Mississippi
Mississippi suicide prevention plans and initiatives
The Mississippi Suicide Prevention Workgroup, a private-public coalition including AFSP-Mississippi, was formed in 2016 to develop a formal statewide suicide prevention strategic plan, which is updated every few years, with a progress report released annually by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH). See the Mississippi Suicide Prevention Plan: FY 2024-2027, along with the FY25 Annual Report and Strategic Plan Dashboard, for the most updated statewide efforts to move towards a community-based system of behavioral health care.
DMH facilitates the statewide youth suicide prevention campaign entitled Shatter the Silence: Suicide, The Secret You Shouldn’t Keep, offers gatekeeper training, and distributes educational packets and presentations. The campaign also includes customized presentations for audiences who work with youth, adults, faith-based groups, law enforcement and first responders, correctional officers, military, and older adults.
Mississippi laws
Key:
- Required by law
- Encouraged by law
- No law in place
Crisis lines and 988 implementation
- Addresses 988 infrastructure and provides for telecom user fee
- Addresses 988 infrastructure but does not include telecom user fee
- 988 law limited to creating an exploratory commission, advisory committee, or task force
K – 12 school suicide prevention
- Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
- Student allowances for excused mental health absences
- School personnel must report student suicide risk to a parent and/or guardian
- Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, annual
- Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, not annual
- Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policies/programming
- Student education on suicide prevention
University and college campus suicide prevention
- Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
- Students receive information on available mental health and/or suicide prevention services and/or resources
- Adoption of suicide prevention/awareness policy or program
Firearms
- Process for extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs)
- State voluntary do not sell list
Health professional training in suicide assessment, treatment and management
- Mental health professionals receive regular training
- Mental health professionals receive one time training
- Medical/surgical professionals receive regular training
- Medical/surgical professionals receive one time training
Conversion therapy bans
- Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with minors under 18 years of age
- Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with vulnerable adults
- Prohibits use of state funds for any purpose related to conversion therapy (e.g., conducting, making a referral for, or extending health benefits coverage for)