Last Friday, January 17, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) posted on its website, Facebook page and X feed that it was submitting a proposal to amend its block grant funding so that it could redirect almost $39 million to fund children’s mental health services. We encourage families and providers to read the proposal and follow its progress. The MDA held a public hearing about the proposed amendment on Tuesday, January 21 and accepted public comments through close of business on January 22. These are the public comments Families as Allies submitted.
Here is the announcement (quoted verbatim) MDA posted on its website about the proposed amendment:
Jackson, Miss. (January 17, 2025) – The state of Mississippi, through Mississippi Development Authority, is administering nearly $39 million in COVID-19 Community Development Block Grant funding to address children’s mental health needs.
An amendment to the state’s initial action plan for using the COVID-19 CDBG creates the “Mental Healthcare Services Program” to address the ongoing, acute mental healthcare needs of Mississippi children, adolescents and young adults who were severely affected by COVID-19. The proposed plan has a specific focus on the expansion of mental healthcare services for low-to moderate-income individuals.
“Mississippi’s youth are the future of our great state, and we must ensure we have the tools available to help them overcome in the face of adversity, including addressing the mental health of those affected by COVID,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “This funding is a significant investment in the well-being and success of our youth and represents our commitment to supporting the future generations who will shape Mississippi’s bright future.”
The proposed amendment changes the action plan from funding the “Public Services Emergency Payments Program” administered by the Mississippi Home Corp, which ended when the COVID emergency subsided.
Substantial Amendment #2 to the state’s Program Year 2019 Annual Action Plan was published by Mississippi Development Authority on Tuesday, January 14, and sets forth various children’s mental healthcare services that could be the funded under the program. These include mental health screenings, behavior and medication management, telemental health services, counseling, treatment and education. It also outlines the criteria for eligibility for recipients of the funding and establishes that both the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Canopy Children’s Solutions are eligible. To view Substantial Amendment #2, go to mississippi.org/community-resources/forms-library/.
HUD allocated $38,798,965 in CDBG-CV funding to Mississippi. The funds will be administered by MDA.
A virtual public hearing regarding Substantial Amendment #2 will be held on the Microsoft Teams workspace communication platform Tuesday, January 21, at noon. To access the meeting, go to Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams.
Substantial Amendment #2 is open for public comment until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22. Comments can be submitted via email to cidprocessing@mississippi.org; mailed to Mississippi Development Authority, Attn: Community Incentives Division, P.O. Box 849, Jackson, MS 39205; or faxed to (601)359-3108.
