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The Mississippi Department of Mental Health operates five comprehensive regional mental retardation centers for adults with Intellectual and developmental disabilities for whom it is determined that these centers provide the necessary level of care. The regional centers provide both institutional care and community service programs. The five comprehensive regional centers are
The comprehensive regional centers provide a full array of services for persons with mental retardation as intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation (ICFs/MR). For those individuals who require residential living arrangements with the level of care found at an ICF/MR, admission may be recommended. However, the person must first be found eligible and appropriate for ICF/MR placement, and then, ultimately, it is the individual's and family's choice as to whether or not this setting will best meet their needs for services and supports. In addition to providing a supervised 24-hour setting, the regional facility provides active treatment for those individuals. This may involve a range of personal care, training, educational, vocational, recreational, social, medical, and counseling services, based on individual strengths and needs. These services include a variety of needed support services to meet special needs. Persons living at the ICFs/MR participate in individualized programs which are developed through a comprehensive interdisciplinary evaluation and program planning/monitoring process. Information from parents and other family members is integrated into this plan. The interdisciplinary staff may include professionals in audiology, medical/nursing, nutrition, psychology, social work, speech pathology, recreation, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and education. Training programs can include activities and opportunities for developing skills in daily living; enhancing emotional, personal, and social development; providing experiences needed to gain useful and meaningful occupational or employment skills; and structured academic experiences through a varied curriculum. Recreational programs provide a range of activities and opportunities to explore and further develop interests and skills in use of leisure time, as well as to enhance social interaction, self-expression, and personal well-being. Professional staffs also offer guidance in special skill areas needed to achieve specific goals. Individuals receive help in identifying and understanding personal goals and in solving problems that interfere in working toward those goals or in other areas of daily life.
The Bureau of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities has certified special education teachers and State Department of Education approved programs at the four regional centers for individuals with mental retardation/developmental disabilities that serve persons below the age of twenty two (22) years. The programs at Ellisville State School, Hudspeth Regional Center, North Mississippi Regional Center, and South Mississippi Regional Center are all Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and State Department of Education accredited
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