News Around the State

South Mississippi State Hospital Names Jeremy Mowell Employee of the Quarter

Jeremy Mowell was recently named South Mississippi State Hospital’s first quarter Employee of the Quarter. Mowell has served as an active treatment technician at the Purvis facility since June 2010. 

As an ATT, Mowell’s responsibilities include continually monitoring patient care, leading or observing patient education groups, documenting patient activity throughout the day, observing and assisting with recreation therapy, among other duties.

Mowell, currently a Lamar County resident, is a native of Rock Island, Illinois. He moved to Mississippi when he was 17 and graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1999. Mowell attended Pearl River Community College, certifying as a nursing assistant in 2008, and in 2009, he became certified in surgical technology.

“Jeremy acts in a professional manner; treats others respectfully and carries himself well,” his nominator wrote in the recommendation of Mowell for the Employee of the Quarter honor. “He treats patients with respect and presents himself in a calm, caring manner.”

Before coming to work at the State hospital in Purvis, Mowell worked at Hattiesburg Health and Rehab as a CNA on that facility’s Alzheimer’s unit.

“The patients and the staff here at SMSH truly are one team,” Mowell said. “It is so exciting and fulfilling helping others make a difference in their lives.”

Away from work, Mowell enjoys spending time with his wife, Ana, family, and his dogs, Roxee and Boudreaux, as well as trying new foods. He hopes to further his education in medical coding or in nursing and would also like to buy a house.

“SMSH is unique in the fact that we go above and beyond for our patients,” said Mowell. “I greatly appreciate being a part of the team at SMSH.”

Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital Holds Annual Meeting

During the recent annual meeting of Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital, Brown Ray, psychiatric nurse practitioner at the Purvis facility, was named Employee of the Year. Selected from employees of each quarter, the honor was voted on by employees based on adherence to the hospital’s values system.

Brown was selected for the honor based on his professionalism and ability to establish rapport with patients and fellow staff members. He is respected for his ability to maintain composure while remaining compassionate. He is always willing to help wherever needed; values the opinions of others and has an approachable manner.

Friends of SMSH is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting an understanding of mental health and the needs of individuals with mental illness, improving the quality of life for patients and providing recognition and support for hospital employees. The Friends group does this by advocating for the hospital in the community, meeting needs of the patients and providing activities for both the patients and the staff.

Clint Ashley and Dr. Martha Saunders

Dr. Martha Saunders, president of the University of Southern Mississippi, was the keynote speaker at the meeting.

Clint Ashley and John Blanks

The organization elected new officers and board members during the meeting. Incoming president is John Blanks, a long-time community volunteer at the hospital. Debbie Sinopoli of Debbie Sinopoli and Associates Real Estate will serve as vice-president. Donna Simmons and Andy Tucker, the hospital’s public relations director and fiscal services director, who are ex-officio officers, will serve as secretary and treasurer, respectively. Debbie Thorn, assistant vice president at Community Bank, will fill the slot of immediate past president. 

Other board members include: Mark Barham (Mississippi Power Company), Joe Bounds (Lamar County Board of Supervisors), Marvin Breazeale (community volunteer), Bill Coll (community volunteer), Suzanne Cox (SMSH 2010 Employee of the Year), Joey Fillingane (State Senator and attorney at law), Missy Gipson (Hancock Bank), Dr. Heath Grames (University of Southern Mississippi), Greg Lowery (Owens Business Machines), Jeff Mayo (Oak Grove Heating & Air), Harold Myatt (community volunteer), Brown Ray (SMSH 2011 Employee of the Year), Wynona Winfield (community volunteer and former SMSH director), and Dr. Becky Woodrick (University of Southern Mississippi).

Hospital volunteers and Friends of SMSH corporate sponsors were also recognized. The meeting closed with a reception in the hospital’s multi-purpose room.

South Mississippi State Hospital adds new doctor to staff

South Mississippi State Hospital recently announced that J. Allen Harris, MD, has joined the facility’s staff as Clinical Director. 

“We are extremely pleased to have Dr. Harris on staff at SMSH,” said Clint Ashley, hospital director. “He has much to share with our staff and our patients – experience, compassion and a desire to give back.”

Harris, a Fort Worth native, attended University of Texas at Arlington but was accepted into medical school prior to completing his course of study in premed biology. He earned his doctorate of medicine in 1983 from University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio.  Harris’ post-graduate training included an internship and residency in internal medicine at University of Texas Health Science Center Teaching Hospitals, San Antonio.

After practicing in Longview,Texas, Harris returned to school for psychiatric training at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. Because of his sensitive temperament and need for closeness, Harris said he should have been in psychiatry all along. 

“I feel blessed to be in this field,” he said. “It provides an opportunity to help hurting patients. It is fascinating, personally fulfilling and never gets old.”

Harris describes himself as a teacher and looks forward to working with medical students from William Carey’s new osteopathic medicine program when they come to SMSH for psychiatric rotations. 
“It is refreshing to work with patients who are often forgotten and get the leftovers,” said Harris. “They deserve the best in our profession.”

