Celebrating Juneteenth and Understanding the Holiday’s Significance
This week, we invite you to join Families as Allies in celebrating Juneteenth, also known as "Freedom Day," "Black Independence Day," and many other names. On June 19, 1865, more…
2024 Mississippi Legislative Recap: What Bills Became Laws?
These are the legislative bills that Families as Allies followed during the 2024 session that the Legislature passed and the governor signed into law. We encourage you to review the entire…
Thanking Jasmine Mclaurin for a Job Well Done
We were delighted that Jasmine Mclaurin, a bachelor's-level social work student at the University of Michigan-Flint, completed her internship with us this past semester. While with us, Jasmine supported families…
Mental Health Acceptance: Making Sure Policies Affecting Our Families Are Just
During May, we presented a series of webinars highlighting the theme of Children's Mental Health Acceptance Week: "Lighting the Path to Social Justice for Children and Youth." Each webinar reflected these values:…
Recapping the Fostering Family-Centered Solutions Panel: ‘We are Them’
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hosted its 2024 Children Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Symposium on May 17. The theme of the Symposium was Championing Mental Health Together. …
Updated ‘Wraparound Process User Guide’ Available to Families in English and Spanish
The National Wraparound Initiative published English and Spanish versions of the revised and updated Wraparound Process User's Guide: A Handbook for Families. The Guide explains what families can expect from Wraparound…
Join the Special Education Advisory Panel via ZOOM on May 22 at 10 a.m.
The federal government mandates that every state has a panel to advise the state education department about special education services. The panel must include parents. Mississippi's panel meets via ZOOM…
Three Mississippi Meetings This Week That You Should Know About
We want to call your attention to three meetings scheduled this week: 1. Special Education Advisory Panel Meeting Federal law requires every state to have a special education advisory panel…
Sending Our Sweetest Retirement Wishes To Albertstein Johnson Pickett
After many years of hard work and ongoing collaboration with children and families, Albertstein Johnson Pickett is retiring from the Children's Division of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health at…
Best Wishes to our Spring Interns from Jackson State University!
Vanessa Burkett and Miah Ford, social work students from Jackson State University, finished their semester-long internships with Families as Allies this week. At the start of the semester, they jumped…