Central Office

The Central Office of the Department of Mental Health provides the overall statewide administrative functions for the programs and services that fall under the oversight of the agency. The Central Office is headed by the Executive Director with bureaus and divisions falling under the direction of the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, the Deputy Executive Director of Behavioral Health Services, the Deputy Executive Director of IDD Services, or the Chief Financial Officer.

Executive Director

Wendy Bailey is the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. The Chief of Staff, the Deputy Executive Director of Behavioral Health Services, the Deputy Executive Director of IDD Services, the Chief Financial Officer, and the General Counsel report directly to the Executive Director.

She has been with DMH for more than 18 years. Prior to being named Executive Directors, she served in the roles of Deputy Executive Director for Administrative Services, Chief of Staff, and more. Her roles have included overseeing strategic planning for the agency, communications and outreach, peer support, legislative affairs, licensure and certification, and more.
She serves on numerous boards and task forces, including the National Research Institute Board of Directors, Southeast Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Advisory Board, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services Board, State Early Childhood Advisory Council, ABLE Board, Certified Public Manager Advisory Board, and the Mississippi’s Suicide Prevention Task Force. She serves as a liaison with national organizations such as Mental Health America, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.

601-359-6251
wendy.bailey@dmh.ms.gov

Chief of Staff

Katie Storr is the Chief of Staff with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. Her office oversees the Director of Human Resources, the Office of Planning and Communications, the Division of Outreach and Training, and the Branch of Coordinated Care.

She also acts as a liaison with the Mississippi Legislature, state leaders and elected officials, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders.

601-359-6395
katie.storr@dmh.ms.gov

Director of Human Resources

MarQuaita Lampkin is the Director of Human Resources and is responsible for employment and workforce development in the DMH Central Office, including human core capital processing, recruitment, retention, benefits, and more. The division also oversees the contract management of the agency’s contract workers and independent contractors to maintain compliance with state rules and regulations.

601-359-1263
marquaita.lampkin@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Planning and Communications

Adam Moore is Director of the Office of Planning and Communications, which is responsible for coordinating the reporting of the DMH strategic plan, internal and external communications, media relations and serves as a point of contact for public records requests

601-359-2287
adam.moore@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Outreach and Training

Courtney Littleton is the Director of the Division of Outreach and Training, which oversees outreach efforts, public awareness campaigns, statewide suicide prevention, and additional trainings such as Mental Health First Aid and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

601-359-6268
courtney.littleton@dmh.ms.gov

Branch of Coordinated Care

Veronica Vaughn is the Director of the Branch of Coordinated Care, which is responsible for the resolution of grievances/complaints, mobile crisis response services, and the DMH Helpline. This office also oversees 988 implementation, alcohol and drug treatment diversion, and crisis diversion services, as well as the Special Planning Options to Transition Team (SPOTT), which supports people who have required treatment in inpatient programs on multiple occasions.

601-359-6291
veronica.vaughn@dmh.ms.gov

Deputy Executive Director for Behavioral Health Services

Jake Hutchins is Deputy Executive Director of Behavioral Health Services. He administers and monitors the delivery of mental health services at state-operated behavioral health programs and at certified community providers. The primary focus of his tenure with DMH has been coordinating statewide mental health services for adults and children and youth in community-based settings. The Deputy Executive Director of Behavioral Health Services oversees the Bureau of Behavioral Health Services and the Bureau of Certification and Quality Outcomes within the Central Office.

601-359-6207
jake.hutchins@dmh.ms.gov

Chief Clinical Officer for Behavioral Health Services

Oversees the Bureau of Behavioral Health Services, including alcohol and drug addiction services. Role includes a focus on evidence-based practices and outcome reporting.

Position Vacant

Bureau of Behavioral Health Services

Brent Hurley is the Director of the Bureau of Behavioral Health Services, which  is responsible for the administration of state and federal funds utilized to develop, implement and expand a comprehensive continuum of services to assist people to live successfully at home and in the community. These services are provided by community mental health centers and other community service providers. The Bureau includes the Division of Adult Mental Health Services, Division of Children and Youth Services, Division of Peer Support, Division of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Services, and the Division of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Prevention Services. 

601-359-6203
brent.hurley@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Children and Youth

Lynda Stewart is the Director of the Division of Children and Youth Services, which plans and develops community-based mental health services for children and youth who are in need of mental health treatment. The division networks with other agencies to provide resources and funding and to
coordinate efforts at the local, state, and federal levels.

601-359-6263
lynda.stewart@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Adult Mental Health Services

Stephanie Berry is the Director of the Division of Adult Mental Health Services. This division directly supervises the development, coordination and maintenance for adult community mental health services, including Crisis Stabilization Units, Programs of Assertive Community Treatment, Intensive Community Outreach Recovery Teams, Intensive Community Support Services, and more.

601-359-1872
stephanie.berry@dmh.ms.gov

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Services

Misty Bell is the Director of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Services. This division monitors and reviews substance use treatment services and programs certified and funded by DMH through the federal Substance Abuse Block Grant and the state’s 3% Wine & Liquor Tax.

601-359-6247
misty.bell@dmh.ms.gov

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Prevention Services

Chuck Oliphant is the Director of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Prevention Services. This division monitors and reviews substance use prevention programs certified and funded by DMH through the federal Substance Abuse Block Grant.

601-359-6227
chuck.oliphant@dmh.ms.gov

Peer Recovery and Support

Sitaniel Wimbley is the Director of the Division of Peer Recovery and Support, which coordinates peer support services at DMH Certified Providers and DMH-operated programs. The purpose of peer support services is to encourage individuals to become and stay engaged in the recovery process and to reduce the likelihood of relapse.

