Founded in the Fall of 2011, the Tennessee Co-Occurring Disorders Collaborative (TNCODC) emerged as a result of a vision for bringing about education and awareness of the impact of co-occurring disorders. This vision, identified by NAMI Tennessee, was shared with the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) who wholeheartedly agreed and the two organizations jointly resolved to move forward with outreach and education to bring awareness to how the impact of co-occurring disorders isn't soley on individuals experiencing a co-occurring disorder, but also their families and various aspects of the communities.

In 2012, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) joined NAMI Tennessee and TAMHO with the provision of grant funding to aid in moving the project forward. Soon afterwards, eight more organizations jointly resolved with the mission of the Collaborative thus strengthening the voice of TNCODC.