Tennessee Day of Hope brings mental health resources to Jackson fairgrounds

JACKSON, Tenn. — The annual Tennessee Day of Hope was held Tuesday at the Jackson Fairgrounds, bringing together community members and organizations focused on mental health and addiction recovery.

The event featured a breakfast, community resources, and a celebration of recovery milestones.

“There is help and there is hope. This is a day that we come together to celebrate hope,” said Shelby Fisher, faith-based coordinator for Southwest Tennessee.

Resources on display

Several organizations set up booths offering services ranging from addiction counseling to mental health support. Fisher said awareness is a key goal of the event.

“We really have a wealth of resources in West Tennessee. It’s just a matter of the community learning about those resources, which is one of the reasons we have this event today, so the community can come together and see all the resources that we have,” Fisher said.

According to Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Coordinator Marie Williams, programs help people dealing with addiction or mental health challenges, and the best results come when participants stay with a program for at least a year.

JACOA alumni chapter

JACOA, a residential and outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program based in the area, launched an alumni chapter last year to support individuals in active recovery.

“As they say, new people, places, and things. This helps them to solidify those gains that they make in recovery,” said Alex McCandless, clinical director for JACOA.

A state helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those struggling with mental health or substance abuse can dial or text 988, then press 0 to connect with someone.

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