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Office of Public Information and Education
For additional information, please call Nicole Lacey at (615) 532-6610

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2003

Nashville, TN — Commissioner Virginia Trotter Betts announced today the retirement of Deputy Commissioner Ben Dishman. He is resigning his post, effective March 31, after serving more than 20 years in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Joe Carobene, Chief Officer of Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute, will become the new deputy commissioner and will begin transitioning to the position on March 17.

"Ben Dishman has been a rock for the department for many years, and I appreciate his staying in his post and helping me get through my first budget preparations," said Commissioner Betts. "Clearly his experience and knowledge about the department has been invaluable during the new administration transition. Joe has many of the same characteristics that I have found so invaluable in Ben. He has a true commitment to the department, and the people that we serve. Joe shares my vision that this department, in conjunction with a committed governor and a partnership with many of the other cabinet officers can achieve quality outcomes for the people that we serve with mental health and developmental disabilities."

A certified mental health administrator, Carobene has worked in the department more than 30 years and recently serves as chief executive officer for the 285-bed Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute in Nashville. In this role, Carobene was chiefly responsible for managing the facility’s annual budget as well as negotiating managed care contracts at the facility, which serves adults and adolescents from 27 counties of the Middle Tennessee Region.

"I am excited about this opportunity and I look forward to working with Commissioner Betts. I want to help the department move in a new direction under the Bredesen administration," Carobene said.

A resident of Clarksville, Carobene also served as the Interim Superintendent at the Memphis Mental Health Institute from September 1999-May 2000. He also was Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services at Nashville-based Clover Bottom Developmental Center from March 1977-January 1989. Prior to that appointment, Carobene served as Acting Superintendent at Lakeshore Mental Health Institute in Knoxville from November 1982-April 1983. He instituted management reforms at the facility, and after successful completion of a visit from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Carobene received a distinguished service award from the state of Tennessee.

A member of several organizations including the Association of Behavioral Healthcare Management, the TennCare Partners Roundtable and the Governor’s TennCare/Advocare Advisory Council, Carobene has been recognized by the community for his contributions in the area of mental health. He received the distinguished Ambassador of Hope Professional of the Year 2000 award from the Nashville Alliance for the Mentally Ill as well as the Dorthea Dix Professional of the Year 2001 award from the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations.

Carobene, 57, holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Austin Peay State University and has also participated in the University of Tennessee’s Government Executive Institute.

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