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Ben Wagenknecht

Odhh Director at Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services

Work Email: Verified
Direct Phone: Verified
Organization: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services · MS

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Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services

Team

Key Colleagues

Decision makers at Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services

David Varner
Bureau Director, Finance
Mary Hudgens
Chief Fiscal Officer
Samandra Murphy
Chief of Staff
Rosie Gibson
Director, Deaf-Blind Program
Brian Strickland
Director, Disability Determination Services

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Public Activity & Signals

Board meetings, strategic plans, and buyer signals from Ben Wagenknecht’s organization

Jun 28, 2024StrategicPlan

Board

Mississippi Statewide Independent Living Council State Plan 2024-2027

This State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) for Mississippi outlines strategies to improve the quality of life and independence of Mississippians with significant disabilities. It aims to increase the availability of comprehensive Independent Living Services statewide, empowering individuals to live independently in their communities. Key priorities include providing core independent living services, ensuring access to disability-specific planning and preparedness resources, facilitating transitions to less restrictive community environments, improving access to resources through Centers for Independent Living and the Statewide Independent Living Council, and enhancing services for unserved and underserved populations.

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Dec 12, 2025BoardMeeting

Board

State Rehabilitation Council Meeting

The meeting included comprehensive reports and discussions across several areas. The MDRS Executive Director reported on the successful closeout of the Federal Fiscal Year 2025 grant without overspending, highlighted new budget controls for FY26, and updated the council on federal trends indicating a potential future transition of RSA programs to the Department of Labor. Emphasis was placed on demonstrating program value through measurable outcomes and maintaining regulatory compliance, noting the SRC remains in good standing during legislative oversight reviews. Key action items involved the election of Pshon Barrett as Vice Chairperson and discussions concerning inactive members, leading to an agreement to continue outreach while seeking new nominations, particularly focusing on maintaining the statutory requirement for a majority of members being individuals with disabilities. The council approved sending two additional members to the upcoming NCSRC national conference. Budget committee updates detailed current spending categories. The Bylaws Committee successfully secured majority approval for proposed amendments. The SRC Orientation Committee's prior recommendations were reviewed, with a new sub-committee formed to formalize new member training leveraging NCSRC resources. The Statewide Independent Living Council reported membership challenges and discussed potential joint meeting opportunities. Consumer satisfaction surveys showed high overall satisfaction (average rating of 4.65 out of 5.0), though negative feedback cited issues with third-party providers, administrative delays, and staff turnover. Program Evaluation Surveys for OVRB North and South provided service satisfaction scores. Updates on CAP program activity showed reduced call volume allowing for deeper case review. Due process hearing outcomes were reported, with the agency prevailing in two recent cases. Discussions on Hearing Officer needs confirmed the current pool of eight is sufficient. OVRB program updates highlighted performance metrics, including serving 1,229 individuals with an average wage of $19.73/hour, and improvements in measurable skill gains. OVR program updates covered progress towards rehabilitation goals (50% achieved), significant policy rewrites for Supported Employment Services and detailed new spending guidelines for hearing services requiring a public hearing. Members were reminded to complete the required questionnaire.

Ben Wagenknecht

Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services

Key Colleagues

Public Activity & Signals

Mississippi Statewide Independent Living Council State Plan 2024-2027

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Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services

Key Colleagues

Public Activity & Signals

Mississippi Statewide Independent Living Council State Plan 2024-2027

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State Rehabilitation Council Quarterly Meeting Agenda

Mississippi State Rehabilitation Council Quarterly Meeting

State Rehabilitation Council Meeting