Harris and his wife have five children and three grandchildren. He enjoys golf, making Doc’s Texas BARBQ (from his father’s secret recipe), and exercise and is a huge Dallas Mavericks fan.  

 

South Mississippi State Hospital staff complete state management program

Two South Mississippi State Hospital staff members recently completed the Mississippi State Personnel Board’s Certified Supervisory Management Program.  Andy Tucker, SMSH Fiscal Services Director, and Arif Kamal, SMSH Active Treatment Technician Supervisor, both of Hattiesburg, completed the first half of the State Personnel Board’s Certified Public Manager Program.  Completion of the first half of the program earns participants a CSM designation. They are now eligible to apply for second level -- the CPM Program, from which Tucker says he plans to graduate in June 2012.

Candidates for the Mississippi CPM Program must be employed by or with a Mississippi governmental organization and should be in a supervisory or managerial position.  The CPM Program is built on the philosophy that the study of management can impact certain skills, attitudes and behaviors that characterize successful management.  The program combines state-of-the-art theory with practical training.  The designation as a “Certified Public Manager” is viewed as a professional credential involving study, practice, application and testing. The CPM Program requires completion of six levels of one-week courses, two outside readings, professional development electives, selected required electives, three job-related projects, examinations on core courses and an executive seminar.  

Tucker holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Mississippi State University.  He has completed the Mississippi Department of Mental Health’s Basic Supervisory Course and FOCUS Program.  Both the CSM/CPM program and FOCUS are advanced DMH management training initiatives. Tucker served as Purchasing Director at the hospital from January 2000, prior to the facility’s opening in May of that year, until he was promoted to his current position as Fiscal Services Director in September 2010.

“I have enjoyed meeting people from other agencies and learning more about how state government works,” said Tucker. “Some of the classes are really interesting.”

Kamal is a native of Bangladesh in southeast Asia. He came to the University of Southern Mississippi in Fall 1997 and received a Master of Public Health degree in Fall 1999.  He has been employed by SMSH since May 2000, prior to the hospital receiving its first patient.  Kamal also graduated from the John C. Stennis State Executive Development Institute of Government in May 2008. 

“Working together as a team, using a decision-making model and open communication were the most valued and applicable skills I learned during CPM Levels I-III,” said Kamal.

The CPM Program has received favorable attention nationwide as a training system that measures, as well as develops, professional competency in the field of public management. By increasing the productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of state employees, CPM helps enhance the overall quality and image of state government operations. The Mississippi CPM Program is a member of the National CPM Consortium and is administered under the authority of the Mississippi State Personnel Board. 

 

South Mississippi State Hospital names Brown Ray Employee of the Quarter

South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH) recently named Brown Ray, PMHNP-BC, Employee of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2011. 

Ray contracted to SMSH as an RN from July 2006 until he earned his PMHNP license.  After passing his psychiatric nurse practitioner exam in June 2010, he came to work at SMSH full-time.  Ray holds associate degrees from Mississippi Delta Community College in Liberal Arts and in Nursing.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi in May 2004 and a Masters in Nursing in May 2009.

“He attempts to establish rapport with each and every patient, acknowledging that he values and respects their opinions and feedback regarding their treatment program,” Ray’s nominator wrote about him. “He is always willing to help wherever it is needed, . . . he maintains his composure and always presents himself in a professional manner.”

Ray’s soft-spoken manner and sense of humor along with his work ethic and pleasing personality have garnered him respect across the campus.“I like that my job gives me the ability to serve others,” said Ray. 

In his spare time, Ray enjoys spending time with his wife and son, cooking, hunting and watching Ole Miss sports.

“I’m looking forward to watching Eli Manning win his second Superbowl!” said Ray.

 

SMSH Social Work Supervisor honored by Southern Miss

Angela Savage, a Licensed Masters Social Worker and social work supervisor at South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis, was recently named Field Instructor of the Year 2011 by the University of Southern Mississippi School of Social Work.

 SMSH is a 50-bed acute care facility in Purvis, that offers mental health treatment and services for adults in the southern part of the state. 

Savage has worked in the Social Services Department at SMSH since October 2007.  She previously worked at two other Department of Mental Health facilities – Ellisville State School and North Mississippi State Hospital in Tupelo as well as in the School of Social Work at the Southern Miss.

A 1997 graduate of Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, Savage earned a Bachelor’s of Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000 and graduated with her Master’s in 2006.  She served on several committees and societies and graduated with honors from her undergraduate and graduate programs.

Field instructors for the Southern Miss School of Social Work prepare and provide students with social work values, ethics, knowledge, skills and cultural competencies in working with a wide range of clientele.  Generally, field instructors are social workers who are employed in social agencies or other institutions and have some experience in supervision and recognition for competence in their work. They must be willing to accept and apply the educational objectives of the curriculum of the School of Social Work. They are considered part-time faculty by the School even though their time and expertise are donated.

