James G. Chastain

The Congregational Recovery Outreach Program (CROP) is a Mississippi-based initiative aimed at delivering hope and healing within congregations. Its primary focus areas include training congregational members on mental health warning signs, risk factors, and connecting individuals to substance and mental health treatment resources, as well as integrating messaging about the 988 Behavioral Health crisis line. The overarching vision is to cultivate supportive, faith-based communities that break mental health stigmas and serve as sanctuaries for individuals seeking help, ultimately fostering a stronger, more compassionate Mississippi.

The strategic plan focuses on providing efficient and effective inpatient and community services for individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders, including children, youth, and adults. It aims to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of inpatient services, enhance the transition process for individuals discharged from behavioral health programs, and decrease wait times for competency evaluations and restoration services. The plan also prioritizes community services that support recovery, prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, and provide community supports for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances. Additionally, it focuses on improving connections to care, expanding crisis services, increasing access to community-based care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, developing the behavioral health and IDD workforce, and engaging Mississippians to improve public awareness and access to resources.

The FY23-FY27 Strategic Plan focuses on various metrics related to acute psychiatric wait times, admissions from jail and SLOC, and readmission rates. It also covers data on PACT, ICORT, ICSS, and crisis services, including CSU people served, mobile crisis response team contacts/calls, calls to 988 Lifeline and DMH Helpline. Additionally, it addresses alcohol and drug services, children's community services, intellectual and developmental disability services, outreach and training, and mental health first aid.

The DMH FY25 Strategic Plan Mid-Year Progress Report focuses on providing efficient inpatient services, maximizing the effectiveness of community services, improving connections to care, increasing access to community-based care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, building the capacity of the behavioral health and IDD workforce, and engaging Mississippians to improve public understanding of behavioral health.

This planning coalition meeting focused on the implementation of the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline. Discussions included progress updates on a landscape analysis of current crisis response infrastructure, the selection of a planning consultant (Health Management Associates), and the development of a 988 implementation plan. The meeting also addressed funding strategies, training needs for Asist, and the timeline for implementation, aiming for a July 16, 2022 launch.