EXHIBIT 5.1

                   [WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS LETTERHEAD]

                                December 30, 2003

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

                  Re:    Psychiatric Solutions, Inc.
                         Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We are acting as counsel to Psychiatric Solutions, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Registrant"), in connection with the preparation of a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission registering the resale of up to
4,932,932 shares (the "Shares") of common stock, $.01 par value per share, of
the Registrant to be sold by certain selling stockholders of the Registrant. The
Shares include 4,891,502 shares (the "Series A Shares") issuable upon conversion
of the Registrant's series A convertible preferred stock in accordance with that
certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated January 6, 2003, between the Registrant
and certain of the selling stockholders (the "Agreement").

         In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon such
records, documents and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary and
appropriate in order to express the opinions hereinafter set forth and have
assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents
submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all
document submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies.

         Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that (i) the Series A
Shares will be, when issued upon conversion of the series A convertible
preferred stock in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement, validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and (ii) the Shares (other than the
Series A Shares) are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and further consent to the reference to us under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement.

                                        Very truly yours,



                                        Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis,
                                        A Professional Limited Liability Company