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Complete update · 9/2005
Partial update · 10/3/2005
The offices listed on this state sheet are primarily state-level offices. Even if an office is not close to your home, they can usually put you in touch with resources in your community, as well as provide you with information and assistance about disability issues in your state. If you find that an address or number has changed or is incorrect, please e-mail us at nichcy@aed.org and let us know.
Age of Eligibility
Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.
United States Senators
Honorable Thad Cochran (R)
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5054
E-mail Web Form: http://cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm
Web: http://cochran.senate.gov/
Honorable Trent Lott (R)
487 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6253
(202) 224-2262 (Fax)
E-mail: senatorlott@lott.senate.gov
Web: http://lott.senate.gov/
United States Representatives
To find the contact information for your representative in the House of the U.S. Congress, visit the House’s Web site at: www.house.gov, or call: (202) 225-3121; (202) 225-1904 (TTY).
Governor
Honorable Haley Barbour
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, MS 39205
(601) 359-3150; (877) 405-0733
E-mail Web Form: www.governor.state.ms.us/aboutthegov/writetoindex.htm
Web: http://www.governor.state.ms.us/
Official State Web Site
Web: http://www.ms.gov/
State Department of Education: Special Education
Dr. Melody Bounds, Director
Office of Special Education
Department of Education
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771
(601) 359-3498
Web: www.mde.k12.ms.us/special_education/
State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Nikisha Ware, Bureau Director
Office of Innovative Support
Department of Education
Central High School Building
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771
(601) 359-3499
E-mail: nware@mde.k12.ms.us
Web: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/
Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2
Danita Munday, Part C Coordinator
First Steps Early Intervention System
Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH)
P.O. Box 1700
570 E. Woodrow Wilson Boulevard, Room 107
Jackson, MS 39215-1700
(601) 576-7427; (800) 451-3903 (in MS)
E-mail: mailto:%20danita.munday@msdh.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/
Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5
Trese Evans, Division Director
Margaret Robinson-Harris, Pre-School Consultant
Division of Technical Assistance
Office of Special Education
Department of Education
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771
(601) 359-3498
E-mail: tevans@mde.k12.ms.us
Web: www.mde.k12.ms.us/special_education/
State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
Gary Neely, Director
Mississippi Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
Department of Rehabilitation Services
P.O. Box 1698
Jackson, MS 39215-1698
(601) 853-5230
E-mail: gneely@mdrs.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.mdrs.state.ms.us/
Dr. Michael Gandy, Director
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind
Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
P.O. Box 1698
Jackson, MS 39215-1698
(601) 853-5100; (800) 443-1000
E-mail: mgandy@mdrs.state.ms.us
Coordinator for Transition Services
Trese Evans, Division Director
Office of Special Education
Mississippi Department of Education
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205
(601) 359-3498
E-mail: tevans@mde.k12.ms.us
Web: www.mde.k12.ms.us/special_education/
Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities
Special Vocational Services for the Handicapped
Office of Vocational and Technical Education
Department of Education
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771
(601) 359-3089
Web: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/
State Mental Health Agency
Dr. Albert Randel Hendrix, Ph.D., Executive Director
Department of Mental Health
1101 Robert E. Lee Building
239 N. Lamar Street
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 359-1288
E-mail: randy.hendrix@dmh.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.dmh.state.ms.us/
State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth
Brenda Scafidi, Ed.D., Director
Division of Children and Youth Services
Department of Mental Health
1101 Robert E. Lee Building
239 N. Lamar Street
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 359-1288
E-mail: brenda.scafidi@dmh.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.dmh.state.ms.us/
State Mental Retardation Program
Edwin LeGrand, Bureau Chief
Mental Retardation Services
Mississippi Department of Mental Health
1101 Robert E. Lee Building
239 N. Lamar Street
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 359-1288
E-mail: ed.legrand@dmh.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.dmh.state.ms.us/
Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Ed Butler, Director
Council on Developmental Disabilities
1101 Robert E. Lee Building
239 N. Lamar St.
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 359-1270
E-mail: ed.butler@dmh.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.dmh.state.ms.us/
Protection and Advocacy Agency
Rebecca Floyd, Executive Director
Mississippi Protection and Advocacy System
5305 Executive Place
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 981-8207; (800) 772-4057
E-mail: info@mspas.com
Web: http://www.mspas.com/
Client Assistance Program
Presley Posey, Director
Client Assistance Program
Mississippi Society for Disabilities
3226 N. State Street
P.O. Box 4958
Jackson, MS 39296-4958
(601) 362-2585
E-mail: pposey8803@aol.com
Web: http://www.mississippicap.com/
Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Larry Clark, Director
Children’s Medical Program
Board of Health
P.O. Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700
(601) 987-3965; (800) 844-0898 (National/WATS)
E-mail: lawrence.clark@msdh.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/
State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children
Mississippi Health Benefits
Division of Medicaid
Robert E. Lee Building, Suite 801
239 N. Lamar Street
Jackson MS 39201-1399
(877) 870-3110
Web: www.dom.state.ms.us/CHIP/chip.html
Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired or Deaf-Blind
Dr. Rosie Pridgen, Superintendent
Mississippi School for the Blind
1252 Eastover Drive
Jackson, MS 39211
(601) 984-8200
E-mail: rosie.pridgen@mde.state.ms.us
Web: www2.mde.k12.ms.us/msb
Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Rell Webber, State Coordinator
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
P.O. Box 1698
Jackson, MS 39215-1698
(601) 853-5310 (V/TTY); (800) 443-1000
E-mail: rwebber@mdrs.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.mdrs.state.ms.us/
Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 582-2233 (V/TTY); 711 (TTY)
(800) 229-5746 (Speech to Speech-English)
(866) 260-9470 (Speech to Speech-Spanish)
State Education Agency Rural Representative
Dr. Melody Bounds
Department of Education
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205
Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center
Shelley Kaplan, Project Director
Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center
Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access
Georgia Tech
490 10th Street
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 385-0636; (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: sedbtacproject@coa.gatech.edu
Web: http://www.sedbtac.org/
Sara Jackson, Director
Toy Library and Technology Learning Center
University of Southern Mississippi
Gulf Park Campus
730 E. Beach Boulevard
Long Beach, MS 39560
(228) 867-2636; (228) 214-3286
E-mail: tlc@usm.edu
Web: www.gp.usm.edu/tlc/index.html
University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Jane Z. Siders, Director
The Institute for Disability Studies
University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive, #5163
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-5163; (888) 671-0051 (V/TTY)
E-mail: jane.siders@usm.edu
Web: http://www.ids.usm.edu/
Technology-Related Assistance
Dorothy Young, Director
Mississippi Project Start
P.O. Box 1698
Jackson, MS 39215
(601) 987-4872 (V/TTY); (800) 852-8328 (V/TTY in MS)
E-mail: dyoung@mdrs.state.ms.us
Web: http://www.msprojectstart.org/
State Mediation System
Tanya Bradley, Bureau Director
Department of Education
Office of Special Education
P.O. Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205
(601) 359-3498
E-mail: tbradley@mde.k12.ms.us
Web: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/
Special Format Library
Rahye Puckett, Director/Librarian
Mississippi Library Commission
Blind and Physically Handicapped Library Services
1221 Ellis Avenue
Jackson, MS 39209
(601) 961-4111; (800) 446-0892
E-mail: lbph@mlc.lib.ms.us
E-mail: rahye@mlc.lib.ms.us
Web: www.mlc.lib.ms.us/bphls/
Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: http://www.chadd.org/
Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464
(484) 945-2101
Web: http://www.add.org/
Autism
To identify an autism group in your state, contact:
Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-0881; (800) 3-AUTISM
Web: http://www.autism-society.org/
Dr. Mark Yeager, President
TEAAM (Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi)
P.O. Box 213
Newton, MS 39345
(601) 683-4200
E-mail: myeager@cmrc.state.ms.us
Blind/Visual Impairments
Frances Mary D'Andrea, Director
American Foundation for the Blind-National Literacy Center
100 Peachtree Street, Suite 620
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 525-2303
E-mail: literacy@afb.net
Web: http://www.afb.org/
Brain Injury
Dr. Paul Gospodarski, Executive Director
Brain Injury Association of Mississippi
P.O. Box 55912
Jackson, MS 39296-5912
(601) 981-1021; (800) 641-6442
E-mail biaofms@aol.com
Web: www.members.aol.com/biaofms/index.htm
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Mississippi, Inc.
