MSU-Meridian Mental and Behavioral Health services on track to begin in January
Mississippi State University-Meridian’s Mental and Behavioral Health clinic will launch mental health access and opportunity to the state’s diverse populations in January.
Contracts are in place and renovations have begun on the third floor of the Regions Bank Building in downtown Meridian to prepare seven counseling rooms that will double as training spaces for graduate students. Services offered will treat children and adults through the lifespan while preparing graduating students to fill rural healthcare provider gaps statewide.
The new facility will bring a new level of sophistication to training within the Division of Education by reintroducing faculty members to part-time practice, said Kim Hall, MSU associate dean of academic affairs who oversees the MSU-Meridian division.
“We’re all about serving others, so this gives our faculty the chance to still practice, to still serve others, and then bring fresh ideas into the classroom,” Hall said. “It’s the real-world experience we’ve really been missing.”
This service helps alleviate overburdened area mental health clinics by reducing long wait lists and by accepting Medicaid and other insurance not all practitioners currently offer, she said.
Hall added, “We won’t be in competition with anyone. We will be taking the overflow and relieving the current burden on the healthcare system.”
Hall said renovations are minimal and office furniture already is being moved in.
“We have hired the billing specialist and are interviewing counselors presently,” she said. “We are hoping to start seeing clients in January, but that depends on the insurance credentialing process.”
Administrators also will need to hire a clinical director and a full-time licensed psychologist, she said.
A $4.5 million grant from the Broadhead, Riley and Phil Hardin foundations is funding these services, the pinnacle effort of new mental health programs recently introduced on campus. This past year, the funding established Bachelor of Science in Educational Psychology and Educational Specialist in School Psychology degrees, along with a Doctor of Psychology in Combined Health Service Psychology.
MSU-Meridian educators also are ensuring the new facility complements healthcare education, with the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program seating its fifth cohort in January 2025 and the Master of Science in Nursing program having accepted its inaugural cohort this fall.
The effort bolsters the number of healthcare providers and services in 80 Mississippi counties federally designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas by HRSA.
“These services are an enhancement to our established healthcare programs already positioning students to meet our state’s most crucial healthcare needs,” said David Buys, associate vice provost of Health Sciences and interim head of campus. “Research indicates the highest number of disparities exist in these underserved populations, and the opening of this facility comes at a time when worker shortages, particularly in mental healthcare, are critically high.”
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu. MSU-Meridian is online at meridian.msstate.edu.
Marianne Todd | Public Affairs
