System of Care Across Tennessee

The System of Care Across Tennessee (SOCAT), located at 500 Deaderick Street in Nashville, Tennessee, is a statewide initiative designed to improve access to community-based mental health and behavioral support for children, youth, young adults, and their families. Operated in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY), SOCAT is rooted in the philosophy of System of Care (SOC), which emphasizes a family-driven, youth-guided approach to treatment and support. This program helps ensure that Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations receive individualized, culturally competent services coordinated across multiple systems such as mental health, child welfare, education, juvenile justice, and housing.

SOCAT supports individuals from infancy through early adulthood by providing strengths-based care planning, peer-led initiatives, and leadership development opportunities. The program also hosts the Statewide Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC), offering a safe platform for young adults to build community, develop advocacy skills, and shape mental health policies through lived experience. From infancy to age 30, SOCAT promotes mental and emotional well-being through education, connection, and family engagement. By fostering collaboration among service providers, youth, families, and communities, SOCAT plays a critical role in reshaping how mental and behavioral health support is delivered across Tennessee.