Savage has been serving as a field instructor for the Southern Miss program for approximately three years.  She is also involved with other parts of the program as a guest speaker.

She is a native of New Albany and currently resides in Petal.  Savage enjoys reading magazines, watching the Amazing Race and spending time with her family. She has been married to Howard Savage, Jr. for twelve years.  The couple has three children: Amara, Amarion, and Amaya. 

South Mississippi State Hospital names April Holder Employee of the Quarter

April Holder, RN, was recently named Employee of the Quarter at South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH).

Holder, a Lamar County resident, worked on the cardiac unit at Wesley Medical Center before coming to work at SMSH in 2006.

“She finishes her work, assists others, and does an excellent job showing new employees how to complete tasks efficiently,” Holder’s nominator wrote about her.

She is trusted by her peers to get her work done while maintaining order in the department and has even recently filled in for the nurse executive in her absence.  Holder earned an Associates Degree in Nursing from Pearl River Community College. 

“I enjoy working and taking care of people who really need our help,” said Holder. “I also enjoy the people I work with.  It’s great to have that because it helps to make a tough day easy!”
In her spare time, she likes to volunteer at her children’s school. Holder is married and has a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son.  She enjoys spending time with her family and making them happy.

South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH) is a 50-bed acute care facility in Purvis that offers mental health treatment and services for adults in the southern part of the state. The hospital’s Friends ofSMSH organization recognizes an outstanding employee each quarter and provides service pins and incentive-related supplies and activities for hospital staff as well as needed services and events for patients.  Friends of SMSH is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting understanding of mental health and the needs of individuals with mental illness, improving the quality of life for patients, and providing recognition and support for employees.

South Mississippi State Hospital Names Cindy Hyden Employee of the Quarter

 

Cindy Hyden, a social worker at South Mississippi State Hospital, was recently named Employee of the Quarter at the Purvis facility.

Hyden moved to Mississippi from Santa Maria, California.  She currently resides in Petal.
Before coming to work at SMSH in 2004, Hyden worked at River Oak Center for Children in Sacramento, California.

“Cindy shows respect to the patients by protecting their confidentiality and protecting their rights as patients,” said Angela Savage, a fellow social worker at the hospital.

She is also a team player and helps out whenever asked; she is always available to fill in whenever needed.”

Hyden holds a Master’s degree in counseling from California State University – Sacramento and a Bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy from California State University – Chico.  She attended Ernest Righetti High School in Santa Maria.

“I enjoy my coworkers, working with the patients and their families, coordinating services and putting patient histories together,” said Hyden.

In her spare time, she likes to read, garden, work out and cook.

South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH) is a 50-bed acute care facility in Purvis that offers mental health treatment and services for adults in the southern part of the state. The hospital’s Friends of SMSH organization recognizes an outstanding employee each quarter and provides service pins and incentive-related supplies and activities for hospital staff as well as needed services and events for patients.  Friends of SMSH is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting understanding of mental health and the needs of individuals with mental illness, improving the quality of life for patients, and providing recognition and support for employees.

Dale certified as Licensed Department of Mental Health Administrator

 

Debbie Dale was recently certified as a Licensed Department of Mental Health Administrator with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH). She serves as Staff Development Director at South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH) in Purvis.  Dale, a Marion County resident, has been employed with SMSH since June 2004.

SMSH is an acute-care, regional psychiatric facility that provides services for adults with mental illness. SMSH serves Lamar, Forrest, Marion, Perry, Greene, Wayne, Jones, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Stone, Pearl River, George, Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson counties.

Dale graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.  She received her Masters of Education degree from William Carey College in 1996.  She has completed the Basic Supervisory Course, the Certified Public Manager program and the Department of Mental Health FOCUS program.  She has also served as a board member of the Pine Belt Mental Health Association for the last two and a half years.

The Licensed Mental Health Administrator program is a professional credentialing program designed for top-level mental health, intellectual developmental disabilities, or addiction program administrators within the DMH.  Acceptance into the program is through a selection process and requires a master’s degree or higher and completion of the Certified Public Manager and FOCUS programs.

FOCUS is an accelerated leadership program designed for the Mississippi DMH to develop leaders from within.  The overall goal of the program is to have the right people, with the right skills, at the right time. Dale completed the FOCUS program in November 2010.

Prior to her employment at SMSH, Dale taught at West Marion Primary School for eleven years and served on the State Department of Education School Assessment Team for five years.  She also worked for the University of Southern Mississippi as a School Improvement Representative and taught teacher continuing education classes for Mississippi State University at the Meridian Campus and at the University of Southern Mississippi. 

South Mississippi State Hospital names new director

Clint Ashley has been appointed Director of South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis.

SMSH is an acute-care, regional psychiatric facility that provides services for adults with mental illness. SMSH serves Lamar, Forrest, Marion, Perry, Greene, Wayne, Jones, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Stone, Pearl River, George, Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties.

Read more here.