601-359-6071
sitaniel.wimbley@dmh.ms.gov

 

Bureau of Certification and Quality Outcomes

Stephanie Foster is the Director of the Bureau of Certification and Quality Outcomes, which  is responsible for ensuring the safe provision of quality services in programs certified by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. The Bureau is also responsible for collecting and evaluating data informatics pertaining to behavioral health service provision to maximize the allocation, delivery, and utilization of service resources and to promote quality behavioral health outcomes. The Bureau includes the Division of Certification and the Office of Utilization Review.

601-359-4815
stephanie.foster@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Certification

Monica Wilmoth is the Director of the Division of Certification. The Division of Certification is responsible for developing and managing the application, certification, and compliance processes for providers seeking to obtain and maintain DMH provider certification.​

601-359-6741
monica.wilmoth@dmh.ms.gov

Office of Utilization Review

Dawn Owens is the Director of the Office of Utilization Review. This office is responsible for collecting and reviewing select data points pertaining to behavioral health service provision. It is also responsible for developing and implementing data informatics and assessment activities to identify and evaluate key behavioral health service delivery outcomes

601-359-5086
dawn.owens@dmh.ms.gov

Deputy Executive Director

of IDD Services

Craig Kittrell is the Deputy Executive Director for Intellectual/Developmental Disability Services. He oversees the intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities that DMH operates. He has served in several roles at both Behavioral Health and IDD programs that DMH operates, where he oversaw various operations of support services. The Deputy Executive Director for IDD Services also oversees the Community IDD Services that include the ID/DD Waiver Program and the IDD Community Support Program. These services provide care to more than 5,000 Mississippians with IDD.

601-359-5780
craig.kittrell@dmh.ms.gov

Chief Clinical Officer for IDD Services

Dr. Kristin Merritte is the Chief Clinical Officer for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services. She oversees community IDD services and is responsible for the planning, development, and supervision of an array of community services for people in the state with intellectual or developmental disabilities. This includes the Division of ID/DD Waiver Program and the Division of IDD Community Support Program.

601-359-6557
kristin.merritte@dmh.ms.gov

Division of ID/DD Waiver

Betty Pinion is the Director of the Division of ID/DD Waiver. The Waiver program provides individualized supports and services to assist people in living successfully at home and in the community and are an alternative to care in institutional settings. These Medicaid-funded supports and services are available as long as the cost of supporting individuals in the home or community does not exceed the cost of caring for individuals in institutional settings.

601-359-5797
betty.pinion@dmh.ms.gov

Division of IDD Community Support Program

Pamela Harkins is the Director of the Division of the IDD Community Support Program.  The IDD Community Support Program, also known as 1915(i), is a Medicaid funded State Plan.  The IDD Community Support Program offers support and services to individuals with Intellectual and Development Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The Division of IDD CSP is also responsible for the administration of IDD Targeted Case Management. 

601-359-5777
pamela.harkins@dmh.ms.gov

Chief Financial Officer

Kelly Breland is the Chief Financial Officer. He oversees the Division of Accounting, which is responsible for accounting and finance services, as well as the Division of Audit/Grants, which oversees the use of grant funds, assesses quality of internal controls, and determines compliance with policies and procedures. In addition, the Chief Information Officer reports to him.

601-359-6255
kelly.breland@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Accounting

Shondra Barker is the Director of the Division of Accounting, which is responsible for accounting and finance services at the DMH Central Office. This includes accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and purchasing.

601-359-1644
shondra.barker@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Audits/Grants

Daryl Newman is the Director of the Division of Audits/Grants, which oversees the use of grant funds received by and distributed from DMH. The division also assesses quality of internal controls and determines compliance with policies and procedures.

601-359-6028
daryl.newman@dmh.ms.gov

Chief Information Officer

Kim Wood is the Chief Information Officer. She is responsible for the agency’s technical planning and development. She oversees the Division of Information Technology, which oversees the cybersecurity, hardware, software, and networking of computers and information technology needs in the DMH Central Office.  

601-359-5182
kim.wood@dmh.ms.gov

Division of Information Technology

The Director of the Division of Information Technology is responsible for the DMH Central Office’s cybersecurity, hardware, software, and networking of computers and information technology needs. The position is currently vacant.

Office of General Counsel

Cyndi Eubank is the Director of the Office of General Counsel and serves as Chief Legal Counsel for the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. The Office of General Counsel is responsible for all legal matters including but not limited to potential litigation, commitment law issues, contracts/leases, personnel matters, policies, legislation, training, risk management and more as well as advising the Board of Mental Health.   In addition, the Office of General Counsel provides oversight to the Division of Professional Licensure and Certification (PLACE), which provides credentials to individuals working in the public mental health system.

601-359-6269
cyndi.eubank@dmh.ms.gov

General Counsel

MaCall Chastain is General Counsel, specifically responsible for serious incident reports, emergency planning and reporting requirements, advising on the procurement/drafting of contracts, policy development, research and assisting the Chief Legal Counsel as needed.

601-359-6652
macall.chastain@dmh.ms.gov

Division of PLACE

Nancy Luke is the Director of the Division of Professional Licensure and Certification (PLACE). The Division of PLACE is responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining five professional credentialing programs which are designed for employees providing credentialed respective services in programs in the “state mental health system.”   The “state mental health system” is described as the network of programs in Mississippi which are certified, funded and/or operated/administered by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. 

601-359-4465
nancy.luke@dmh.ms.gov