The Metro Public Health Department is stepping up its game in the fight against mental health and substance use issues by launching the first Music City Behavioral Health and Wellness Summit. The event, scheduled for April 23 and 24 at Riverside Nashville, aims to unite local leaders and stakeholders to tackle the mental health challenges plaguing the community.

Dr. Gill Wright, the Director of Health, emphasized the significance of the summit in a statement. "The Metro Public Health Department is making a big investment in the mental health of our community," he said. By extending mental health services and fostering dialogue among community stakeholders, the MPHD hopes to better understand the roles each group can play in improving resident wellness.

The summit's itinerary sets April 23 as the day for attendees to listen to insights from the Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy, a champion for mental health causes, and Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell among others. The following day will see a series of workshops, covering topics as diverse as substance misuse and harm reduction strategies, with a focus on alarming substances like Xylazine and Fentanyl.

Recognizing the urgency of these discussions, Mayor Freddie O’Connell shared some chilling statistics.  “In 2023, more than 700 of our neighbors, friends and family members died from a suspected drug overdose. Those deaths were preventable. Conversations like the one we will have at the Music City Behavioral Health and Wellness Summit are critical components to increasing awareness of the resources and support available in our community and creating a more resilient, healthy Nashville where preventable deaths are prevented.” he said. 

The inaugural summit is part of an overarching strategy to bolster community health infrastructure and comes at a critical time as the nation grapples with a mental health crisis exacerbated by the opioid epidemic. For more details about the summit, interested parties can visit the official MPHD announcement.