This Executive Order requires all state agencies to coordinate and collaborate to ensure that state programs, policies, procedures and funding support competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities.
This bill creates a pilot program to establish Education Scholarship Accounts for parents of eligible students with special needs, which can be used to cover tuition, fees and textbooks at a postsecondary institution (among other qualified expenses).
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Family Engagement, School-Based Prep
AbilityWorks is a network of community rehabilitation programs that provide vocational assessment, job training, and work experience to individuals with disabilities through an array of contract and subcontract services provided to local business and industry. There are 15 AbilityWorks locations statewide.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program supports opportunities for people with developmental disabilities who are considered leaders to provide leadership training to people with developmental disabilities who may become leaders. The program targets youth and young adults ages 13-24 from traditionally underserved rural impoverished communities and helps them develop self-advocacy skills.
Operating Entity: Wesley Youth Foundation
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
MDRS provides consultation services to help connect individuals with assistive technology (AT) for work. This includes performing evaluations and assessments for assistive technology needs, setting up AT equipment, providing follow-up evaluations, designing and fabricating original items, and providing specifications and final inspections for AT services.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
The Business Enterprise Program helps people who are blind become food service or vending operators.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
CAP helps individuals who experience problems when applying for or receiving vocational rehabilitation or independent living services. This includes advising and informing individuals of their rights and providing advocacy services.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Society for Disabilities
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
Express Yourself! Art is an art, recreational, and vocational program that seeks to give individuals with disabilities skills to express themselves, explore creative interests, and discover career opportunities in the arts. The program also helps individuals with disabilities build confidence and leadership abilities.
Operating Entity: Mississippi State University, T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability
Entity Type: College / University
This program provides workforce training and education to at-risk population groups, including individuals with disabilities. It helps participants attain careers in targeted industries, including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, logistics, and energy. Participants receive counseling services, literacy training, job skills training, high school equivalency services, work experience, and more.
Operating Entity: Northeast Mississippi Community College
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program provides a range of independent living services to people with disabilities at Centers for Independent Living across the state. Services include help connecting to local services, assistance with job searches, local transit skills training, assistive technology help, peer mentoring support, assistance with school-to-career transitions, self-advocacy help, and more.
Operating Entity: LIFE (Living Independence for Everyone) of Mississippi
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with combined hearing and vision loss. Services include supported employment, independent living services, employment connections, transition services, and more.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program enables eligible individuals with disabilities to save money in a tax-exempt account that may be used for qualified disability expenses while keeping their eligibility for federally-funded, means-tested public benefits. Eligible expenses include education, employment training and support, and assistive technology.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program supports Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers in 12 southern states. Services include one-to-one consultations, trainings and webinars, peer-to-peer mentoring, site visits, non-profit management tools, and more.
Operating Entity: Parent to Parent of Georgia
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Pre-ETS assist students with disabilities in identifying career interests and developing skills to be successful in the workplace. This includes five required activities: job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, counseling on comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, and instruction in self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Project SEARCH is a one-year transition-to-work program for students with significant disabilities that includes classroom instruction, career exploration, and internship rotations. It is a collaboration between local businesses, state agencies, local school systems, and other entities, and is offered at several locations.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This accredited Master's degree program trains students to provide employment services for individuals with disabilities. Jackson State University is a Historically Black University.
Operating Entity: Jackson State University, Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation and Psychometric Services
Entity Type: College / University
This program provides training and employment for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to facilitate their full independence. Jobs and training through MIB are primarily in the manufacturing sector, although MIB also provides employees for the service sector (such as call centers).
Operating Entity: Mississippi Industries for the Blind
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program provides pre-employment services to students with disabilities, including job exploration counseling, work readiness training, and paid internship opportunities.
Operating Entity: University of Southern Mississippi, Institute for Disability Studies
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program help out-of-school and in-school youth with one or more barriers to employment (including having a disability) prepare for and secure employment and postsecondary education opportunities. Services include tutoring; work experiences; occupational skills training; leadership development opportunities; and postsecondary education and training preparation activities.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program helps individuals with disabilities who are receiving Social Security Disability benefits make informed choices about work and make a successful transition to self-sufficiency.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This campaign was started to promote mental health services during COVID-19. The website includes links to crisis hotlines, mental health and wellness tips, online screeners for mental health conditions and testimonials from Mississippians who reached out for mental health support during the pandemic.
Operating Entity: Mississippi Department of Mental Health
Topic(s): Mental Health
This webpage, linked under COVID-19 resources as part of mental health resources, includes a link to the city of Jackson's Mental Health Warm Line and links to a mobile crisis response team and digital resources for mental health.
Operating Entity: City of Jackson, Mississippi
Topic(s): Mental Health