News Around the State

DMH joins anti-stigma campaign

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is partnering with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to launch an anti-stigma campaign. The campaign, "What a Difference a Friend Makes," is designed to decrease the negative attitudes that surround mental illness and encourage young adults to support their friends who are living with mental health problems.

"The stigma attached to mental illness is why many people choose not to seek treatment," said Ed LeGrand, DMH Executive Director. "Stigma gets in the way of proper treatment and recovery. There are ways, however, to counter stigma and our goal is to have the entire state of Mississippi join our efforts to combat stigma."

A statewide committee will spearhead activities on the first phase of the campaign, which is directed toward the 18 to 25 age group. A press conference is scheduled for May 2 in Jackson to release Mississippi public service announcements to the media. Efforts will include working with media, with schools, and with area businesses.

To find out more, visit www.whatadifference.org.

American Heart Association announces Mississippi’s CPR Training Centers with largest percent increases in numbers trained 2006

Pictured left to right are: Pat Kelly, Oktibbeha County Hospital; Debbie Coleman, Delta Rural Health Network; and Lamarr Gardner, American Heart Association Mississippi Regional Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee Recruitment and Recognition Chair. Not pictured: Jim Fisackerly, Gulf Coast Veterans Healthcare Facility.

The Mississippi Region of the American Heart Association is pleased to announce the Training Centers with largest percent increases in CPR training numbers for fiscal year 2006 (July 2005 – June 2006). A Training Center (TC) is an organization, which has contracted with the American Heart Association to provide basic and/or advanced adult and pediatric life support training courses to the community it serves.

The mission of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Programs is to reduce disability and death from cardiac and respiratory emergencies and stroke by improving the Chain of Survival in every community. By placing the American Heart Association’s ECC Programs in the community as an integral part of its day-to-day life, public awareness and education in basic and advanced life support will increase, and more lives will be saved.

Training Centers were recognized at the American Heart Association Mississippi Training Center Coordinator Awards Luncheon held at the Jones County Junior College Advanced Technology Center in Ellisville. Centers recognized for largest percent increases in CPR training numbers include: Delta Rural Health Network (Kosciusko) – largest percent increase in healthcare training; Gulf Coast Veterans Healthcare Facility (Biloxi) - largest percent increase lay credentialed training and largest percent increase in total training; and, Oktibbeha County Hospital (Starkville) - largest percent increase in community training. Mississippi’s 44 Training Centers trained 81,256 people in the life-saving skills of basic and advanced life support in fiscal year 2006.

Throughout the United States, American Heart Association’s basic and advanced life support courses are used to train more than nine million people each year. The courses are provided through a network of over 3,300 Training Centers and over 306,000 Instructors. The American Heart Association’s courses have been taught throughout the U.S. for more than 30 years.

For more information on how to find a CPR or First Aid course in your area, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.americanheart.org or dial our toll-free hotline at 877-AHA-4CPR. 

Rush Health Sytems and UMC receive rural development grant

Rush Health Systems in Meridian and the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson were among four recipients that received USDA Rural Development Grants in the state. Part of the funding will be used to set up or expand telemedicine operations at UMC, Rush Health Systems and West Mississippi Home Health Systems in Vicksburg. Rush will set up a videoconferencing system that will reach 11 counties in east Mississippi and west Alabama. UMC will create and maintain a health information technology infrastructure to provide educational training and informational sharing between health care entities.

American Heart Association announces Mississippi’s Top Ten CPR Training Centers 2005

Pictured in photo, left to right: Tammy Lowe, Singing River Hospital System; Candace Myers, Forrest General Hospital; Charles Morris, North MS EMS Authority; Charles Wise, American Medical Response; Diane Shaw, Mississippi Baptist Health Systems; Sonja Warren, Wesley Medical Center; and Pam Foster, Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle. Not pictured: Sgt. Gary Davis, Ridgeland High School; Blaine Riggleman, Holmes Community College; Joyce Olmstead, North Mississippi Health Services.

The Mississippi Region of the American Heart Association is pleased to announce the Top Ten CPR Training Centers for fiscal year 2005 (July 2004 – June 2005). A Training Center (TC) is an organization, which has contracted with the American Heart Association to provide basic and/or advanced adult and pediatric life support training courses to the community it serves.

The mission of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Programs is to reduce disability and death from cardiac and respiratory emergencies and stroke by improving the Chain of Survival in every community. By placing the American Heart Association’s ECC Programs in the community as an integral part of its day-to-day life, public awareness and education in basic and advanced life support will increase, and more lives will be saved.

The Top Ten Training Centers were recognized at the American Heart Association’s Mississippi Training Center Coordinator Awards Luncheon held at the Jones County Junior College Advanced Technology Center in Ellisville. Centers recognized include: Wesley Medical Center (Hattiesburg), Mississippi Baptist Health Systems (Jackson), Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle (Columbus), American Medical Response (Gulfport), Ridgeland High School (Ridgeland), Holmes Community College (Ridgeland), North Mississippi EMS Authority (Tupelo), Forrest General Hospital (Hattiesburg), Singing River Hospital System (Pascagoula), and North Mississippi Health Services (Tupelo). Awards are presented to the Top Ten Training Centers by highest numbers of people trained. North Mississippi Health Services received the award for most people trained, training 5,670 in fiscal year 2005. Mississippi’s forty-four Training Centers trained 82,604 people in the life-saving skills of basic and advanced life support in fiscal year 2005. Throughout the United States, American Heart Association’s basic and advanced life support courses are used to train more than nine million people each year. The courses are provided through a network of over 3,300 Training Centers and over 306,000 Instructors. The American Heart Association’s courses have been taught throughout the U.S. for more than 30 years.

