Rebalancing Initiative

MISSISSIPPI

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

Mississippi Department of Mental Health

Title of Grant

Mississippi Statewide Coordinated Transportation System

Type of Grant

Rebalancing Initiative

Amount of Grant

$282,700

Year Original Funding Received

2004

Contact Information


Matt Armstrong, Director
MS Department of Mental Health
Division of Community Services
601-359-1288
matt.armstrong@dmh.state.ms.us

Jake Hutchins, MSW
Division of Community Services, DMH
239 North Lamar Street, Suite 1101
Jackson, MS 39201

601-359-1288
jake.hutchins@dmh.state.ms.us

Subcontractor(s)

Community Mental Health Centers in Region 4, Corinth, MS (North) and Region 15, Vicksburg, MS (Central)

Jan Larsen
Global Strategies Incorporated

Target Population(s)


Adults, adolescents, and parents of children with disabilities.

Goals


  • Develop a model for a statewide coordinated transportation system for Mississippi that will ensure self-directed access by adults and children with a disability to community-based services that will provide them with long-term support, thereby reducing or eliminating their need for institutional services.
  • Develop a financing plan for the statewide coordinated transportation system that will ensure its long-term sustainability.
  • Develop a comprehensive plan to monitor the operation of the statewide coordinated transportation system for quality, reliability, cost effectiveness, and stakeholder satisfaction.
  • Develop a plan for the implementation of the model for the statewide coordinated transportation system in one or more test sites.

Activities


  • Review transportation service models currently in operation in the State to determine models or components of these models that may be appropriate for the statewide system.
  • Identify and summarize strengths and weaknesses of models in other states or countries that may be appropriate for Mississippi's system.
  • Finalize a model design for Mississippi's system.
  • Identify all funding sources for transportation that are currently being used, as well as funding available but not being used by the State, and any other possible options.
  • Prepare a summary report of the financing options for a coordinated transportation system in Mississippi, identifying the strengths/weaknesses and benefits/disadvantages of each, and include recommendations for optimal funding options.
  • Establish performance standards and a monitoring schedule for the system to ensure that system stakeholders are satisfied, that the cost of the system is reasonable compared to similar systems, and the design of the system incorporates best practices.
  • Develop criteria to monitor health status changes in beneficiaries who access services through the coordinated transportation system and develop cost comparison criteria to review the cost of services provided compared to the cost of services provided through systems of similar design and funding sources.
  • Prepare a written report establishing a monitoring and evaluation plan for the coordinated transportation system.
  • Develop criteria for the selection of model sites and to determine the number of sites to be established.
  • Develop criteria to establish (1) a schedule for the monitoring and evaluation of the system at the test sites and (2) the composition of the evaluation team to conduct the monitoring and evaluation activities.
  • Develop a written plan and schedule for the implementation of the statewide coordinated transportation system at the test sites.

Abstract


The Mississippi Department of Mental Health, in partnership with the Mississippi Division of Medicaid and other consumer and stakeholder organizations, will develop a plan for the design and implementation of a system of statewide, coordinated transportation services for adults and children of all ages with a disability. This system will provide accessibility by these persons to long-term support services anywhere in the State. This comprehensive accessibility to community-based services will give them a full range of noninstitutional options for care based on service choices they make for themselves.