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City of Biloxi Community Development
The Community Development Department is responsible for
overseeing the orderly growth and development of the City of
Biloxi. One of the most important tools of the Community Development
Department is the Planning Commission, a panel of citizens appointed
by the Mayor and City Council. This department is also responsible
for overseeing the administration of all federal and state programs,
taxing and licensing businesses, and operating several city-owned
museums and historic properties. The Web site address is www.biloxi.ms.us/communitydevelopment.
Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
The Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities is a private
organization formed in Mississippi in 1989 made up of individuals
of all ages with all types of disabling conditions, their family
members, organizations that represent or advocate for people
with disabilities, professionals who work in disability-related
fields, and other interested citizens. The Coalition's motto
relates two important messages: (1) that the Coalition strives
to "open" opportunities or resources necessary to
permit persons with disabilities to overcome or otherwise compensate
for any barrier that may exist; and (2) that "together"
(meaning all people with disabilities and their families) we
can surmount any problem that the system has created. The Web
site address is www.mscoalition.com.
Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities
The Department of Mental Health, Bureau of Mental Retardation
serves as the Designated State Agency (DSA) for the Mississippi
Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD). The purpose of
Council funds is to promote systemic change that improves the
quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and
their families. Initiatives (service grants) are awarded through
August 21, 2008 2:45 PM are selected by Council members. The Web site address is www.dmh.state.ms.us/mental_retardation_developmental_disabilities_services.
College of Health, The University of Southern Mississippi
The College of Health offers a wide range of programs revolving
around a central theme: the improvement of the health and well-being
for individuals, families, organizations and communities. All
programs in the College of Health provide direct application
of a knowledge base to the problems of today’s society.
The faculty of the college are oriented toward service and applied
research so that all programs focus on applying knowledge to
the solution of everyday problems. The college consists of the
schools of nursing, social work, and human performance and recreation,
and the departments of community health sciences, medical technology,
nutrition and food systems, and speech and hearing sciences.
The Web site address is http://www.usm.edu/colleges/coh/aboutus.html.
Department of Mental Health
As the largest state agency in Mississippi, the Department of
Mental Health provides a network of opportunities to persons
who experience problems with mental illness, alcohol and/or
drug abuse/dependence, or who have mental retardation or developmental
disabilities. The agency has the primary responsibility for
the development and implementation of services to meet the needs
of individuals with mental retardation/developmental disabilities.
Services are provided through an array of facilities and agencies
operated and/or funded by the Department of Mental Health. The
Web site address is www.dmh.state.ms.us.
Department of Human Services
The mission of the Department of Human Services (DHS) is
to provide services for people in need by optimizing all available
resources to sustain the family unit and to encourage traditional
family values thereby promoting self-sufficiency and personal
responsibility for all Mississippians. DHS provides an array
of public services ranging from adoption to aging and adult
services. The Web site address is www.mdhs.state.ms.us.
First Steps Early Intervention Program
The First Steps Early Intervention Program is a state and
federally funded program for infants and toddlers under the
age of three and their families. The Mississippi State Department
of Health furnishes its services at no charge. First Steps matches
the unique needs of infants and toddlers who have developmental
delays with the professional resources available within the
community. The Web site address is www.mshd.state.ms.us.
Fleet & Family Support Center
The Fleet and Family Support Center of the Department of
the Navy offers a wide range of people-support programs for
all military, their families, retirees and civilian employees
of the CBC Gulfport. The Center offers help and support to these
individuals by providing information and referral, exceptional
family member referral, crisis and short-term counseling, and
advocacy, financial counseling, job information, resume preparation,
rights and benefits assistance, workshops, classes, hospitality
kits to newly arriving members and their families, welcome aboard
packages, information of family support groups and military
installations around the world. The Web site address is www.militarynewcomers.com/gulfport03/services.
