Registration is now open for the annual Mississippi Trauma-Informed Care Conference. With the theme of “Finding Hope in a Never Ending Storm,” this year’s conference will be a virtual event with seven keynotes and 26 different breakout sessions, taking place September 21 – 23, 2022. Keynotes and breakout sessions will encourage new coping strategies and […]
News Releases
August 22nd, 2022
6th Annual Mississippi Suicide Prevention Symposium is September 27-28
Save the date for September 27-28, when the sixth annual Mississippi Suicide Prevention Symposium will be held as a virtual event in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and the Mississippi State University Department of Psychology. Continuing education will be available. More details and registration information will be available soon at www.mississippisuicidepreventionsymposium.com. If […]
July 16th, 2022
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Launches July 16
New Number a Major Step in Transforming Crisis Care On July 16, 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will go live nationwide. In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. By calling or texting 988, or by chatting via the Lifeline website (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/), anyone […]
July 1st, 2022
Board of Mental Health Names Leadership Roles for FY23
July 1, 2022 (Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Board of Mental Health has named new leadership roles for the state fiscal year that began July 1, 2022. Dr. Sampat Shivangi of Ridgeland has been named Chair and Stewart Rutledge of Oxford has been named Vice Chair. Shivangi was first appointed to the Board in 2009 […]
January 10th, 2022
Notice of final adoption for DMH MYPAC Rules
The public comment period for the proposed DMH Mississippi Youth Programs Around the Clock (MYPAC) rules expired at the close of business on January 10, 2022. Public comment received was considered in the development of the final MYPAC rules. (Please refer to the link below for additional information.) With permission from the Mississippi State Board […]
October 29th, 2021
Draft FY 22-23 Community Mental Health Services Block Grant/State Plan Available for Review
The Draft FY 22-23 Community Mental Health Services Block Grant/State Plan is now available for public review and comment. The FY 22-23 Draft State Plan can be reviewed by clicking here, and it is also linked on the Provider Documents page of the DMH web site. Please review the Plan and provide your comments to […]
September 27th, 2021
DMH Releases FY21 Suicide Prevention Plan Progress Report
The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) has released its FY21 Progress Report for the state’s Suicide Prevention Plan, a comprehensive document that lays out the goals and objectives the state is taking to fight death by suicide. The Suicide Prevention Plan includes three goals: Engage and empower Mississippians to help prevent suicide by increasing […]
June 9th, 2021
DMH and MSDH Announce “Put Your Foot Down” Campaign to fight HIV/AIDS epidemic
June 9, 2021 – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) have announced a new awareness campaign titled “Put Your Foot Down, Mississippi” to inspire Mississippians to join renewed efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Mississippi. Contrary to public perception, HIV/AIDS is still a problem in […]
May 6th, 2021
May Marks Mental Health Awareness Month: DMH Encourages Mississippians to Think Again about Personal Mental Health in Light of Pandemic
May 6, 2021 (Jackson, Mississippi) – This past year presented so many different challenges and obstacles that tested our strength and resiliency. The COVID-19 pandemic forced us as Mississippians to cope with situations we never even imagined, and a lot of us struggled with our mental health as a result. In the face of an […]
April 7th, 2021
DMH Receives Additional Federal Funding for Mental Health and Substance Use Services
April 7, 2021 (Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) has received additional one-time federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), totaling nearly $20.5 million in funding for mental health and substance use services. DMH has received $12,938,191 in funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment […]
April 7th, 2021
Mississippi Joins Multi-State Effort with the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide
April 6, 2021 (Jackson, Miss.) – Mississippi is pleased to be one of eight states accepted this year in the Governor’s Challenge to Prevention Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families. This initiative is a partnership between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs […]
February 10th, 2021
Mississippi Department of Mental Health Receives National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Grant
February 8, 2021 (Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) today announces it is receiving $125,000 in funding toward planning for the implementation of a new national three-digit dialing code, 988, for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The grant funds will be used to help Mississippi Lifeline call centers prepare for infrastructure […]
December 14th, 2020
DMH Announces ‘Behind the Mask’ Campaign to Bring Services to More Mississippians During Pandemic
(Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) announced today a new awareness campaign titled “Behind the Mask” to promote mental health services for Mississippians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The statewide campaign will be customized at the local level for Community Mental Health Centers and DMH Certified Providers. As the world continues to experience the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, more individuals may find themselves experiencing increased stress. Fears about […]
September 25th, 2020
FY20 Suicide Prevention Plan Progress Report Now Available
September 25, 2020 – DMH has released the FY20 update for the Mississippi Suicide Prevention Plan, providing a snapshot of the efforts taken to combat suicide in the state during the past fiscal year. The plan includes three goals: Engage and empower Mississippians to help prevent suicide by increasing awareness of suicide as a public […]
September 11th, 2020
Fourth Annual Suicide Prevention Symposium is A Virtual Event on Sept. 29
September 10, 2020 (Jackson, Miss.) – During the September recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is hosting its Fourth Annual Suicide Prevention Symposium. Scheduled for September 29, this year’s symposium will be a virtual event from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. with an overall topic of “Fitting Suicide […]
May 29th, 2020
Healthcare Workers Feel Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic
Stress, anxiety, fear, and uncertainty – they are all strong emotions many people are experiencing during the pandemic that has been a part of our lives for months now. Doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and healthcare workers of all kinds may be responding to this illness and treating individuals who have tested positive with COVID-19, but […]
April 22nd, 2020
Virtual Support Encouraged for Recovery During Pandemic
April 21, 2020 (Jackson, MS) – The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is causing challenges throughout the healthcare industry, both for patients and providers, and the substance use and addiction treatment fields are no exception. Among the vulnerable populations the virus is known to have significant effects on are those individuals who smoke or vape, use opioids, […]
April 14th, 2020
DMH Offers Youth Mental Health First Aid For Educators During Summer 2020
April 14, 2020 (Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is making available free Youth Mental Health First Aid for parents, educators, families during the summer of 2020, offering the training at 11 cities throughout the state. Youth Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour training designed to teach professionals who regularly interact […]
April 13th, 2020
DMH and MSU Psychology Department Offer The Alliance Project Suicide Prevention Training Online
April 13, 2020 (Jackson, Miss.) – A federal grant is allowing the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Mississippi State University (MSU) to offer training focused on youth suicide prevention, and crucially making it available online to be accessed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since last year, The Alliance Project training has taught […]
March 25th, 2020
DMH Shares Wellness Tips During Coronavirus Pandemic
March 23, 2020 (Jackson, Miss.) – The ongoing outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus is a challenging time for many, but the Mississippi Department of Mental Health is encouraging Mississippians to learn about how they can cope with the stress and anxiety that is a natural response to these difficulties. Fear, stress, and anxiety may be […]