News Releases

Updated Post An additional public comment period is open regarding the proposed revisions to the DMH Operational Standards. On June 21, 2024, DMH filed proposed revisions to the 2020 DMH Operational Standards with the Secretary of State’s Office, designated as System Number 27554. The public comment period for this filing ended on July 16, 2024. […]

In this episode of Real Hope, we meet Tara Roberts, a certified peer support specialist with Youth Villages. With over four years of experience and a personal journey as a parent of children with mental health diagnoses, Tara offers invaluable support to families facing similar challenges. Her lived experience and extensive training allow her to […]

Save the date for the 36th annual Mental Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities conference, which will be held November 6th – 8th, at the Golden Nugget Casino in Biloxi, MS.  This year’s theme is: “Beyond Barriers: Innovations and Solutions for a Better Mississippi.” The MH/IDD Joint Conference Committee is now accepting proposals for presentations and posters. The forms […]

DMH Prioritizes Training for Law Enforcement Officers During Mental Health Awareness Month [JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI] —During Mental Health Awareness Month and Law Enforcement Appreciation Week, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) highlights its commitment to enhancing public safety and supporting individuals experiencing mental health crises through Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and Mental Health First […]

Throughout 2024, we are sharing Real Hope, a monthly video series bringing you real stories of hope, from real Mississippians, about real recovery and resiliency. We want you to hear first-hand from someone in our state who has received the services and supports you learned about in last year’s 52 Weeks of Progress campaign. In […]

In 2023, the Mississippi Legislature introduced and passed House Bill 1222, known as the Mississippi Collaborative Response to Mental Health Act. Section 2 of this bill addresses collaboration between mental health practitioners and law enforcement agencies throughout the state, requiring both county and municipal law enforcement agencies to receive training in Mental Health First Aid […]

Mississippi State Hospital is the state’s only inpatient forensic mental health service provider serving all 82 counties in the state. With limited bed capacity for many years, many people have had to wait for services. In the fall of 2024, MSH will have renovations complete on a new maximum-security facility which will provide Mississippi with: […]

On average, one person in the United States dies by suicide every 11 minutes. In Mississippi, 421 lives were lost to suicide and 107,000 adults had thoughts of suicide in the last year. There are 431,000 adults in Mississippi who have a mental health condition and 120,000 adults who have a serious mental illness. Mental […]

The Mississippi Board of Mental Health signed a proclamation supporting the expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) in Mississippi. CCBHCs are designed to provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals; with an emphasis on the provision of 24-hour crisis care, utilization of evidence-based practices, care […]

Overview & Methodology DMH wants to provide hope to Mississippians by supporting a continuum of care for people with mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, and intellectual or developmental disabilities. By inspiring hope, helping people on the road to recovery, and improving resiliency, Mississippians can succeed. To help the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH)accomplish […]

We encourage anyone interested in services for people with mental illness to attend the MS Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Health Council meeting.The meeting will be held at Hudspeth Regional Center in the Chastain Auditorium 10am-12pm on November 2, 2023.  The meeting will also be accessible through Teams by clicking this link.

You are formally invited to register for the MH/IDD Joint Conference to be held in Natchez, MS, October 25-27, 2023. The Mental Health/Intellectual and Developmental (MH/IDD) Executive Council is excited to once again provide educational opportunities to professionals and paraprofessionals in the field of mental health and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Please share this invitation with […]

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is committed to supporting the provision of an array of adult mental health services. Over the past several years, many adult mental health services and supports have been expanded and new ones implemented, including, but not limited to, the following: ✓ Mobile Crisis Response Teams ✓ Crisis Residential Services […]

For more than a decade, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) has focused heavily on the availability of community services, including those services that provide intensive services in the community and divert people from the need for inpatient services at a state hospital. We continue to be dedicated to enhancing community services in Mississippi […]

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is planning to expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in the state, and we need your input! A Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) is a specially-designated clinic that provides a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use services. CCBHCs serve anyone who walks through the door, regardless of […]

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is offering for public comment a Combined Block Grant Application for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) block grants. SAMHSA oversees two major block grants: the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) and the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Support Services Block Grant (SUBG). […]

DMH has announced a series of Youth Mental Health First Aid training dates for Mississippi educators taking place throughout summer 2023. Teachers, coaches, school resources officers, bus drivers, other school staff, caregivers and any others who regularly interact with youth – these trainings can help you identify common signs and symptoms of mental health and […]

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is now accepting applications for series of competitive grants made available through funding appropriated to the agency. Each Request for Funding Application (RFA) is available as a PDF linked below. Only DMH Certified Providers are eligible to apply for the posted RFA opportunities. General questions may be sent to […]