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Division of Clinical Leadership

Best Practice Guidelines

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, in cooperation with TDMHDD Advisory Panel on Best Practice Guidelines, has developed guidelines for use by psychiatrists, primary care physicians, psychologists, health service providers, nurses, nurse clinicians, physician extenders, social workers and other health care professionals to:

  • Promote high quality of care for adults and children served by Tennessee’s public health system
  • Aid in identification, evaluation, and provision of effective treatment for persons with severe mental illness and severe emotional disorders
  • To promote continuity of care through establishment of uniform treatment options and the best use of multidisciplinary treatment resources

Behavioral Health Services
For Children and Adolescents

July 2007, Revised April 2008

This 232-page document covers anxiety disorders; attention deficit disorders; autism spectrum disorders; disruptive disorders (including oppositional defiant and conduct disorders); mood disorders (including depressive and bipolar disorders); schizophrenia; and substance use disorders in children and adolescents. These guidelines further include information on system of care; copies of screening tools; and other resources such as Internet links to fact sheets and brochures. Limited information is also presented on the following disorders: adolescent sex offenders; eating disorders; mental retardation and comorbid psychiatric disorders; and reactive attachment disorders.

In addition to DSM-IV criteria for each disorder, evidence-based practice treatment options and bibliotherapy are provided. The document is available in PDF form by clicking on the name above.

Best Practice Guidelines
Adult Behavioral Health Services COMING SOON

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