Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission

Supporting a better tomorrow by making a difference in the lives of Mississippians with a mental illness, substance use disorder and/or intellectual and developmental disability one person at a time.

Vision

We envision a better tomorrow where the lives of Mississippians are enriched through a public mental health system that promotes excellence in the provision of services and supports.

A better tomorrow exists when…

  • All Mississippians have equal access to quality mental health care, services and supports in their communities.
  • People actively participate in designing services.
  • The stigma surrounding mental illness, intellectual/developmental disabilities, substance abuse and dementia has disappeared.
  • Research, outcome measures, and technology are routinely utilized to enhance prevention, care, services, and supports.

Values

People

We believe people are the focus of the public mental health system. We respect the dignity of each person and value their participation in the design, choice and provision of services to meet their unique needs.

Community

We believe that community-based service and support options should be available and easily accessible in the communities where people live. We believe that services and support options should be designed to meet the particular needs of the person.

Commitment

We believe in the people we serve, our vision and mission, our workforce, and the community-at-large. We are committed to assisting people in improving their mental health, quality of life, and their acceptance and participation in the community.

Excellence

We believe services and supports must be provided in an ethical manner, meet established outcome measures, and are based on clinical research and best practices. We also emphasize the continued education and development of our workforce to provide the best care possible.

Accountability

We believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards in the efficient and effective use of all human, fiscal, and material resources. We are dedicated to the continuous evaluation and improvement of the public mental health system.

Collaboration

We believe that services and supports are the shared responsibility of state and local governments, communities, family members, and service providers. Through open communication, we continuously build relationships and partnerships with the people and families we serve, communities, governmental/nongovernmental entities and other service providers to meet the needs of people and their families.

Integrity

We believe the public mental health system should act in an ethical, trustworthy, and transparent manner on a daily basis. We are responsible for providing services based on principles in legislation, safeguards, and professional codes of conduct.

Awareness

We believe awareness, education, and other prevention and early intervention strategies will minimize the behavioral health needs of Mississippians. We also encourage community education and awareness to promote an understanding and acceptance of people with behavioral health needs.

Innovation

We believe it is important to embrace new ideas and change in order to improve the public mental health system. We seek dynamic and innovative ways to provide evidence-based services/supports and strive to find creative solutions to inspire hope and help people obtain their goals.

Respect

We believe in respecting the culture and values of the people and families we serve. We emphasize and promote diversity in our ideas, our workforce, and the services/supports provided through the public mental health system.