Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute
100 Moccasin Bend Road • Chattanooga, TN 37405
Phone: 423-265-2271 • Fax: 423-785-3347

An Accredited Psychiatric Facility Serving the
28 Counties of Tennessee's Region III; with 5 counties in Region V

"Accredited by The Joint Commission"

William Ventress
Chief Officer

Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute was established by the Tennessee State Legislature as one of five regional inpatient psychiatric facilities operated by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Opened in 1961, the facility now serves a twenty-eight county area in Upper Cumberland and southeast regions of Tennessee, with an estimated population of over 750,000 people. Moccasin Bend's service area (Region III, with 5 counties of Region V) includes the following counties:

Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute was built on land donated by Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga. The grounds, nestled at the foot of scenic Lookout Mountain next to the Tennessee River, provide a private, rural setting close to a metropolitan area.

The land on which the complex is located is of historical importance, having once been part of the Cherokee Nation, and the site of a Civil War battle. The remains of an ancient Native American village were recently discovered and efforts are underway to make portions of the Moccasin Bend area part of the Chattanooga/Chickamauga National Park.

Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute currently provides 172 inpatient beds for adults. The program offers 91 adult acute care beds and 81 adult sub-acute care beds.

All emergency admissions are prescreened by one of the four regional private, non-profit community mental health centers, and are referred to the Institute if inpatient treatment is necessary. The community mental health centers have crisis response teams, which work closely with the Institute's admissions office to assure appropriateness of referrals, an efficient and compassionate admissions process, and compliance with managed care requirements for admission certification.

Unit assignment on admission and throughout the course of hospitalization is determined by the severity of the illness. Multidisciplinary treatment teams provide a variety of treatment modalities, and work with community agencies to assure timely discharge and successful adjustment in the community.

A critical part of Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute's services is an active quality improvement program. Federal Medicare and Medicaid/TennCare certification have been consistently maintained, and the Institute has been accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations since 1974.

Public Notice: Any concerns regarding patient care and safety at Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute should first be directed to the Chief Executive Officer at (423)-785-3401. If concerns cannot be resolved through the MBMHI management, please contact the TDMHDD by either calling 1-800-560-5767 or by e-mailing oca.mhdd@state.tn.us. If concerns are not adequately resolved by either the MBMHI management or TDMHDD, the public may contact the Joint Commission to report any concerns or register complaints by calling 1-800-994-6610, emailing complaint@jcaho.org or accessing the Joint COmmission's web site at www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Complaint/default.htm

Site Comments and Questions: MBMHI.Help@state.tn.us