Mississippi HB 909: Medical benefits for retired public employees and dependents… (2017)
“(d) Medical benefits for retired employees and dependents under age sixty-five (65) years and not eligible for Medicare benefits. For employees who retire before July 1, 2005, and for employees retiring due to work-related disability under the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the same health insurance coverage as for all other active employees and their dependents shall be available to retired employees and all dependents under age sixty-five (65) years who are not eligible for Medicare benefits, the level of benefits to be the same level as for all other active participants. For employees who retire on or after July 1, 2005, and not retiring due to work-related disability under the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the same health insurance coverage as for all other active employees and their dependents shall be available to those retiring employees and all dependents under age sixty-five (65) years who are not eligible for Medicare benefits only if the retiring employees were participants in the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan for four (4) years or more before their retirement, the level of benefits to be the same level as for all other active participants. This section will apply to those employees who retire due to one hundred percent (100%) medical disability as well as those employees electing early retirement.”
“The Transition Services Program works with eligible secondary school students with disabilities to enable them to transition from school to subsequent work environments. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) works cooperatively with the Mississippi Department of Education and local school districts in planning and implementing a variety of programs designed to provide training and assistance for students with disabilities to support them in making the difficult transition from school to work.”
“The Elderly and Disabled Waiver program is administered and operated by the Office of Long Term Care. Case Management services are provided by the Planning and Development Districts. The case management team is composed of a registered nurse and a licensed social worker who are responsible for identifying, screening and completing an assessment on individuals in need of at-home services.”
Mississippi DMH Begins Implementation of Conflict Free Case Management
“The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) has begun the implementation of conflict-free case management services for the Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Waiver. Conflict-free case management is required for all states by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, and will result in the transfer of a number of DMH employees to other community providers as it is implemented at DMH programs throughout the state…
DMH believes the function of Support Coordination is within the mission of the agency. IDD regional programs will continue to provide Support Coordination services and no longer provide other ID/DD Waiver services. This plan has been approved by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid and CMS. The first implementation of conflict-free case management began at Ellisville State School in August 2017 and will be taking place at other DMH regional programs by the end of 2018. A large number of employees affected by these transitions will continue to serve Mississippians who require support from the ID/DD Waiver. There will not be a change in the type or amount of service people currently enrolled in the program receive.”
Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MSCDD) State Work Plan (2019 to 2021)
“The purpose of MSCDD is to engage in activities consistent with the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (PL 106-402) which contribute to a coordinated, consumer- and family-centered, consumer and family-directed, comprehensive system of community services, individualized supports, and other forms of assistance that enable individuals with developmental disabilities to exercise self-determination, be independent, be productive, and be integrated and included in all facets of community life.
“AbilityWorks is a network of community rehabilitation programs that provide vocational assessment, job training, and actual work experience for individuals with disabilities. This is possible through a wide array of contract and subcontract services provided to local business and industry.
There are 17 locations in a statewide AbilityWorks network of vocationally oriented community programs and is a division of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation. AbilityWork’s mission to clients is “to improve the quality of life, employment opportunities, and integration of people with disabilities into the community.”
DD Network News: A Collaborative Publication from MSCDD, DRMS, and IDS
“Welcome! Thank you for reading the first issue of DD News, a joint publication of the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities (MSCDD), Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS), and the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi. All three agencies are funded by the federal Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to ensure that people with developmental disabilities receive services as required by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. You can learn more about the agencies by researching their websites, listed on the agency pages of this newsletter.
The collaboration among our three agencies continues to expand and increase to benefit people with disabilities in our state. The more closely our agencies work together on issues to create the change that ultimately improves the lives of people with developmental and other disabilities, the greater the impact for all of Mississippi. We continue to collaborate with self-advocates, families, and professionals as evidenced by some of the work highlighted in this edition.”
Mississippi VR Career Exploration and Employability Skills (2018)
“The Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Counselor and the classroom teacher work together to implement a curriculum that students with disabilities may participate in through services provided at community rehabilitation programs throughout the state. The proposed schedule can be adapted to meet the needs of the student and the teacher and can be based on each school’s calendar year.”
“In 2008, DMH developed its first Strategic Plan in order to set clear goals and objectives for the future. This plan continues to be a road map for the public mental health system as we focus on moving towards a community-based system of care.
The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) Strategic Plan is a dynamic document intended to provide goals and objectives related to the inpatient and residential programs directly operated by the agency, the community services funded through the agency, and other partnerships or operational activities within the department. In previous years, the DMH Strategic Plan typically provided goals related to a three-year period. This most recent revision of the plan, the FY23 – FY27 DMH Strategic Plan, is intended to cover a five-year span. In developing this revision of the Strategic Plan, DMH engaged with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute (NRI) to help define performance measures for the state hospitals, as well as to conduct stakeholder outreach. DMH has worked to incorporate feedback from the NRI report into this revision of the plan where possible.”
Mississippi WIOA in Mississippi 2017 Annual Report
“The Delta WDA provides Small Business Development, Entrepreneurial, and Self-Employment Training to area residents and WIOA customers in accordance with DOL’s TEGL 12-10 “Supporting Entrepreneurial and Self-Employment Training through the Workforce Investment System.” This program addresses the role the workforce investment system plays in support of entrepreneurial activities.”
