The community Mental Health centers in Mississippi were formed as a result of the Federal Community Mental Health Centers Act of 1963, mandating community access to mental health care. The Mississippi State Legislature passed the Region Commission Act of 1972 to organize its own community mental health centers. The state is divided into 15 mental health regions according to population. Community Counseling Services, serving one of those regions, is officially known as Mississippi Region VII Mental Health/Mental Retardation Commission. The board of Supervisor in each county served appoints a Mental Health Commissioner to act a a representative of that county on the Community Counseling Services' governing board for four years. Community Counseling Services is a public non-profit agency licensed and partially funded by the Mississippi State Department of Health.