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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 the end of April.

Albertstein is one of a kind – in a good way. When she sees something that needs improvement, she is singularly devoted to improving it. She has taken on many causes. She has worked tirelessly to ensure systems of care are culturally responsive and inclusive. She eagerly helped expand behavioral health supports and services to young children and their families. She’s helped all of us be more aware of our cardiovascular health.

One of our favorite Albertstein memories is when her daughter worked with Families as Allies in late 2015 to earn one of the first Girl Scout mental health merit badges in the United States. Albertstein’s gentle encouragement and guidance made that cause possible.

Albertstein has overseen and coordinated Mississippi’s Making a Plan (MAP) Teams for several years, ensuring that children at risk for out-of-home placements can stay in their homes and communities. We can’t think of a better cause. It seems only fitting that in the most recent meeting we attended with her, Albertstein passionately reminded us how important it is to remember how poverty and lack of resources affect children and families.

We at Families as Allies are incredibly thankful that Albertstein has seemed to adopt Families as Allies as one of her causes. She attends our events, faithfully reads The Ally, partners with us on projects and shares her ideas and suggestions when we ask.

Albertstein: We sure hope you are reading The Ally this week. We want you to know that, from the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate you and wish you the best in your retirement. But we also hope you don’t wholly retire from being a part of Families as Allies – you mean the world to us!