News Releases

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 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 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 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 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 […]

(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 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 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 […]

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 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 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 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 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 […]

March 20, 2020 (Jackson, MS) – Mississippi Department of Mental Health programs began limiting visitation last week as the first signs of COVID-19 began appearing in the state and will continue to do so in order to protect the health of the people served through our hospitals, nursing homes, regional facilities for people with intellectual […]

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health takes the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus seriously. Our mission is to support a better tomorrow in the lives of Mississippians, and that means protecting their physical health as well. To maintain the health and safety of all Mississippians, our DMH programs began limiting visitation as the first signs […]

The Department of Mental Health is offering for public comment a proposed draft of the 2020 Operational Standards For Mental Health, Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Community Service Providers.  The proposed draft will be effective on April 1, 2020.  To offer feedback on these revisions, please email feedback@dmh.ms.gov.  Feedback will be accepted until October 11, […]

September 6, 2019 – DMH was notified this week that Judge Carlton Reeves found the State is violating Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but he did not order a specific remedy. In finding the State in violation, the Court recognized the efforts that have been made toward expanding community-based care.  According to […]

July 26, 2019 (Jackson, Miss.) – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention grant, a five-year collaboration between DMH, Mississippi State University and Region 8 Mental Health Services. The Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention grant (MS […]

May 23, 2019 (Jackson, Miss) – May is recognized around the world as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to focus on mental health, learn about the steps everyone can take to stay mentally healthy, and to remind everyone that recovery from mental illness is possible. This month, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health is partnering […]

May 23, 2019 (Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is currently offering Youth Mental Health First Aid Training through a federal grant available through the next three years.  The training is available for parents, educators, families, and other professionals who regularly interact with young people how to help a young person who may […]