MSH Admissions Information

Mental illness is a health condition that can cause changes in a person’s mood, thinking, or behavior. It is sometimes easy to forget that our brain, like all our other organs, is vulnerable to disease.

Resources To Consider Prior to Commitment to Mississippi State Hospital

Before filing an affidavit (legal document) for commitment with a Chancery Clerk’s Office for inpatient treatment to Mississippi State Hospital, it is strongly encouraged that you contact your local Community Mental Health Center to learn about services, supports, and alternatives to commitment such as Mobile Crisis Teams or Crisis Stabilization Units. Call the DMH Helpline at 1-877-210-8513 for additional information.

		ADMISSIONS INFORMATION MISSISSIPPI STATE HOSPITAL WHITFIELD CAMPUS A program of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.
		Mental illness is a health condition that can cause changes in a person’s mood, thinking, or behavior. It is sometimes easy to forget that our brain, like all our other organs, is vulnerable to disease. Resources To Consider Prior to Commitment to Mississippi State Hospital Before filing an affidavit (legal document) for commitment with a Chancery Clerk’s Office for inpatient treatment to Mississippi State Hospital, it is strongly encouraged that you contact your local Community Mental Health Center to learn about services, supports, and alternatives to commitment such as Mobile Crisis Teams or Crisis Stabilization Units. Call the DMH Helpline at 1-877-210-8513 for additional information.
		We Are Here For You Mississippi State Hospital (MSH) provides compassionate, quality care to individuals in need of mental health and substance use treatment. Each individual receives treatment from an interdisciplinary team of professionals. How To Get Help An individual may be admitted to MSH through the commitment process. Commitment is a legal process in which a court orders a person to the hospital for treatment. The first step towards helping someone receive services at MSH is to visit the Chancery Clerk’s Office in the county of residence or the county in which the person needing services is currently located and file an affidavit for commitment. The person filing the affidavit will need to specify if the commitment is for psychiatric or substance use treatment. A determination will be made by a judge whether an individual requires outpatient or inpatient treatment. Once a person is committed to Mississippi State Hospital, the Chancery Court sends the required legal documents to the MSH Admissions Department. Each individual served by MSH receives care from an interdisciplinary team of professionals who provide medical, nursing, social, psychological, educational, dietician, and recreational services. Occupational, physical, and speech therapies are provided, if needed. Chaplain services are available. For a smooth transition from the hospital following treatment, discharge planning begins upon admission. No individual with unresolved felony charges may be admitted to MSH unless through special order by the Circuit Court.
		Who We Serve MSH provides mental healthcare to adults and adolescents through Inpatient Services: Adult Services: Acute Psychiatric Services are provided for adult men and women. These services are acute/short-term and not long-term residential services. Substance Use Services (SUS) provides treatment to female adults in need of acute treatment for alcohol and/or drug use (adult male SUS patients are served at East Mississippi State Hospital). The SUS program offers primary treatment and is short-term only. Adolescent Services: Oak Circle Center offers an acute behavioral health program for adolescents experiencing emotional and/or behavioral problems at home, in school, and/or in the community. The goal is to provide individuals with evaluation and treatment to assist them in progressing to a higher level of functioning in order to continue treatment in a less restrictive environment. Oak Circle Center also offers a primary substance use treatment program for male and female adolescents who are engaging in harmful drug and alcohol use. The program employs evidence-based individual and group behavioral health interventions grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Enhancement, and Twelve-Step Facilitation. In addition to targeting substance use behaviors, the program evaluates and offers treatment for adolescents with co-occurring diagnoses, family/relational problems, and those impacted by trauma.