Life Help Community Mental Health Center

08/31/2026

On Overdose Awareness Day, we remember every soul lost to drug overdose, every name remembered by a friend or loved one, and we celebrate their lives, full of love and dreams, meaning, hope, and purpose.

Today, we remember those who died because of drug overdose. We remember every wonderful, funny, loving, beautiful, silly, kind, generous thing about them. We remember the deep thoughts, the goofiness, the uniqueness, and the lessons they taught us.

As we celebrate their lives, we at Life Help Community Mental Health Center want to leave you with the faces of some of us who work every day to help you if you want recovery and remind you we are here if you wish to begin that journey 💜

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

Life Help Community Mental Health Center’s Washington County office happily honored two special people this month.

Ashley Thomas is the Request for Services therapist and celebrated her 5-year anniversary with Life Help in August. She grew up in Vicksburg with parents who are marriage and family therapists. “My whole life [was] filled with helping others as my dad was the executive director for a non-profit organization in Vicksburg that helped young people by providing juvenile diversion programs. I started as a youth care worker at 16. I have a passion for helping others! I got a great example from my parents who are known for helping others in the community.“

She worked with children and families in school-based therapy before beginning her work in Request for Services, a place where she is able to help people who enter Life Help services initially, often during their most difficult or challenging moments. She is responsible for ensuring a person receives the support and resources they need within the therapeutic milieu Life Help provides.

Ashley is now very close to completing her Ph.D. in psychology and tells us,

“As Nelson Mandela said, ‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall,’ a sentiment that reflects the resilience I witness daily in our clients. This journey has taught me the importance of empathy, hope, and community as we support individuals facing challenges. I am proud to be part of a dedicated team committed to making a difference in the lives of those we serve, and I look forward to continuing this work in the years ahead.”

Julie Ousley is the front desk receptionist and celebrated her 10-year anniversary this month. She says she has learned so much throughout the years, especially how to listen and talk people who are going through something difficult, and she notices how people gravitate to her now because of that. She loves talking to people who come to her window, “You try to hear them out and learn what they are really going through.”

She says she has found that she always wants to learn more, and Abigail Courtney, ICORT South team leader and therapist, is responsible for lighting a fire in her to go back to school and earn her degree. Julie will graduate with her BSW in September and will begin work on her Ph.D. in October.

Julie is a mother and says she has a passion for helping “individuals and families who may be facing difficult circumstances and need someone to advocate for them…I believe in pushing people to see possibilities in themselves that they may not yet see. Helping people move forward is more than my profession, it is part of who I am.”

She is from Greenville, so working in community mental health here means helping her hometown community. “I wanted to be in a field where I could make a difference beyond the walls of an office and meet people where they are. Over the years, community mental health has allowed me to support individuals during some of the most challenging times in their lives, connect them with needed resources, and help them recognize that change and recovery are possible. After more than 10 years in this field, I still find purpose in knowing that the work we do can positively impact not only one person, but an entire family and community.”

Both of these women have careers, families, friends, and personal goals and values that bring their lives meaning. They also have found space in their lives to advance their education in fields that will allow them to maximize their impact on the lives of people in Washington County, Mississippi.

We are proud of you both! 💚

08/13/2026

We’re here if you need us.

24/7 Emergency Hotline 1-866-453-6216

Here's a reminder that even superheroes could use a helping hand sometimes. 🕷️

08/06/2026

Dallas Brown, IDD coordinator, represented Life Help at a Provider Fair organized by the Mississippi IDD Association and hosted by the North Mississippi Regional Center in Oxford. Brown described a successful experience at the fair as he and 12 other providers interacted with approximately 100 participants.

Thank you to the organizer and host for including us in the fair. We look forward to next year!

08/05/2026

We at Life Help CMHC are excited, once again, to share with parents, students, and educators, a Back to School Mental Health Resources guide created for all of you by NAMI.

Inside you may choose a route to resources for,

➡️ “Educator(s) Supporting Students”

➡️ “Parents or Caregivers Looking for Information”

➡️ “Students Seeking Resources”

Educators, you will find resources like, “Mindfulness Activities” for your students, information about “Compassion Fatigue and Burnout,” and more.

Parents and caregivers, you can find warning signs for bullying and su***de and simple tips for how to support your kids this year as they process their experiences….and lots more!

Students can access information on setting boundaries, using social media, how to find a trusted adult, how to help a friend, and more.

You can access archived podcast content episodes and scroll through NAMI’s site to find mental health information you and your family may need from a trusted source.

Many thanks to NAMI for the wealth of information they have provided in this Back to School Mental Health Resources guide. We hope it helps many of you as you and your families return 📚Back to School!📚

Explore NAMI's free back to school mental health resources for students, parents, caregivers, and educators. Find tips, activities, and guidance to build resilience and support student well-being all school year.

08/04/2026

Life Help Community Mental Health Center was thrilled to participate in the 2026 Back to School MegaFest at Greenwood High School hosted by community leader and educator, Brandice Williams, and sponsored by local businesses and community members.

Yashica Jones, Life Help’s CSS/ICSS supervisor & MAP coordinator; Sarah Tellis, CSS for adults; and Davida Kilpatrick CSS for children handed out back-to-school goodies and gave parents information about Life Help services.

08/04/2026

Happy Back to School, students, families, and educators!

We hope you are excited. We look forward to a year filled with enthusiasm, learning, and growth. Sometimes, our school years do not go as expected, and people need added support. No matter what this school year brings, you don’t have to face it alone.

At Life Help, we’ve been partnering with children, families, and schools across the Mississippi Delta and surrounding area for more than 50 years with compassion, respect, and hope. Services are accessible to our students and their families in school districts and homes across Life Help's 16-county region.

This year, we’re excited to launch our year-long series, Life Help CMHC Children’s Services: Helping Kids Grow Through Life’s Tough Moments Because Every Child Deserves to Thrive, highlighting the many ways our Children’s Services team supports students, parents, educators, and families throughout the school year.

Whether a child needs help managing anxiety, coping with grief, navigating family changes, building healthy relationships, or simply having someone to talk to, we’re here. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Throughout the year, we’ll be sharing resources, practical tips, answers to common questions, and information about the services available through Life Help’s Children’s Services program.

Here’s to a school year filled with learning, growth, resilience, and joy!

07/22/2026

07/15/2026

Thank you, Gina Bond Nabors, for sharing our Kosciusko post and for becoming our 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣th Facebook follower! 🎉

We appreciate all of the support when you in our communities like and share our content. It is all for you, to help keep you informed about mental health and substance use resources for you and your loved ones.

We also love to promote and support our teams across the region and direct you to all the support and treatment options we have to offer.

Thank you to all of you in our community who support those with mental health and substance use conditions.

We are here for you! 💚