELL

     

    Dr. Andy Russell is a native Tennessean, born and raised in Memphis. He attended Rhodes College, followed by medical school at East Tennessee State University. He completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Kentucky, and then moved to Franklin in 2004 with his wife, and 2 daughters. He has been a practicing Emergency Medicine physician in the Williamson Medical Center Emergency Department since 2004, serving as the Medical Director of the ED from 2010-2017. During that time, he obtained his MBA from Auburn University. Since January 2018, Dr. Russell has served as the Chief Medical Officer at WMC, while still working shifts in the ED.

    When Dr. Russell is not at WMC, he can usually be found out on the golf course, travelling with his family, or on the backroads of Williamson County on his bicycle.

    CHIEF DEB FAULKNER

    While Chief Faulkner has been a member of the Franklin Police Department for over ten years, she has a long career in law enforcement.

    Deb came up through ranks as a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department serving in the Patrol Division and various other assignments and achieving the rank of Deputy Chief of Police.

    She has her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Memphis; her master’s in criminal justice from Middle Tennessee State University; and her doctorate in Human Development Counseling from Vanderbilt University.

     She has served as President of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and was selected by Governor Lee to serve on the Tennessee POST Commission. She is a graduate of The FBI National Academy.

    She currently serves on the Board of Leadership Franklin and is also a graduate of Leadership Nashville and Leadership Middle Tennessee.

     

    Cathy Montgomery

    Cathy Montgomery is the County Health Director for the Williamson County Health Department, and has served in her role for the past 11 years.  She has worked in the public health field for nearly 25 years.  Cathy holds both Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees in Health Education from Florida State University.

     

    Panel 2
    Nurturing Resilience

    JOSIAH HOLLAND 

    Josiah Holland has served in the Williamson County School system for over 20 years in various roles and currently leads the Alternative Learning Center where he serves suspended and incarcerated students in the community. He has dedicated his life’s work to using supportive, therapeutic methods to educate underserved populations. Josiah is a restorative practices trainer for the International Institute of Restorative Practices and currently serves as secretary on the TN Governor’s Council for Alternative Education. 

    JENNA MONFORTE, LCSW

     

    Jenna Monforte, LCSW, is currently serving as the Director of the Child and Teen Program at The Refuge Center for Counseling. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Social Work from The University of Georgia, Jenna is dedicated to helping people heal and live as their authentic selves.

    She seeks to do this through a therapeutic relationship with clients, and equipping churches and youth-oriented community organizations with knowledge and tools to better support mental health in youth. Jenna has a passion for working with adolescents and young adults both individually and in group settings. With over a decade of experience, her counseling style is warm and inviting, interactive, and collaborative. She incorporates multiple modalities of treatment into her practice to give each client a unique experience to meet their specific needs. Jenna seeks opportunities to support, advocate, nurture, and empower clients dealing with life transitions, identity, relationship issues, grief and loss, anxiety, and depression.

    Her hope is to provide a safe space for clients to be known and find meaningful healing, hope, and resources for continued growth.

    DENNIS M. FETTING

     

    Dennis M. Fetting is the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) in the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Nashville, Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge office. In this position, Mr. Fetting is responsible for overseeing all operational and investigative activities in Middle Tennessee including the enforcement, support, and administrative functions of 32 HIS employees assigned to HSI Nashville.
    Mr. Fetting began his federal law enforcement career with the Legacy United States Customs Service in 2001 as a criminal investigator in Miami, Florida. This assignment was followed by assignments to HSI Newark, New Jersey and HSI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.. Mr. Fetting has held additional leadership positions throughout his career, serving as a National Program Manager, Group Supervisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director. Mr. Fetting holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
    Homeland Security Investigations is the second largest federal investigative agency in the federal government, with over 10,000 agency personnel around the world located in over 235 domestic offices and over 90 international offices. HSI is responsible for enforcing over 400 federal statutes granting some of the broadest jurisdictional authority of any U.S. law enforcement agency due to its diverse investigative portfolio.

    Dr. Stephen Lloyd

    Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council

     

    Dr. Stephen Loyd is an Internal Medicine/Addiction Medicine physician who graduated medical school and residency from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Loyd was the Assistant Commissioner (Opioid Czar) for Substance Abuse Services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Governor Bill Haslam’s administration. He has served as an expert witness in more than twenty federal and state cases against physicians who were improperly prescribing controlled substances. Dr. Loyd was named an Advocate for Action by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), an office of the President of the United States. He has delivered over five hundred educational lectures on addiction and treatment of opioid use disorder and proper prescribing of controlled substances. 

     

    Dr. Loyd was an original member (still active) of the Treatment of Chronic Pain Guidelines Committee which defined pain treatment for providers in the state of Tennessee. He has worked as an Addiction Medicine Physician in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, specializing in the treatment of opioid dependent pregnant women. Dr. Loyd has served on multiple drug courts in Tennessee and remains an active participant in drug court in the 4th Judicial District under Judge Duane Slone. He has worked with multiple community level anti-drug coalitions from Johnson County to Shelby County and has worked with all levels of state law enforcement, mainly the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Cedar Recovery in Tennessee and is the current Chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council appointed by current Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. 

