About Us

The Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services (DADAS), of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (TDMHDD), serves as the single state authority for receiving and administering the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DADAS also administers state funding dedicated to substance abuse prevention and treatment, as well as additional federal grants.

The mission of DADAS is to reduce substance abuse, by promoting prevention and by reducing high risk behaviors through community programs and activities, and to ensure that treatment services are available for all individuals in need.

The vision of DADAS is: "A future where Tennessee is substance abuse free and our children are safe."

Prevention Services in Tennessee are proactive activities that empower individuals, families and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions. Our prevention services create and reinforce conditions that we know effectively promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles. Specifically, prevention services aim to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and abuse, to reduce their negative consequences, and to minimize future needs for chemical dependency treatment.

Prevention programs supported by the Division address the needs of all segments of the population who are at potential risk for drug and alcohol use and abuse. However, our primary focus is on children from conception to age 18 years who have not yet begun use or are still in the experimental stage, in order to alter risk factors and to strengthen protective mechanisms.

Tennessee Prevention Services have two main goals:

1. To delay onset of substance use
2. To reduce and or eliminate alcohol, tobacco, and other drug misuse.

Knowledge Transfer through Technology

As part of DADAS' commitment to supporting Tennessee’s prevention workforce, our online campus provides state-of-the-art knowledge transfer to the prevention field through interactive and multi-media courses. Courses focus on evidence-based practices and skill building.

Contact Us:

For more information on the Tennessee Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services Online Training Services, please contact: