Dr. Richard England, professor of music at Freed-Hardeman University, has recently been recommended and appointed to a three-year term as a member of the board of trustees at Western Mental Health Institute, which is the state psychiatric hospital in Bolivar, Tenn. This will be England’s second term as a board member of the hospital, where he also serves on the Medical Ethics Committee and as a special consultant.
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health operates five Regional Mental Health Institutes in which all psychiatric services are accredited, certified and licensed. These services include quality prevention, early intervention, treatment, habilitation and rehabilitation. The Western Mental Health Institute serves twenty-four counties and receives the majority of admissions on an emergency, involuntary basis.
England has been involved with the Western Mental Health Institute since 1998, when he completed a portion of his post-doctoral studies internship for licensure in school psychology. Since that time, he has served as Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services and completed a case study research at the hospital. England states, “Western Mental Health Institute has served the needs of mental health patients for well over 100 years, and I consider it a great honor and privilege to be able to assist their work in any way I can.”