When it comes to support for people with mental health issues Warren County is ahead of the curve, but there is still a long way to go at both the local and state level.

Representative from the National Alliance on Mental Illness hosted a town hall meeting at the courthouse Tuesday evening to discuss what services are available to people in Warren County and also how far the state still has to go.

One of the biggest advantages Warren County has is the presence of a mental health holding facility where people who have been served chancery writs and are awaiting help can be housed rather than placing them in the county jail.

The facility opened in 1997 and remains the only of its kind in the state and one of only three certified holding facilities in Mississippi.

“When I first took office in 1996, we were housing people in the county jail that were picked up on mental health writs. I did some research and I thought it was appalling and sickening,” Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said. 

Along with the holding facility, Pace said one of the reasons Warren County is a step ahead is the partnership the county has with Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health.

Bobby Barton, the executive director of Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health, said last year the organization worked with 4,060 people facing mental health issues across the two counties including more than 60 where law enforcement had to be involved, whether that was them calling the police or the police calling them.

“What we see as police officers on the street is that our community is somewhat ahead of other communities,” Pace said. “We are the only county in the state with a mental health holding facility. We have a very robust mental health program in Warren-Yazoo Mental Health. I think we are better than some, but we have a long way to go to be where we need to be.”

Across the state, some of the biggest issues inhibiting professionals from helping people with mental health issues are the lack of education, adequate services and transportation for people with issues, experts at the town hall said.

A mobile hospital called PACT has been created to take medical professionals and counselors directly to people in need to help combat the issues.

“Mental health is deep and serious,” said Christiane Williams, NAMI board member and member of the Attorney General’s mental health task force. “It is not something we can just brush over anymore. The jail has been and still is the largest mental health holding facility in the United States. We can’t do that anymore. We have to find other ways and we will find others ways to get people the help they truly need.”

The state has also created mental health first aid classes, which will be available starting in June to assist in training people on how to help others facing a mental health crisis.

“Mental health first aid is like CPR for somebody in a mental health crisis,” Williams said. “It teaches you not to diagnose, but the things you need to in order to get this person help. The Department of Mental Health will be offering this to public school employees. Not just teachers. They are trying to bring in the cafeteria workers and custodians. It is an eight-hour class and it is free.”

For more information on what services are available or how to get help if you or a family member is in need, NAMI Vicksburg can be contacted at 601-630-9470 or Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health can be contacted at 601-638-0031.