Institute for Disability Studies - Mississippi's University Center for Excellence - The University of Southern Mississipi

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University Training Community Service Activities Research and Dissemination

Family Support (formerly VISSIONS) LINCC-Leanring Initiatives through Novel Career Connections MS Outdoor Recreation for Persons with Disabilities MITTS-Mississippi Infant Toddler Technical Support Network-Nutrition Systems Care Promoting Consumer Choice Through Self-Determination

This is an archived Project. These project pages may not contain current information. No updates are made to archived projects.

First Stop Home More on First Stop Council Member List Council Agency Information Resources for Military & Veteran Families On–line Needs Assessment

First Stop
Family Support Center

More on First Stop

Project First Stop is a multi-agency and family effort. The Governor has appointed the Department of Human Services to assist with the planning and implementation phases of the project. IDS is also collaborating with various military and Veteran’s Administration representatives; numerous local and state community agency staff; and actual military and veteran families. The First Stop Planning Council is composed of various representatives all focused on creating a one-stop center to assist military and veteran families who have a child or adult member with developmental disability.

First Stop Family Support Center will target the military and veteran families due to the unique needs these families have. Many active and veteran military families face significant challenges and stressors associated with war and with poverty. In fact, the Pentagon has indicated that thousands of military families live in poverty. These families face numerous difficult and stressful issues such as the deployment of a parent, loss of a family member, lack of communication with loved ones, financial instability, and lack of resources. The challenges and stressors faced by military and veteran families are multiplied when a member of the family has a developmental disability. The support needed by these families is often specialized, intense and on-going.

The planning phase of the First Stop project has several overall issues to be determined. These include the following:

the support needs of targeted military and veteran families,
the parameters for services and supports,
the capacity for the use of information technology,
training needs,
existing resources,
existing funding streams, and
the legal and policy barriers to implementing a multi-agency one-stop center.

After December 1, 2006 9:06 AM plan will be developed that will outline all specifics on how the First Stop Family Support Center may enhance the lives of these military and veteran families who have a child or adult member with a developmental disability.

For more information about the First Stop project, please contact Jerry R. Alliston at
601.266.5163 or 1.888.671.0051 (TTY).

Director: Jane.Siders@usm.edu Webmaster: Richard.Baker@usm.edu
Last Modified: August 28, 2007 10:32 AM
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