Back to School Information
It's an understatement to say that it's a tremendous challenge to return to school for the third time during COVID. There are so many parts of how hard this is…
Alternatives to Conservatorship
Conservatorship, the legal act of one person assuming legal responsibility for the financial and life decisions of another person due to that person being deemed incompetent to do so, has…
New Opportunities in Parent Peer Support
We all know the relief and feeling of being understood when we are going through something difficult and meet someone who has been in the exact same shoes. That shared…
Helpful Information On Special Education and Discipline from MDE
The Mississippi Department of Education's Procedure Manuals for Special Education are available online. They were written by a group of people that included parents and are fairly easy to read and…
IEPs, 504 Plans and the Tier Process
As we shared in last week's edition of the Ally, Families as Allies is doing a series of trainings on the Procedural Safeguards, or as they are subtitled and we encourage families…
Video: Joy Hogge and Wendy Bailey
This week Joy Hogge, executive director of Mississippi Families as Allies, sat down for a chat with Wendy Bailey, the newly appointed executive director of the Mississippi Department of Mental…
Nikki Flippins: As a Woman and a Mom …
Reflections from Nikki Flippins during Women's History Month... On May 17, 2005, I became a mom. It wasn’t in the traditional way, because I adopted my 5-year-old daughter; nonetheless, I…
Families Speak Out on Schools and Mental Health
The National Federation of Families recently surveyed over a thousand families from across the United States about their experiences with education and mental health. We encourage all of you to consider what…
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Cicely Tyson during Black History Month
We've shared with you that our staff and board have spent time thoughtfully considering how we can approach Black History Month as an opportunity to change ourselves throughout the year…
Child Find: When the School Tells Me My Child Needs a Mental Health Assessment or Treatment
Last week we shared with you that we will be providing information about Child Find throughout the month of February. Child Find is a requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Act…