Paul FuchcarNASHVILLE -- Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has named Joe Page, senior vice president of Frontier Health, as the new chairman of the Statewide Planning Council for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services .
Page replaces Paul Fuchcar, executive director of The Council for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Inc. in Chattanooga (CADAS).
"Joe's individual characteristics and professional qualifications were exceptional, and I believe his participation is certain to leave a positive impact on the Council and the work it does," Haslam said in a news release.
Joe PagePage has served on the Statewide Council for more than ten years and as vice chair for the past four years. He said he is "grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Tennessee who live every day with mental health and substance use needs."
The Statewide Planning Council is an independent body made up of mental health and substance abuse service providers, consumers, family members, advocates, and other stakeholders. They advise the department on the service system, policy development, legislation, budget requests, system evaluation, and monitoring.
The Council endorses legislation and appropriations for services and then advocates for those recommendations.
Fuchar said that over the past four years the number of members on the Regional Councils has "almost doubled and the voice that comes from these Councils is a strong advocacy for mental health and substance abuse issues."
Fuchar said the Statewide Council and Regional Council system has "become much more empowered, just as the volunteers of our state history, ready to act on behalf of the citizens of Tennessee that we represent."