Licensed Addictions Professional · Tennessee
Between now
and an opportunity
for more.
We are always in the InBetween, the space where change becomes possible. Guiding individuals, families, and policymakers toward healthier lives and communities.
The InBetween is not a place of waiting. It is a place of becoming.
The InBetween Framework
The Space Between Crisis and Stability
Recovery is about more
than treatment.
The outcomes we see years later are often shaped by things that happen long after the crisis has passed: housing, connection, purpose, family, transportation, community, and the systems designed to support them.
Explore articles, insights, and observations from the intersection of recovery, behavioral health, and long-term stability.
Explore the latest writing →Featured Essay
We fund addiction treatment as a rescue, not as a recovery.
We know how to respond when addiction becomes a crisis. We have emergency rooms, detox units, courts, jails, and child welfare systems designed to step in after things have gone wrong. What we have invested far less in is the long stretch between crisis and stability. The question is not whether we are spending money. It is whether we are spending it where it changes outcomes.
Read the essay → Read on Substack →
About
Melissa Kilpatrick,
LADAC II, QCS
With years of practice as a Licensed Addictions Professional in Tennessee, I work at the intersection of clinical care, community impact, and policy. I help individuals find their way through the InBetween, and help systems create the conditions that make recovery possible.
My work is built on a simple belief: identity, authenticity, and self-discovery are not luxuries. They are the foundation of lasting change. Whether working one-on-one with clients, supervising clinicians-in-training, consulting with organizations, or testifying before legislators, I bring the same commitment: meet people where they are, and help them see where they can go.
What I Do
How I show up
Clinical Practice
Direct counseling with individuals and families navigating substance use disorder, grounded in evidence-based care and the belief that every person deserves a path forward.
Clinical Supervision
Qualified Clinical Supervisor (QCS) for LADAC candidates working toward licensure in Tennessee. Building the next generation of addictions professionals, because the field is only as strong as the clinicians it trains.
Policy & Advocacy
Active engagement in Tennessee behavioral health policy. Connecting clinical knowledge to legislative decision-making and fighting for the standards that protect both clients and counselors.
Writing & Education
Two books in development. One for the general public, one for recovery professionals. Both built on The InBetween framework of identity, authenticity, and self-discovery.
Books
The InBetween Series
Two books. One framework. A pathway through the space between who you think you are supposed to be and who you truly are.
The InBetween:
A Pathway to Healthy Living
For anyone who has ever felt caught between the life they're living and the life they sense is possible. A personal and practical guide to identity, authenticity, and living from the inside out.
In DevelopmentThe InBetween:
A Practitioner's Framework
A guide for counselors, clinicians, and recovery professionals. It translates the InBetween framework into practical tools for supporting clients through addiction, recovery, and identity work.
In DevelopmentAdvocacy
The cost of inaction
is not zero.
Tennessee's substance use crisis is both a human tragedy and a fiscal emergency. I work to ensure that policymakers understand both dimensions, and that the professionals who serve people in recovery have the oversight structures, standards, and resources they need.
Latest Op Ed
Tennessee overdose deaths fell 31 percent in 2024. The work that produced that decline was real, and the people who built it deserve to be named. But the 2025 data is already showing what fragility looks like. The new Op Ed, "The Decline Was a Beginning. Here Is What We Should Do Next," argues that Tennessee should shift its funding model from acute episodes to long-term community health. Same dollars. Different design. Read the full Op Ed (PDF) → Bibliography (PDF) →
Foundational Piece
Building original economic analysis of substance use disorder costs across all 95 Tennessee counties. The data shows what inaction is costing communities, families, and taxpayers, every year, in every county. It is the basis for the foundational Op Ed, "We Are Already Paying. The Question Is What We're Buying," which makes the fiscal case for sustained investment in community health. Read the full Op Ed (PDF) →
The Larger Argument
Every $1 invested in addiction treatment saves $4 in healthcare costs and $7 in criminal justice costs. Earlier investment in prevention and treatment reduces long-term public expenditures and human suffering. The status quo doesn't eliminate spending. It redistributes it into more expensive crisis systems.
Approach
Respectful, data-driven, and inclusive. Behavioral health is a team effort. The goal is to strengthen the entire system, not defend turf.
Methodology & Sources
Every claim is sourced. The full bibliography includes citations for the cost methodology, county-level data, and working models referenced. Download the full bibliography (PDF) →
down 31% from 2023
through 2024
highest county (Roane)
opioid-use decrease
Tennessee County Cost Explorer
Every county. Every number. All 95.
Search any Tennessee county to see deaths, death rate, and the per-resident economic cost in two methodologies side by side.
| Top 5 | County | Deaths 2023 | Death rate / 100K | Per resident* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roane | 72 | 135.0 | $40,465 |
| 2 | Hancock | 8 | 121.7 | $34,991 |
| 3 | Cocke | 39 | 108.2 | $31,463 |
| 4 | Claiborne | 32 | 101.2 | $29,852 |
| 5 | Campbell | 38 | 97.9 | $28,931 |
*Cumulative lifetime burden, Brewer-Freeman methodology. The annual death-cohort view is also available in the explorer.
The Data, Visualized
Consulting
Bringing clinical expertise
to organizational decisions.
I work with agencies, nonprofits, and policy organizations that want a clinician at the table when decisions about addiction services are being made.
- County fiscal impact briefs for commissioners, task forces, and grant applications, built on the Tennessee County Cost Explorer (preview a brief · services overview)
- Clinical supervision (QCS) for LADAC candidates pursuing licensure in Tennessee
- Program development and clinical framework consultation
- Behavioral health policy analysis and legislative briefings
- Staff training and professional development
- Strategic guidance for recovery-focused organizations
- Speaking engagements at conferences, community organizations, and agencies
Who I work with
Treatment centers and recovery organizations seeking stronger clinical frameworks. Nonprofits navigating behavioral health policy. Government agencies developing SUD-related programs. Organizations that want a credible clinical voice at the table.
For paid consulting and engagement contracts, reach out directly to melissa@empowerhealth.solutions (Empower Health Solutions PLLC).
Start a ConversationClinical Supervision
Building the next generation
of addictions professionals.
I provide clinical supervision for individuals pursuing LADAC licensure in Tennessee. I view supervision as more than oversight or completed hours. It is an opportunity to help clinicians build confidence, strengthen clinical judgment, and grow into ethical, compassionate professionals capable of serving individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders.
Strong supervision helps develop a more capable and sustainable behavioral health workforce by investing in the growth and strengths of the clinicians entering the field.
What I offer
- Individual and group clinical supervision
- Flexible format: in-person, virtual, or hybrid based on supervisee needs
- Capacity based on demand and availability, inquire to discuss timing
Coming soon: Continuing education
CEU-approved trainings and conference workshops in development, with topic focus on clinical practice, ethics, scope of practice, and trauma-informed care. Available for individual learners, organizations, and conference programming once approval is finalized.
Inquire About SupervisionConnect
Let's find the
InBetween together.
Whether you're exploring consulting, have a speaking inquiry, want to follow the book's progress, or simply want to connect, I'd love to hear from you.