We hope to see you at the Mississippi Joint Planning and Advisory Council next Thursday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to noon at Region 8 Behavioral Health (613 Marquette Road, Brandon, MS 39042) in the Conference Center.
Directions: From Jackson, take I-55 South, merge onto I-20 via Exit 94 toward Flowood/Meridian, take Highway 80 Exit 56 toward Brandon, turn left onto Highway 80 West/West Government St., and turn left onto Marquette Rd. If you have questions about the meeting or location, contact August Irving at 601-359-6204.
Attending this meeting is an excellent opportunity to learn more about substance use and mental health services in the state and express your ideas about what would most help people.
The council comprises people who use mental health and substance use services, their families, community members and people who work in mental health and related systems and agencies across the state. Federal law mandates that every state has a council. The council’s duties are to assess unmet mental health and substance use treatment needs and advise the state mental health system on using its federal block grant funds to meet these needs.
We will discuss the current community needs assessment, which asks people throughout the state to say what supports and services are required for people with mental illnesses or substance use disorders and their families. If you have not already done so, please take some time to complete the survey now and share it with anyone interested.
At this meeting, you will also learn more about the DMH budget, policy issues, the block grant planning process and how you can be involved in planning mental health and substance use services in Mississippi. You can also learn ways to become involved in the council and join committees working on membership and a plan to ensure everyone gets to review and give input into how the state spends its block grant funds. The Mississippi Joint Planning and Advisory Council offers many opportunities to provide feedback and is a place where every voice and perspective is valued.
We look forward to learning about outpatient services available for people with serious mental illnesses and hearing Dr. Thomas Recore discuss his new role as Medical Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.
Please come to the meeting on Thursday, November 14, and participate. We want to get to know you and hear your ideas. We strongly encourage in-person attendance, but there is also a virtual option if you can’t make it in person. All meetings include time for public comments and announcements.
