Mississippi
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Pre-Service Training

The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) provides 15.5 hours of mandatory pre-service training, called Mississippi Path Training, to prospective foster and adoptive families. Delivered in a hybrid format by MDCPS Licensure Unit, this training is required for all caregiving adults in the household.

Services Offered Through the State’s Post-Permanency Support Program

The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) contracts with Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. (SCSCY) to provide statewide post-permanency support for adoptive families and with Catholic Charities for respite services. Families can access these voluntary services through the state’s Adoption Assistance Coordinators or by self-referral.

Services include:

SCSCY uses the Department of Mental Health initial assessment and the DLA-20 functional assessment to identify client needs. Individualized service plans are then developed with specific goals and objectives.

Case management provided by SCSCY may include weekly or bi-weekly in-home visits using Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), referrals to community resources, help with documentation, and assistance with Medicaid, Social Security issues, or other matters. There is no set time limit for services; cases remain open until the client either completes their goals or declines further support.

SCSCY offers Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Motivational Interviewing as therapy modalities. In-person therapy is available at the Jackson office, with telehealth serving the rest of the state. There is no set time limit for services; families can continue therapy until they complete their treatment plan.

Specialists are on call 24/7 for crisis intervention, with contact information available on the website and shared at community events and MDCPS trainings.

As noted above, specialists are on call to help families in crisis. Crisis response is tailored to each situation and may include phone or in-person support.

Permanency Specialists, who are clinicians, lead monthly support groups offered both in-person and virtually. SCSCY also contracts with a Certified Peer Support Specialist Caregiver through the Department of Mental Health, who has lived experience in parenting children with mental health diagnoses and adoption from foster care. Guest speakers from the community share their experiences and provide training.

Each child or youth can receive respite care once per month for up to three days. Catholic Charities serves Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties, while SCSCY covers the rest of the state. Families using SCSCY can choose their own respite provider, as long as the provider is certified through SCSCY. The SCSCY respite coordinator manages a register of certified providers and is responsible for approving, billing, and issuing payments for services.

Permanency Specialists support families’ educational needs and can attend IEP meetings to assist in advocating for the child.

SCSCY staff make community resource recommendations tailored to each family’s specific needs, including respite services, mental health services, post-adoption support, and MDCPS resources. Staff also advocate for families in medical and mental health settings to help secure appropriate services for their child. Permanency Specialists can attend appointments to assist in advocating for the child’s needs.

Every November, MDCPS hosts several events across different areas of the state to highlight National Adoption Month and raise awareness about the ongoing need for foster/adoptive parents. SCSCY and Catholic Charities, as contracted service providers, also attend to connect with families and share available resources.

SCSCY provided counseling and case management to 131 families in fiscal year 2023.

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Geographic Area Covered

Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. (SCSCY) serves the entire state. However, there is variation for respite, as there may not be available providers. Only families living in Hinds County can receive in-person counseling; the rest of the state is served via telehealth.

Eligible Population for the Overall Post-Permanency Program

  • All families who adopted from the state’s foster care system

  • All families who adopted through intercountry adoption

Outreach and Engagement

MDCPS provides both SCSCY and Catholic Charities a list of finalized adoptions every month. SCSCY then mails each family information about available services, including contact details. They also attempt follow-up calls at one, three, and six months after adoption.

SCSCY markets services through community events. Program details are also shared through MDCPS in-service trainings, community outreach events, social media, and youth courts.

How the Post-Permanency Program Is Operated

  • Through contracts or grants with multiple private agencies that offer mostly the same set of services, each operating in a different region

Notes About Who Provides Which Service(s)

Catholic Charities only provides respite services in central part of the state, including Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties. SCSCY provides all other services.

Adoption/Guardianship Assistance/Subsidy Review and Changes

Adoption assistance is reviewed annually. Adoption Assistance Coordinators call families 30 days before the subsidy renewal date. During the call, families verify their address, contact information, and the child’s status regarding needs, stability, and support. If the family is unreachable by phone, the Adoption Assistance Coordinator sends a certified letter.

Adoption subsidies can be renegotiated until the child turns 18. To request a review, families must contact their assigned Adoption Assistance Coordinator, complete the Application for Renegotiation of Adoption Assistance form, and provide documentation.

Tracking Adoption/Guardianship Discontinuity

If a child who was previously in care returns, the assigned Wellbeing and Permanency Specialist completes the Report of Dissolution form, which is then sent to the State Office for review and possible action.

Post-Permanency Program Spending (FY 2023)

  • $1 million – $1,999,999 million

Funding Sources for the Post-Permanency Program (FY 2023)

  1. Title IV-B, Part 2 (Promoting Safe and Stable Families/PSSF)
  2. State Funds

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