July 1 – The first hearing dates for the K-12 and Postsecondary Mental Health Task Force, established by Senate Bill 2727, are set for July 17-18. Committee members will hear testimony on the current state of child and adolescent mental health in Mississippi and catalog public resources available in the state today.
The 24-member Task Force will be chaired by Rep. Rob Roberson and Sen. David Parker. Roberson is chairman of the House Education Committee and Parker is a member of the Senate Education Committee, designated by Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar to serve as his proxy.
“We need to establish a foundation on which the Task Force can build its recommendations,” Parker said. “I look forward to examining where Mississippi stands in terms of the mental health of our young people in comparison to the rest of the nation.”
Roberson agreed.
“After this first meeting, we plan on branching out to other non-profits and experts outside of government. In the meantime, we invite the public to send in their written testimony to MHTF@peer.ms.gov,” he said.
Other members of the Task Force include:
Dr. Jonathan Baker, UMMC Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Sen. Kevin Blackwell, Chairman of Senate Medicaid
Sen. Nicole Boyd, Chairwoman of Senate Universities & Colleges
Sen. Hob Bryan, Chairman of Senate Public Health & Welfare
Wendy Clemons, Associate Superintendent at the Mississippi Department of Education
Rep. Sam Creekmore, Chairman of House Public Health & Human Services
John Damon, CEO of Canopy Children’s Solutions
Dr. Daniel Edney, State Health Officer
Heather Garrett, Teacher and Science Chair at Brandon Middle School
Joy Hogge, Executive Director for Families as Allies
Emily Johnson, Clinical Psychologist
Sarah Jones, Counselor at Jones College
Melody Madaris, Executive Director at Communicare Mental Health Center
Rep. Missy McGee, Chairwoman of House Medicaid
Heidi Nelson, USM Director of Student Counseling
Rep. Donnie Scoggin, Chairman of House Universities & Colleges
Kate McMillin, Director of the Office of Mental Health for the Division of Medicaid
Lynda Stewart, Director of the Division of Children and Youth Services for the Department of Human Services
Julie Thornton, Head Nurse of the Pearl Public School District
Jonathan Tritley, School Psychologist at the Jackson County School District
John Robert Walker, Student Member of the Mississippi Youth Council
Karla Weir, Assistant Professor in the Mississippi State University Counselor Education Department