Humana Military Healthcare Services
TRICARE is the Department of Defense worldwide health care
program for uniformed service members and families. Humana Military
Healthcare Services, Inc. administers the TRICARE program for
the South Region. The South Region is composed of three market
offices: Southwest Market Office, Southeast Market office and
Gulf South Market Office. The Gulf South Market Office provides
TRICARE services to Mississippi, part of Louisiana, Alabama,
Tennessee, and the Panhandle of Florida. TRICARE offers case
management services for beneficiaries with complex medical needs
including children and adults with disabilities. The Web site
address is www.humana-military.com.
Institute for Disability Studies
The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) is one of 60
University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
(UCEDDs) funded across the nation by the Administration on Developmental
Disabilities (ADD). IDS maintains a two million dollar budget
to carry out programs in the areas of early intervention, health
care and prevention, community-capacity building for inclusive
services, policy enhancement for systems of individualized family
and consumer supports and educational enhancement. IDS strives
to establish interagency linkages that enhance the ability of
communities and the state to meet the needs of individuals with
disabilities and their families across the lifespan. The Web
site address is www.usm.edu/ids.
LIFE of Mississippi
The purpose of Living Independence For Everyone is to empower
people with significant disabilities to be as independent and
as fully involved in their communities as they can and want
to be. The primary goal of LIFE is to assist in the independent
living empowerment of people with significant disabilities.
The Web site address is www.lifeofms.com.
Mississippi Protection and Advocacy System
Mississippi Protection and Advocacy System (MPAS) advocates
for the rights of individuals with disabilities. MPAS objectives
and priorities include the following: advocacy for education,
community services, accessibility, facility services, outreach,
assistive technology, and return to work. MPAS has six different
programs, each serving a slightly different purpose in the over-all
scheme of serving all individuals with disabilities. The Web
site address is www.mspas.com.
Strategic Venture Development
The Strategic Venture Development Department Position within
the Office of Research and economic Development at the University
of Southern Mississippi. This department facilitates relationships
between researchers, institutions and government funders. The
director of Business Venture Development leverages Southern
Miss' technology, research and resources to benefit Mississippi's
economy through three methods: Facilitating business start-ups
based on Southern Miss technology ; Attracting research intensive
businesses to Mississippi through research partnerships with
Southern Miss; Improving existing Mississippi businesses through
the support of Southern Miss technology In addition, this department
provides guidance to University researchers to found partnerships.
The Web site address is http://www.usm.edu/research/bus_venture_dev.htm.
Technology Learning Center
The Technology Learning Center (TLC), located on the University
of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Campus, offers specialized
outdoor and learning equipment for children and adults who are
challenged. TLC will teach any person with a disability how
to use special equipment, including accessible computer technology
and software. Consultations for parents and teachers are available.
The Web site address is www.usm.edu/tlc.
ValueOptions
ValueOptions is the behavioral health subcontractor to Humana
Military Healthcare Services (HMHS) for the Southern Region
of TRICARE. ValueOptions is the largest privately held behavioral
health organization in the country. Benefits are administered
for TRICARE as well as Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans
in other service center locations. The Web site address is
www.humana-military.com/south/provider/TRICAREResources/valueoptions.htm.
Family Assistance Services
Mississippi National Guard has nine Family Assistance Centers
Open through-out the state to assist families of mobilized service-members
regardless of component. Each family is assigned to a Family
Assistance Center closest to the service-members home of record.
The Family Assistance Centers provide information and referrals
for any problems the family member may have with finance, ID
Cards, legal issues, tricare, ESGR, family support groups and
much more. The Web site address is http://www.guardfamily.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=B0302_A.stateDetails&locationID=26#FAC.
Biloxi School District
The Biloxi school District currently provides special education
support services for approximately 950 students, ages 3 through
20 years of age, in a variety of settings and programs. Assessment
for support services can begin even earlier, ( from birth through
36 months of age) in collaboration with First Steps early intervention
program, funded through the department of health. Parents are
invited and encouraged to play a vital role in every stage of
their child’s education program from assessment and eligibility
determination to developing the individualized education plan
(IEP) for their child. The Web site address is http://www.biloxischools.net.
For more information
about the First Stop project, please contact Jerry R. Alliston
at
601.266.5163 or 1.888.671.0051 (TTY).
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