About Lloyd C. Elam Mental Health Center – Nashville
The Lloyd C. Elam Mental Health Center is a private, nonprofit facility at 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Boulevard in Nashville Tennessee in the Meharry Medical College. They provide treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. Since this is in a research and teaching institute, payment for services is through federal or other government funding for SUD treatment programs.
The Meharry Community Health Center was renamed in 1991 to honor Dr. Lloyd C. Elam, the psychiatry residency program and psychiatric department founder at Meharry Medical College, a historically black college and university. The treatment center is in Nashville, only two miles from the heart of Nashville’s famed Music Row.
The mental health department trains mental health professionals while providing healthcare to disadvantaged populations. Additionally, they conduct research aimed at reducing mental illness. As part of Meharry Medical College, the treatment center leads the nation’s efforts in addressing mental health treatment disparities between minorities and other Americans while training competent psychiatric residents.
The mental health center is staffed with board certified psychiatrists who offer culturally sensitive, evidence based treatment. They have inpatient services for pregnant and recently postpartum women, women with co-occurring disorders, and men with co-occurring disorders.
Additionally, they have intensive outpatient programs (IOP) for adults, and they offer medication assisted treatment (MAT) when appropriate.
There’s also an outpatient program for adolescents with SUD. The adolescent program meets after school in the afternoon for 35 days. The program is for teens 13-18, and transportation is available for teens living within a seven mile radius of the center.
Clients at risk of medical complications during detox are given inpatient detox and encouraged to continue in the residential rehab program. The residential treatment programs are typically 28 days and most clients move into the IOP after completing treatment.
The IOP meets for three hours a session four times per week. The program is usually for eight weeks after which clients are encouraged to attend the weekly outpatient program.
