Rural Health Transformation Project Overview

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) provides funding to expand access to high-quality health care in rural communities. DMH is leveraging these opportunities to strengthen Mississippi’s behavioral health and IDD systems of care. DMH is administering a number of projects through the RHTP.

These projects reflect recommendations provided by DMH for pilot initiatives that could address identified needs and strengthen services across the state. The recommendations target specific needs within Mississippi’s behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities systems, including gaps in the crisis continuum, limited crisis capacity in some areas of the state, workforce training needs, and the need for specialized supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. Collectively, these initiatives are focused on strengthening Mississippi’s system of care and helping people receive the right care, in the right setting, at the right time.

Information about these projects is below:

Year 1 Pilot Projects (Awarded Directly to DMH for Administration)

• Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) – EmPATH Model: Establish three sites to provide short-term (less than 24 hours) stabilization, accept law enforcement drop-offs, and help divert individuals from emergency departments and state hospitals. An EmPATH unit is a specialized, hospital-based setting designed to provide rapid assessment, treatment, and stabilization for people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Unlike a traditional emergency department, an EmPATH unit offers a calm, therapeutic environment where individuals can receive focused psychiatric care, often allowing them to stabilize and return home without hospitalization.
• Behavioral Health Telehealth Program for First Responders and Veterans: Partner with an established telehealth provider to offer free, confidential 24/7/365 mental health services to Mississippi’s first responders and veterans, with a focus on rural and underserved communities. The pilot would provide convenient, private access to licensed mental health professionals through telehealth, helping eliminate common barriers such as long travel distances, provider shortages, transportation challenges, cost, and concerns about confidentiality or stigma.
• Advanced Crisis Planning Training: Partner with The Arc of Mississippi to develop and deliver statewide training for families, caregivers, service providers, first responders and others on crisis planning for individuals with IDD and autism. The training would focus on early identification, prevention, preparation, and effective response to crisis situations, giving families and providers practical tools to develop individualized crisis plans before an emergency occurs. This is especially important in rural communities, where specialized behavioral health services, crisis resources, and providers with experience supporting individuals with IDD and autism may be limited.
• Evidence-Based Training for the Behavioral Health/IDD Workforce: The initiative addresses Mississippi’s broader need to strengthen and develop its behavioral health and IDD workforce. Many specialized evidence-based trainings and certifications are costly and can be difficult for rural and community providers to access. The initiative will expand access to training in practices that have demonstrated effectiveness for the populations our system serves. Initial efforts include Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Individual Placement and Support, Programs of Assertive Community Treatment, and statewide train-the-trainer opportunities in ASIST and safeTALK suicide prevention programs.
• Crisis Residential Unit Beds – Region 16: Expands an existing Crisis Residential Unit from eight beds to 16 beds and strengthens nursing and security capacity, allowing the program to serve individuals with more complex needs.
• Forrest-Lamar Diversion Center: The Center will provide a new crisis resource in South Mississippi, combining Crisis Residential Unit beds with a less-than-24-hour “living room” model. This allows people to receive support in the setting that best matches their level of need and provides another option before a crisis results in an emergency department visit or inpatient hospitalization.
• IntellectAbility: Expand access to specialized training, technical assistance and resources for neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism and other IDD, for individuals, families, providers and communities across Mississippi. IntellectAbility is specifically focused on improving care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. The initiative includes a Health Risk Screening Tool designed to help identify potential health risks before they develop into a crisis. This is particularly important in rural communities, where access to professionals with specialized IDD expertise may be limited. Giving providers better tools to recognize health risks earlier can support earlier intervention, improve coordination of care and help prevent avoidable health crises.

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