    Panel 3
    Hope is Never Silent

    JASON WAHLER

    Jason Wahler is a popular TV personality, Host, Actor, Advocate, and Philanthropist who has appeared on hit TV shows like MTV’s Laguna Beach, The Hills, and Celebrity Rap Superstar and The Hills: New Beginnings.

    After years of publicly battling with addiction, he appeared on Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab and began a new life in recovery. Jason has since dedicated his life to raising awareness on substance abuse, and mental health, with the hope of one day changing the public’s negative perception.

    LYNDSEY WILHELM

     

    Lyndsey Wilhelm is the Executive Director of the Williamson Prevention Coalition (WPC). WPC is a primary prevention coalition funded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. WPC’s mission is to create a healthy and drug-free community by educating youth, parents, and community members about the risks of substance use as it relates to tobacco, prescription medications including stimulants, underage and binge drinking, and marijuana, and the impact it can have on physical and mental health.   

    A native of Middle Tennessee, Lyndsey received her undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University in public health and has served the Williamson County community in education and public health roles for nearly a decade. Lyndsey began her career at the Williamson Prevention Coalition as a program coordinator focused on program implementation and coordination for the State Opioid Response stimulant grant before her promotion to Director in 2022. 

    Prior to WPC, Lyndsey was a health educator with the Williamson County Department of Health where she was able to work in diverse areas of public health. Lyndsey enjoys leading seminars with youth and adults discussing substance misuse and the effects of tobacco, prescription medications including stimulants, alcohol, and marijuana on physical and mental health. She is honored to have two Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) on her team who work tirelessly to educate the community on overdose prevention, harm reduction strategies, and Naloxone distribution to high-risk individuals.

    Lyndsey and her team are committed to partnering with local leaders to find innovative ways to serve the Williamson County community and share their approach as we strive to promote better public health throughout Tennessee.

    DR. JESSIE MALOTT

     

    Dr. Jesse Malott is a clinical psychologist and the Chief Behavioral Health Officer for Mercy Community Healthcare, a faith-based healthcare center in Franklin.  As both a psychologist and former pastor, Dr. Malott has enjoyed his research and clinical interests in faith and mental health.  He has presented and published in the areas of trauma and grief around the country.  His interdisciplinary group therapy manual for moral injury and PTSD is being used at multiple VA Medical Centers across the country and he is the current president of the Tennessee Psychological Association.

     

     

     

    BRANDY WHITEHEAD

     

    Brandy Whitehead is a 7th generation Tennessean who grew up in Williamson County. She graduated from Lipscomb University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and has her Masters of Science and Social Work from the University of Tennessee. Brandy has been married to Darren for 20 years and they have three daughters, Sydney, Scarlett, and Violet.

    After completing her education, Brandy spent 9 years as a government social worker acting as a steady presence in a domestic violence shelter, serving as a Rape and Homicide Crisis Counselor for the Police Department, and as a Victim’s Advocate in the Davidson County Juvenile Court for five years. In addition, she worked as Case Manager and Supervisor for Kids First providing court ordered in-home family support services.

    During her years at a church in Chicago, Brandy was a Community Care Pastor on Call and was the Program Director for Fellowship Housing – a two year transitional housing program for homeless single mothers and their children. In 2013, Darren and Brandy came back to the Nashville area and co-founded Church of the City, with a vision to plant a family of churches that live in the way of Jesus for the renewal of the city. COTC serves as a “Champion Church” with the TN Fosters Hope campaign and has an extensive “Wrap Around Ministry” providing support and tangible resources to foster families. This year, God made a way for COTC to open a transitional house in Williamson county on January 30, 2023 to serve the needs of the kids in state custody in Tennessee.

    Brandy currently serves on the Foster Care Review Board for Williamson County Juvenile Court and serves as a Partnership Council Member for The Refuge Center. In 2023 Brandy received the Elizabeth Jewell Outstanding Service Award from CASA for her advocacy. Brandy feels a deep call to engage the church on the issue of foster care with a desire to live out James 1:27 in helpful, practical ways and she has dedicated the last 25 years to working with and advocating for vulnerable children in government, non-profit, and ministry settings.

     

     

    ZANNIE MARTIN

     Zannie Martin has been the director for Williamson County Juvenile Services since 2015. Graduating from MTSU in 1996 with a degree in Criminal Justice, Zannie has worked in Williamson County for 26 years and has served the court in a variety of roles that lead to her deep appreciation for the mission of the juvenile court. Zannie has been involved in the statewide professional organization, Tennessee Juvenile Court Services Association for her entire career, including TJCSA President in 2019. She is a member of Williamson County’s Child Protective Investigative Team, the Child Fatality Review Board, and is a 2018 Leadership Franklin Alumni. Additionally, Zannie serves on the Find Hope Franklin Task Force dedicated to raising awareness about mental health in the community and as a board member for Franklin’s LEAP program which supports local law enforcement and families. Zannie and her husband Keith live in Nolensville Tennessee, attend Nolensville First United Methodist Church, and have two children, one attending UT in Knoxville and one in Williamson County Schools.

     

     

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