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 Regional Commission Act of 1972 to organize its own community mental health centers. The state is divided into 14 mental health regions according to population. Community Counseling Services (CCS), serving one of those regions, is officially known as Region VII Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Commission. The Board of Supervisors in each county we serve appoints a Mental Health Commissioner to act as a representative of that county on the Community Counseling Services' governing board for four years. Community Counseling Services is a 501(c)3 public non-profit agency licensed and partially funded by the Mississippi State Department of Mental Health. We receive no direct appropriation from the state budget.

The Commitment Process in Mississippi:

Before filing an affidavit for commitment to a state hospital, we strongly encourage you to contact Community Counseling Services to learn about services, supports, and alternatives to the commitment process such as Mobile Crisis Response Teams, Crisis Stabilization Beds, and more. You can reach out to any of our outpatient offices and a member of our team will be available to help.

The process for both civil commitment and alcohol and drug commitment begins with filing an affidavit for civil commitment in the chancery clerk’s office where the person resides or is currently located. While you may pay a filing fee of up to $150, no attorney is required for this process. Click the links below to view a downloadable PDF that will guide you through the commitment process. 

More Information Regarding Commitment in Mississippi:

Employment

Practicum/Internship Requirements:

Community Counseling Services (CCS) works closely with several Universities (i.e., MSU, MUW, Ole Miss) and a variety of departments (i.e., Psychology, Counselor Education, Family & Human Studies, Social Work) in an effort to offer students field placements as they pursue careers in the mental health field.  CCS has a designated number of practicum/internship placements that we will accommodate each semester. In order to be considered for a practicum/internship placement, students must be able to validate that they are enrolled and receiving course credit as part of their program of study and be required to complete a minimum of 100 hours during their placement.

For those individuals interested in being considered for a placement with CCS, the first step is to submit the following 2 items to humanresources@ccsms.org:

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• Current resume that outlines relevant work/volunteer experience, as well as, relevant course work completed to date

• Cover letter that summarizes practicum/intern requirements (hours required, supervision requirements, etc.) and highlights particular areas of interest

For those students that we are interested in considering for a possible placement and slots remain, the HR Department will contact the student to set up a time for a pre-placement interview.  Please note that ALL practicum/internship requests are processed through the HR department for ANY CCS program or location. Placements are also contingent upon the successful completion of the background check process.

Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities with Community Counseling Services. We are an equal opportunity employer that offers excellent benefits and competitive compensation.