JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Mississippi Department of Mental Health officially announced the launch of its new app, Mental Health Mississippi.
This is just the latest effort from MS DMH as they continue to look at ways to provide easier and faster access to mental health resources throughout the state.
”One in five Mississippians have a mental illness, but we all have mental health. And we all have times that we struggle, and it’s okay to not be okay. But when you’re not okay, you need to know how to connect to help,” MS DMH Executive Director Wendy Bailey said.
The app provides a wide range of resources for those of you dealing with mental illness. Some of those services include Crisis Services, Finding services, and free screenings for those needing immediate assistance.
It also has a resource directory that allows you to easily search for specific services like counseling and substance abuse treatment.
These services have expanded over the last several years with the growing issue of mental illness in the state, but some of you may not know about them.
That’s why this app was created according to the department’s Executive Director, Wendy Bailey.
“We want to make sure that people have very easy access to 988 and that trained counselor and mobile crisis response teams. Or just an understanding of what is mental health and what is a mental illness. And that’s what this app does,” Bailey said.
For Mental Health Mississippi, Bailey is excited to see it grow over the next few months.
Some in the Jackson area reacted to the news of the app’s launch.
“I think is excellent to have access to mental health, especially for the African American community, especially when resources aren’t easily found. I think that it’s great to have this app,” Sharon Cameron said.
“I think it’s really important for the state of Mississippi to have this mental health app. It is very important for everyone to have those resources for mental health. You know, in our state. I can’t believe we haven’t had one already. Yeah, it is very important for our state to have this. Everybody use it, get on it,” Jason Bailey said.
Other future efforts from the department include mental health first aid training and suicide prevention presentations like Shatter the Silence.
Mental Health Mississippi is officially available at no cost on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
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