Long before mental health was something most people talked about openly, a small group of community members in Jackson saw a need and formed the Jackson Mental Health Association.
After years of fundraising and advocacy, the Jackson Mental Health Clinic opened its doors in 1957. With support from civic groups, the United Fund, and the Tennessee Department of Mental Health, one of the earliest organized efforts to provide structured mental health services in this region became a reality.
Just two years later, in 1959, a young Vanderbilt graduate joined the staff as a clinical psychologist. That young psychologist was Dr. Richard Drewery. What began as a new job would become nearly 67 years of service to West Tennessee.
From that moment on, the story of Pathways and the story of Dr. Drewery would unfold side by side.
Over the decades, the organization changed names, expanded locations, added inpatient services, merged with other centers, and eventually became what we now know as Pathways. Through every shift in leadership, every new building, and every expansion of services, Dr. Drewery remained a steady presence.
On Wednesday, February 25, Pathways honored Dr. Drewery with a retirement celebration filled with patients, coworkers, former coworkers, emerging leaders, community partners, and state leaders. The room reflected the generations of lives he has touched.
Dr. Jeff Feix, Director of Forensic and Juvenile Court Services for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, presented a certificate of appreciation authorized by Governor Bill Lee. He described Dr. Drewery’s career as “an incredible legacy” and thanked him for being “solid as a rock” in forensic services across this part of the state.
Forensic services in West Tennessee, Dr. Feix noted, would not operate the same way without Dr. Drewery’s steady leadership and expertise.
During the ceremony, proclamations from the Governor of Tennessee and the Mayor of Madison County, and the Mayor of the City of Jackson were presented in recognition of his extraordinary lifetime of service … a rare honor for someone whose work has often happened quietly, behind office doors and across conference tables.
Colleagues spoke of his brilliance, his calm confidence, and his unwavering commitment. One shared that at 94 years young, he was still completing forensic evaluations with sharpness and precision. Another reflected on his mentorship, recalling how he could teach without making it feel like teaching, “you walked away wiser.”
When asked what kept him going all these years, Dr. Drewery’s answer was simple. “We’ve got a great staff here,” he said. “And it’s a position that you make a difference in people’s lives.” For him, it always came back to the people.
When asked what he is most proud of after nearly seven decades of work, his response was just as humble. “Progress made with some of the clients.”
Technology has changed. He began his career in an era of pen and paper, long before computers, electronic records, or Zoom calls. When asked what has changed the most, he smiled and said, “Technology probably.” Yet even through those shifts, he adapted. He showed up. Year after year.
When asked how Pathways has changed his life, he paused before answering. “I was an opportunity to work with people.” That opportunity became a calling.
Throughout his career, Dr. Drewery did more than conduct evaluations and supervise staff. He helped normalize conversations around mental health at a time when stigma often kept families silent. He mentored young professionals who would go on to become leaders themselves. He built standards and systems that continue to guide the work today.
At the celebration, he expressed gratitude not only for his colleagues, but for the hospital that once stepped in to support Pathways during a financially uncertain time. “I appreciate the hospital saving us from bankruptcy,” he shared, reflecting on a pivotal season in the organization’s history.
That moment of stability helped lay the groundwork for the Pathways we see today … a regional behavioral health network serving every county in West Tennessee, with hundreds of employees and services that range from outpatient counseling and medication management to school-based programs, jail services, case management, and forensic evaluations.
And yet, after nearly 67 years, his proudest accomplishments are still measured one client at a time. The celebration may have surprised him, especially the proclamations and guests from across the state, but for those in attendance, the recognition felt long overdue.
When asked what he is most looking forward to in retirement, his answer again reflected his quiet personality. “Probably listen to music.” Classical music. Symphonies. Popular songs from the 1940s and 50s. The kind of steady, timeless music that, in many ways, mirrors his own career.
The story of Pathways is bigger than any one person. It is the story of a community that believed mental health care matters and continued to invest in it year after year. But some individuals become woven so deeply into an organization’s history that the story cannot be told without them.
For nearly seven decades, Dr. Richard Drewery has embodied the heart of Pathways. From a young psychologist joining a young mental health center in 1959 to a familiar and steady leader retiring in 2026 at 94 years young, his career helped shape modern mental health care in West Tennessee.
His title may now retire. His legacy will not. Thank you Dr. Drewery.
(PHOTOs – L to R: Dr. Jacque Page, Dr. Jeff Feix, Director of Forensic and Juvenile Court Services for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Dr. Sophia Fouche, Dr. B. Cooper Dunn. Besides Dr. Feix, all three are Licensed Clinical Psychologists who follow in Dr Drewery’s shoes for us here at Pathways as Forensic Evaluators.
A.J. Massey, Madison County Mayor with Dr. Drewery
Pam Henson, Executive Director. Pathways
-Amanda Smiles
WTH Public Relations
