Members of the Covington County Consortium for Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery met on Wednesday at Covington County Hospital to discuss progress made and goals for the final year of the behavioral health grant. Pictured (seated l to r): Josh Blackwell, Jan Dawson, Jessica Ashley, and Kimberly Bennett, (standing) David Culpepper, Whitney Graves, Amy Yates, Bill Rogers, David Roberts, and Noah Sanford.
The Covington County Consortium for Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery gathered on Wednesday at Covington County Hospital to review progress and set goals for the final year of a four-year behavioral health grant.
In 2022, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded Covington County Hospital a $2 million grant—distributed over four years—to expand access to mental health services for residents affected by behavioral health conditions, including substance use disorder, opioid addiction, and mental health challenges.
Guest speaker Jan Dawson, Director of the Mississippi Public Health Institute, shared updates on promising statewide initiatives and research targeting addiction.
Statewide overdose deaths dropped significantly from 614 in 2023 to 314 in 2024, a decline Dawson attributed to wider access to Naloxone, the life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses. “This is in direct correlation with Naloxone distribution,” Dawson said, noting that free kits are available to the public at www.odfree.org.
Locally, Covington County recorded 25 overdoses between January 1 and September 24, 2025—all of them non-fatal.
Dawson also highlighted two innovative programs making an impact:
- Smart Track: An anonymous survey for students in grades 6–12, designed to measure behavioral health indicators such as alcohol and tobacco use and suicidal ideation. The results give schools and communities a real-time snapshot of student needs, without sharing personal data. Schools then receive tailored curriculum to address identified issues. The Mississippi Legislature has approved funding to expand the program.
- CROP Churches (Congregational Recovery Outreach Program): A faith-based initiative training pastors and church leaders to support members struggling with addiction and mental health challenges. Currently, 12 Mississippi churches are participating, with more expected to join under the Department of Mental Health’s sponsorship.
Bill Rogers, Grant Assistant at Covington County Hospital, encouraged residents interested in prevention efforts to get involved. “We welcome anyone in the community who wants to be part of the solution,” Rogers said.
For more information, community members can contact Rogers at 601-698-0288. The HRSA-funded program is a collaboration between Covington County Hospital, the Covington County School District, the Covington County Sheriff’s Office, and Sustaining Grace Recovery Ministries.
