The Mississippi State Hospital Psychiatry Residency Program is committed to excellence in our mission. We strive to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) which is demonstrated through actions, policies, and culture. Diversity in the physician workforce positively impacts health care access, patient care, and patient outcomes, key components of the program’s mission.
Diversity and inclusion in the Mississippi State Hospital Psychiatry Residency Program are achieved through the following:
- Recruiting and retaining diverse and inclusive classes of residents and faculty without discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, political belief or affiliation, marital status, gender identity and expression, genetic information or any other characteristic or status protected by state or federal laws
- Complying with the American Disabilities Act
- Cultivating an environment of mutual respect and appreciation of the distinct and unique qualities that each individual brings to the residency training program
- Inviting community speakers and medical leaders in DEI to deliver Grand Rounds presentations, didactic lectures, and workshops throughout the year
- Holding small-group discussions for residents, faculty, and staff to discuss issues of DEI
- Engaging medical students and residents from under-represented backgrounds in recruitment events
- Collaborating with other institutional programs in support of diversity initiatives throughout the hospital campus and state government
- Building DEI and culturally competent care into the didactic curriculum
- Providing a professional and respectful environment free from discrimination, harassment, mistreatment, abuse, or coercion
- Providing residents with a forum to raise concerns and provide feedback related to DEI without fear of intimidation or retaliation
- Investigating grievances alleging discrimination to ensure the fair and equitable resolution of concerns
Mississippi State Hospital proudly serves a diverse population including under-represented minorities, transgender youth, immigrants, and refugees. The Psychiatry Residency Program shares the Mississippi State Hospital’s mission to serve all people of Mississippi, encompassing a wide range of socioeconomic classes, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, disabilities, and health conditions. To this end, residents and faculty serve in a variety of settings with diverse patient populations, including:
- Jackson Free Clinic, Psychiatry Outreach Program, a free clinic for those in the city of Jackson with limited resources
- Various Assertive Community Treatment teams throughout Rankin and Hinds Counties, serving those with the most severe, persistent mental illnesses and often among the least privileged and most vulnerable members of the community
- Community Mental Health Clinics throughout underserved counties across Mississippi
In addition to efforts by the Psychiatry Residency Program, the State of Mississippi works to emphasize minority representation within its employment system by complying with the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age and Discrimination Act of 1975; Regulations of the United States Department of Health and Human Services issued pursuant to these statutes at Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 80, 84, 91, and 92; and Regulations enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.