I’m writing to you with deep concern for the future of our small community in Friendsville, Tennessee. We urgently need your support to stop Acadia Healthcare, a billion-dollar, for-profit corporation with a deeply troubling history, from forcing their way into our town.

You may be aware that Acadia Healthcare was recently investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and ordered to pay a $19.85 million settlement for providing medically unnecessary psychiatric services to vulnerable patients, including children. (DOJ press release) These are not accusations—they settled with the federal government for knowingly endangering lives for profit.

Closer to home, Acadia operates Village Behavioral Health in our region. Ask the residents in that area how they feel about it—they want them out. The problems there have been constant: disturbing police calls, private investigations, patient escapes, and complaints from former staff and neighbors alike. (Daily Times article)

Even Knox County—with far more infrastructure than we have—said no when Acadia tried to build there a few years ago. (Knox News article)

Now Acadia is trying again—this time targeting the small and vulnerable City of Friendsville (population 912), attempting to drop a $35 million institutional facility in the middle of our limited commercial corridor. We do not have a police department, no paid fire department, and our water and sewer infrastructure is already strained. This is reckless, inappropriate, and downright dangerous.

Our city commissioners are under immense pressure. Frankly, some are scared. Acadia is a powerful corporation with deep pockets and a well-known strategy: find weak points, push hard, and move fast. They assumed we were too small, too uneducated, or too disorganized to fight back. But we see what’s happening—and we’re asking you to help us fight for our town.

This isn’t just a zoning issue. It’s about the character, safety, and future of Friendsville. A massive facility like this will define our town, and not in the way anyone here wants. This is not the right place. It never was.

Please step in. Please help us. Please speak up for our town before it’s too late.

In order to donate to the Friendsville Community Legal Fund, it is on gofundme.org .  Any donations to change.org help continue helping people fight for change through their platform.  Any money donated through gofundme.org not used on legal fees will be donated to the City of Friendsville Volunteer Fire Department.  Please make sure you are donating to your desired platform.

With deep urgency and hope,