P.O. Box 16924
Jackson, MS 39236-6924
(601) 854-6225; (888) 852-1961 (toll free)
E-mail: cpfofms@aol.com
Web: http://www.cpfofms.org/
Down Syndrome
Van Waites, President
Jean Weiss, Vice-President
Central Mississippi Down Syndrome Society (CMDSS)
P.O. Box 2189
Brandon, MS 39043
(601) 397-3696
E-mail: info@cmdss.org
Web: http://www.cmdss.org/
Epilepsy
Beth Scarbrough, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi
2001 Airport Road, Suite 307
Jackson, MS 39232
(601) 936-5222; (800) 898-0291 (in MS)
E-mail: bethmsepilepsy@bellsouth.net
Mental Health
Brandi H. Clarke, Executive Director
Mental Health Association of Mississippi
4803 Harrison Circle
Gulfport, MS 39507
(228) 864-6274
E-mail: mhagptms@aol.com
Sylvia M. Thomas, Executive Director
Mental Health Association of the Capital Area
407 Briarwood Drive, Suite 208
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 956-2800
E-mail: mhajxn@aol.com
Larry Swearengen, Director
NAMI Mississippi
411 Briarwood Drive, Suite 401
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 899-9058
E-mail: namimiss1@aol.com
Tessie Schweitzer, Executive Director
Mississippi Families As Allies for Children's Mental Health
5166 Keele Street, Building A
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 981-1618; (800) 833-9671
E-mail: tschweitzer@msfaacmh.org
Web: http://www.msfaacmh.org/
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities
Matt Nalker, Executive Director
The Arc of Mississippi
7 Lakeland Circle, Suite 600
Jackson, MS 39216
(601) 982-1180; (800) 717-1180
E-mail: matt@arcms.org
Web: http://www.arcms.org/
Speech and Hearing
Deirdre McGowan, CAE, Executive Director
Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association
P.O. Box 22664
Jackson, MS 39225-2664
(800) 664-6742
E-mail: mshahelp@mshausa.org
Web: http://www.mshausa.org/
Spina Bifida
Amy Wilkinson, Executive Director
Spina Bifida Association of Mississippi
P.O. Box 180594
Richland, MS 39218
(601) 214-1281
E-mail: awsba@yahoo.com
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)
(Mississippians are currently being provided with information and training via Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC), Inc.
907 Barra Row
Suites 102/103
Davidson, NC 28036
704-892-1321
704-892-5028 FAX
1-800-
E-mail: mlacorte@ecacmail.org
Website: www.ecac-parentcenter.org
Community Parent Resource Center
(Serving Six EMPOWER Counties)
Agnes Johnson, Executive Director
EMPOWER Community Resource Center
P.O. Box 1733
136 S. Poplar Street
Greenville, MS 38702-1733
(662) 332-4852; (800) 337-4852
E-mail: empower@cox-internet.com
Web: http://www.msempower.org/
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Mary Hardy, President
Mississippi Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc.
P.O. Box 1937
Jackson, MS 39215
(601) 352-7383; (800) 795-6123
E-mail: ms_office@pta.org
Web: http://www.mississippipta.org/
Lori Bezada, Project Coordinator
Mississippi SAFE KIDS Campaign
754 N. President Street
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 969-0669; (877) 706-8741 (V/TTY)
E-mail: MSSAFEKIDS@mscoalition.com
Web: http://www.mssafekids.com/
Parents for Public Schools of Jackson
3252 N. State Street
Jackson, MS 39216
(601) 713-1633
E-mail: dana.larkin@parents4publicschools.com
Web: www.parents4publicschools.com/jackson
Mandy Rogers, President
Parents United Together
P.O. Box 2121
Madison, MS 39130
E-mail: MOM424@aol.com
Web: http://www.parentsunitedtogether.com/
Mary G. Troupe, Executive Director
Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
5 Old River Place, Suite 101
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 969-0601 (V/TTY); (800) 721-7255 (V/TTY)
E-mail: mary@mscoalition.com
Web: http://www.mscoalition.com/
Mary G. Troupe, Executive Director
Healthy Futures
5 Old River Place, Suite 101
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 969-0601; (800) 721-7255 (V/TTY)
E-mail: theopendoor@mscoalition.com
Web: http://www.mscoalition.com/
V.A. Patterson, Executive Director
VSA arts of Mississippi
3310 N. State Street, Studio 1
Jackson, MS 39216
(601) 713-3311
E-mail: jacvsa@netdoor.com
Independent Living
To find out the contact information for the Statewide
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: http://www.ilru.org/
To find out the contact information for centers for
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3406; (703) 525-4153 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: http://www.ncil.org/
Source: National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)