Challenges offer us an opportunity to strengthen our commitment and resolve on behalf of the people of Mississippi we advocate for who receive services and the dedicated men and women who work within the systems who support them. 

There are two bills, House Bill 886 and Senate Bill 2567 that would in effect, strip the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Health, and the Department of Rehabilitation from independent non-partisan control and place them under control of the governor. These are NOT good bills for the people we support. TIME IS SHORT. Your legislator needs to hear from you by 5:00 tomorrow as the deadline for committee action is next Tuesday, January 31^st. The committees are meeting as we speak.

We want supports based on the needs of the person, not the needs of the State. If one person must be in charge of the services we receive, it should be us, not the governor.

WE MUST ACT NOW to prevent political control of Mississippi’s vital services

And Here Is How:

1. Go to www.OpenStates.org
2. Enter your complete address in the rectangle in the center of the page.
3. Click the magnifying glass
4. Your legislator’s contact info should appear

Sample Message

Senator _____________________________ or Representive __________________________________

I am _________________________ a disabilities advocate and a constituent from your district. I STRONGLY urge you NOT to pass House Bill 886 or Senage Bill 2567 because: (you choose)

• It would place DMH, MDH, and MDRS services under political control.
• Priorities will be economy over service and support.
• It removes oversight from citizen based non-partisan Boards
• It removes personnel from under the State Personnel Board.
• Our current systems reduce political influence, promote leadership, stability, and retains professional oversight through a board system.

AND – PLEASE IMMEDIATELY CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND YOUR SENATOR BY PHONE, TEXT AND/OR EMAIL. ROSTERS OF BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE WILL BE POSTED ON THE ARC WEBSITE TODAY.