For more information on how to find a CPR or First Aid course in your area, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.americanheart.org or dial our toll-free hotline at 877-AHA-4CPR. Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases, claim more than 910,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2004–05 the association invested over $473 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

DMH celebrates National Case Management Week

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is honoring all of its mental health case managers during National Case Management Week, Oct. 8-14.

DMH has joined the Case Management Society of America and other national and state agencies in supporting the special recognition program, which aims to educate the public about case management and recognize the contributions case and care managers make to quality healthcare for patients, healthcare providers and payers.

This year’s theme, “One Purpose, Many Paths,” reflects the various paths that each case manager takes on their healthcare travels in an effort to smooth the way for patients, care givers and others involved in the continuum of care.

“Recognizing the valuable work that case managers perform is vitally important,” said DMH Executive Director Dr. Randy Hendrix. “Not only does case management support patients and their families in navigating the system, it reduces service fragmentation and encourages health team communication.”

Hendrix said case managers play a critical role in ensuring patient safety, quality of life and cost-efficient management of limited resources.

“Case management should be recognized and celebrated as a crucial element of care giving,” he said.

Featured this year as part of the Case Management Week logo are “road signs.” The design was chosen to symbolize the many paths each case manager follows for their patients to provide them the best care available in the healthcare industry.

National Case Management Week has been celebrated annually during the second full week of October since 1998.

For more information about the 2006 statewide Department of Mental Health celebration activities, contact Thaddeus J. Williams, Program Planner/Evaluator, Community Services Division or Tessie Smith, Director, Public Information and Planning Division at (601) 359-1288.

Mississippi athletes bring home medals from Special Olympics

Area 8 Special Olympian Luke Robinson of Brandon carries the Special Olympics Torch – known as the Flame of Hope – onto the Mississippi State Hospital’s (MSH) Whitfield campus as area law enforcement officials and other athletes follow. MSH was an official stop for the torch as it made its way from Memphis to Biloxi for the opening ceremonies of the Mississippi Special Olympics Summer Games held May 5-7 at Keesler Air Force Base.

Mississippi State Hospital (MSH) athletes were victorious during the Mississippi Special Olympics Summer Games held May 5-7 at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, walking away with two gold medals, two silver medals and two bronze medals.

MSH athlete Robert Genna earned a gold medal in the 100-yard dash and a gold medal in the softball throw, while George Kersh earned a silver medal in the softball throw and a bronze medal in the 100-yard walk. In addition, MSH athlete Joseph Howard earned a silver medal in the 100-yard dash and a bronze medal in the softball throw.

Debbie Waller, who serves as adult education coordinator at MSH and volunteers as director of the Area 8 Special Olympics program – which includes athletes from Rankin, Hinds, Madison and Scott Counties – said the games help to instill a sense of pride and hope.

“I am proud of all our Area 8 athletes, including the MSH athletes who won six medals,” Waller said. “Special Olympics helps to build their self-esteem and helps to develop social skills. It strengthens their confidence.”

Each year, to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics, law enforcement officers from across Mississippi carry the Special Olympics Torch – known as the Flame of Hope – from Memphis to Biloxi, handing the torch from one police department to the next along the journey.

“Mississippi State Hospital is one of the official stops along the way,” said Kathy Denton, MSH community relations coordinator. “Law enforcement officers from throughout the area, along with our athletes, participate in a special ceremony honoring the spirit of the Olympics embodied in the Flame of Hope.”

On May 3, as the Flame of Hope made its way through Rankin County, members of the MSH Police Department joined Area 8 athletes and law enforcement officials from Biloxi, Brandon, Florence, Flowood, Madison, Pearl, Pelahatchie, Richland, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Hudspeth Regional Center, the Jackson Evers International Airport and the 113th Military Police Company in carrying the torch onto the hospital’s Whitfield campus for a special ceremony outside MSH’s historic administration building.

“We are proud to host the Special Olympics Flame of Hope each year,” said MSH Police Chief James Blackwell. “Other than the opening ceremonies in Biloxi, we (Mississippi State Hospital) have the largest Special Olympics Torch Run Ceremony in the state.

“We all come together – our staff, Special Olympics athletes and area law enforcement departments – to help raise funds and awareness for this worthy cause,” Blackwell said. “When you see the smiles and enthusiasm on the athletes’ faces, it makes it all worthwhile.”

Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization that offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in Olympic-type summer and winter sports.

Blue Bell Creameries and Little Caesars Pizza helped to sponsor the MSH Torch Run Ceremony by providing refreshments to the Special Olympics athletes and law enforcement runners.