Mississippi Families As Allies Inc

TO MAKE SURE THAT FAMILIES ARE PARTNERS IN THEIR CHILDREN'S CARE.

SUPPORTING FAMILIES:IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT TO OVER 300 FAMILIES OF CHILDREN, WE CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED A VIRTUAL TRAINING SERIES TO HELP FAMILIES UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE MOST COMMON REASON FAMILIES CALL US. WE THEN CREATED ONGOING VIRTUAL DROP-IN SESSIONS THAT ANY FAMILY COULD ATTEND TO GET SUPPORT WITH THEIR CHILD'S SPECIFIC EDUCATION ISSUES. WE WERE ONE OF TEN NONPROFITS IN MISSISSIPPI TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE UNITED HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES. WE ARE USING THE FUNDING TO EXPAND PARENT-TO-PARENT SUPPORT TO FAMILIES IN THE YOUTH COURT SYSTEM. WE PROVIDED MULTIPLE RESOURCES TO FAMILIES TO DEAL WITH COVID AND PRODUCED A VIDEO ABOUT ADDRESSING VACCINE HESITANCY THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS. IT WAS FUNDED BY AND SHARED NATIONALLY THROUGH THE FEDERATION OF FAMILIES. WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS WITH FAMILIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI THRIVE TO COMPARE THEIR EXPERIENCES IN SEEKING CARE TO THOSE OF FAMILIES SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND THIS DATA WILL BE USED TO MAKE SERVICES MORE RESPONSIVE TO FAMILIES.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY:THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, WE EXPANDED OUR PARENT PEER SUPPORT CURRICULUM AND RELATED SUPPORTS. THE CURRICULUM IS CONSISTENT WITH NATIONAL STANDARDS AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AND YOUTH COURT SYSTEMS. WE DEVELOPED A SYSTEMATIC WAY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDERS, MOST OF WHOM CALL ABOUT HOW TO HELP FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL ISSUES. WE CREATED PRINT AND VIDEO OUTREACH FOR THE HINDS COUNTY MAP TEAM THAT ALSO REINFORCE MAP TEAMS' FUNDAMENTAL ROLE AS THE SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY FOR MISSISSIPPI'S SYSTEM OF CARE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAMP PROJECT, WE TRAINED OVER SIXTY MEDICAL PROVIDERS IN FAMILY DRIVEN APPROACHES TO INTEGRATED CARE. WE ALSO SURVEYED FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR CHILDREN'S PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AND THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THEY RECEIVE. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USED AS A BASELINE MEASURE FOR THE CHAMP PROJECT.

SUPPORTING POSITIVE CHANGE:WE EXPANDED OUR LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO INCLUDE STAKEHOLDERS IN ADDITION TO FAMILIES, AND SEVERAL PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS WHO HAD COMPLETED LEADERSHIP TRAINING ASSISTED IN THIS TRAINING. WE ALSO ADDED DROP IN POLICY DISCUSSIONS FOR LEADERSHIP GRADUATES AND OTHERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND POLICY ISSUES IN THE STATE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, WE RE-ESTABLISHED THE INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH, THE STATUTORILY DESIGNATED ENTITY TO OVERSEE AND COORDINATE MISSISSISSIPPI SYSTEM OF CARE FOR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH. WE WORKED WITH THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID AND THE MISSISSIPPI WRAPAROUND INSTITUTE TO ENSURE THAT WRAPAROUND POLICIES ARE IN KEEPING WITH NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES AND PROVIDE FOR FAMILY VOICE AND CHOICE. WE CONDUCTED MULTIPLE TRAINING SESSIONS AND ISSUED SEVEN POLICY BRIEFS TO HELP FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT FROM THE SYSTEM OF CARE. WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES INVOLVED IN POLICY COUNCILS INCLUDING THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY PANEL AND THE MENTAL HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL.