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Resources for Families

We know how important your family is, so we have put together resources for families at all stages of development. Whether you have a newborn child or a teenager, you can find the resources you need to care for their health and development.
Additionally, we have found resources geared at helping parents transition into parenthood, and helping you plan your family so it can grow at the rate you want it to.

Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?

If you are searching for other resources, and can’t find what you’re looking for on this page, there are several other organizations that have compiled resource-lists for families. Click one of the buttons below to be taken to an alternate resource list!

MS Dept. of Education Resource List UMMC Jackson Area Social Services Guide MS State Department of Health Resource List Excel by 5 Resource List

Resources for Pregnant Women & Women with Newborn Babies

This page covers resources that might be helpful for women who are pregnant, or have recently given birth, and their babies. If you do not reside in Mississippi, your state probably has equivalent programs. Check with your department of health, or another state office.

Health & Wellness

The Mississippi State Department of Health offers several programs geared toward families, pregnant women and women with children. For an overview of their programs, click the button below.

MSDH Women’s & Children’s Health

If you are pregnant and below certain income thresholds, you may be eligible for Medicaid. To check your eligibility and apply online, visit access.ms.gov today. For more information about Medicaid, and children’s health insurance, and to find your local Medicaid office, visit medicaid.ms.gov today.

Pregnant women, infants and children may be eligible for Medicaid if they meet the income limits. To check if you are eligible and apply for Medicaid in Mississippi, click the button below.

Mississippi Medicaid

If your child is not eligible for Medicaid and under the age of 19, they may be eligible for CHIP. There is information about CHIP on the Medicaid website, or you can click below to be directed to more information about CHIP.

Mississippi CHIP

WIC is the Women, Infant and Children’s Nutrition Program. It is a special supplemental food program for pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women, infants, and children under five years of age. WIC helps you and your baby get healthy foods and healthy advice in the first years of life. For more information about WIC and to sign up, click the button below.

Mississippi WIC

If you currently live in one of the communities Springboard serves, you can sign up once a month to get diapers from the diaper bank. For more information, talk to your community specialist at the main office.

Mississippi Families has a list of resources compiled by Mississippi Thrive, these resources are helpful for developmental milestones for kids 0-3. Check out these resources by clicking the button below.

Mississippi Families Resources

Childcare

Hinds County Human Resource Agency runs the Early Head Start program. Early Head Start serves expectant mothers through home visits and socialization activities. The children of the parents served in this program are given priority for available spots in the Early Head Start program. Early Head Start provides quality care to infants and toddlers six weeks to three years old. This comprehensive child care service focuses on children of individuals from low-income families. 

For more information about Early Head Start, click the button below.

Early Head Start

The Child Care Payment Program or CCPP for short, is a program that will help you pay for your child care if you are employed and meet certain requirements. For more information about the Mississippi CCPP and to apply, click the button below.

CCPP

The Early Childhood Development Program exists to provide a safe, developmentally appropriate environment for infants- to –preschool children. They serve children from 8 weeks – 5 years old.  Our hours are 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. For more information about the program, click the button below.

Early Childhood Development

Labor Law & Worker’s Rights

If you are pregnant or have recently given birth, you have certain rights if you are working. Whether you had a job before getting pregnant, currently have a job while pregnant, or intend to have a job after. If you want to know your rights, check out these resources.

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The Pregnant Workers Fairness act was passed in 2023, and bolstered protections for pregnant women in the work place. This act made certain work-place accommodations legal rights. To find out more, click the button below.

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The Mississippi Bar: Rights of Pregnant Employees

The Mississippi Bar has put together a short overview of the rights of pregnant employees in Mississippi. To see this short overview, click the button below.

The Mississippi Bar

National Partnership for Women and Families: Pregnancy Rights

The National Partnership for Women and Families has put together a helpful guide for pregnancy rights in the workplace, including tips on what you should do if you believe you have been discriminated against in your workplace or during a hiring process. For more information, click the button below.

Pregnancy Rights in the Workplace

The Women’s Bureau has put together a webpage about topics related to employment issues concerning pregnancy, birth, and nursing. The key take aways from this resource is that most states have protections for pregnant and nursing women, and most employers are required to provide time and space to pump for nursing women. For more information, click the button below.

Women’s Bureau

Parents & Children

If you are a new parent, or maybe just want to learn more about parenting, here are some resources that could potentially be helpful in your journey with your child(ren). These resources cover topics specifically for school age children, from child care, education and development, to child behavior and health. If you don’t see what you are looking for on this resource list, Excel by 5 has put together an extensive resource list for families and parents, to view this list click the button below.

Excel by 5 Resource List

Health & Wellness

Medicaid

Pregnant women, infants and children may be eligible for Medicaid if they meet the income limits. To check if you are eligible and apply for Medicaid in Mississippi, click the button below.

Mississippi Medicaid

CHIP

If your child is not eligible for Medicaid and under the age of 19, they may be eligible for The Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP). There is information about CHIP on the Medicaid website, or you can click below to be directed to more information about CHIP.

Mississippi CHIP

Hinds Behavioral Health Services offers programs specifically for children and youth. Additionally, they work directly with schools to provide services. For more information about their youth programs, click the button below.

HBHS Youth Programs

Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center offers a variety of services. To check out a list of all their services, click the button below. Additionally, you can sign up for school-based sources by clicking the “school-based registration” button at the top of their website. They provide Early Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Services (EPSDT), medical services, and dental services for children and adolescents through our School-Based clinics and mobile units. 

JHCHC Services

Families as Allies is a collective of families that support each other if their children are having behavioral challenges. It is a good resource if you want to talk to someone who has gone through similar issues, if you want to find information, support, and resources, and if you want assistance with knowing your rights or writing a formal complaint. For more information, check out their website by clicking the button below.

Families as Allies

If you are the parent or family member of a child with a disability, age birth to 26, MSPTI can provide your family with information, resources, support and training that allows you to help your child meet his or her educational goals.

For more information, click the button below to be taken to their website.

MS PTI

Childcare & Education

The Child Care Payment Program or CCPP for short, is a program that will help you pay for your child care if you are employed and meet certain requirements. For more information about the Mississippi CCPP and to apply, click the button below.

CCPP

Hinds County Human Resource Agency runs Hinds county’s head start and early head start programs. Enrollment happens before the school year, call them for details or visit their website by clicking the button below.

Early Head Start: Early Head Start provides quality care to infants and toddlers six weeks to three years old. 

Head Start: Children who are three years old on or before September 1st and who are from families with low income, according to the Poverty Guidelines published by the federal government, are eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start services.

Head Start & Early Head Start

The Early Childhood Development Program exists to provide a safe, developmentally appropriate environment for infants- to –preschool children. They serve children from 8 weeks – 5 years old.  Our hours are 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. For more information about the program, click the button below.

Early Childhood Development

The Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative or MLICCI for short advocates for families with low income to have affordable child care. They also have a program to help moms get into the workforce called Employment Equity for Single Moms (EESM). This program helps single mothers in Mississippi find the education, training and resources they need to find higher-paying jobs in their local area. They also offer child care so that the moms in the program can go to school or job training and know that their children are well cared for.

Single moms in Mississippi can apply for this program and find more information by clicking the button below:

EESM Program

Once your child turns 6, they can enroll at your local public school. Public schools are a great resource, and often provide services such as low cost or free meals, free health exams through partnerships with local health centers, after school care, and connections to other local resources. You can also connect with fellow parents through organizations like the parent-teacher association. For more information about the Jackson public school system, click the button below.

Jackson Public Schools

If you are separated from the other parent of your child and seeking child support from the other parent, you may want to look into an official child support agreement. If you have questions about child support in Mississippi, or need to pay child support through the portal, click the button below.

Child Support Mississippi

Stewpot has an afterschool program and a summer camp program. For more information about these programs, click on the button below.

Stewpot: Kids Programs

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi have many educational programs for kids. To check out their programs, or get in touch, visit their website or Facebook by clicking one of the links below.

BGCCM Website BGCCM Facebook

Parent Resources & Education

If you are looking for parenting groups, educational materials for parents and children, parenting classes, and parent support, these resources are for you.

Hinds Behavioral Health Services offers parenting classes on Wednesdays from 1 – 2 pm, for more information call (601) 321-2400 or click the button below to be taken to their website.

HBHS Parenting Courses

The Mississippi Department of Education has put together a list of parent groups that covers a wide range of potential causes in Mississippi. To view the list, click the button below.

Parent Groups

Momme is a parenting community for Moms. They have mentoring, classes, a warm line to call, and resources for moms. They aim to form a community of moms who support each other. For more information, click the button below to be taken to their website.

Momme

Child Help is an organization dedicated to the safety and heath of children. They have put together a helpful list of resources for parents, including information on first-aid, effective parenting information, mental health, sleep, bullying, and more. To see this helpful resource list, click the button below.

Child Help Parent Resources

They also run a hotline for parents with professional counselors available to talk to in a crisis. For more information about their hotline service, click the button below.

Child Help Hotline

Parent Academy

Parent academy is a lesson plan from the Barksdale Reading Institute for parents and pre-K kids, designed to prepare 4-5 year old kids for going into kindergarten. It is a course for parents who are looking to understand how to help their child develop all the skills and tools they need to be successful going into kindergarten. The class is divided into 5 modules, each have a document that explains the skill(s) that module is supposed to help develop, and a packet filled with the activities to help your child build that skill. You can find all the materials for the course right here, so go ahead and start exploring activities to help you child succeed!

This course is meant to be presented by a presenter who knows the material – but we have put it together so you can do it yourself. Each module has two documents, the first is an information/explanation document that has information about skill-building, and instructions for activities. The second document is the handbook, which contains all the activity sheets you need to actually do the activities with your kids. Many activities need materials, but they are generally in the handbook or things you can get for cheap at the dollar store or walmart, or you can ask your community specialist to see if they have spare materials you can use.

For a list of other materials you will need, check out the document below, or read the instructions which should tell you what you need for each activity.

Parent-Academy-Activity-Supply-ListDownload

The first Module covers general development. The skills this module is targeting are: gross & fine motor skills, personal life skills, working independently to complete a task, and social emotional intelligence. Be sure to read through the skills and instructions first or alongside the handbook, then use the handbook to do some activities with your child(ren)!

Explanation:

Module 1 – Target Skills and InstructionsDownload

Handbook:

Module 1 – Activity HandbookDownload

Module 2 covers oral language – that is, talking! The skills this module is targeting are: using phrases and sentences to communicate, following multi-step directions, understanding descriptive vocabulary, identifying objects, and asking questions. You can read through the skills and instructions, and then use the handbook to do activities with your child(ren)!

Explanation:

Module 2 Target Skills and InstructionsDownload

Handbook:

Module 2 Activity HandbookDownload

Module 3 covers the alphabet and writing. The skills this module is targeting are: recognizing and writing their own name, knows names and sounds of letters, knows the differences between upper and lower case letters and numbers, draw pictures to communicate ideas, and attempts to write words and sentences. You can read through the skills and instructions, and then use the handbook to do activities with your child(ren)!

Explanation:

Module 3 Target Skills and InstructionsDownload

Handbook:

Module 3 Activity HandbookDownload

Module 4 covers reading related skills. The skills this module is targeting are: reading print in the environment such as signs and logos, understanding how print works, re-telling a story in the correct order, identifying letters and letter sounds, reading several words or phrases. You can read through the skills and instructions, and then use the handbook to do activities with your child(ren)!

Explanation:

Module 4 Target Skills and InstructionsDownload

Handbook:

Module 4 HandbookDownload

Module 5 covers math related skills. The skills this module is targeting are: understanding one-to-one correspondence and counting to 5 objects, counting and writing up to 10, understanding more and less, knowing at least 3 shapes and colors and sorting things accordingly, and continuing a pattern. You can read through the skills and instructions, and then use the handbook to do activities with your child(ren)!

Explanation:

Module 5 Target Skills and InstructionsDownload

Handbook:

Module 5 HandbookDownload

Teens

Being a teenager can be a challenging time, and being the parent of a teenager can be challenging as well. These resources are for challenges teenagers and the parents of teenagers might face during this period of transition into adulthood.

General Resources

Mississippi Department of Health Teen Resource List

The MS Department of Health has put together a short resource list for teens that includes health & sexual health topics, community service, and college readiness resources. To visit this resource list, click the button below.

Teen Resource List

Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program Jackson MS

The  Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program is designed to educate, motivate and cultivate work ethics through experience within city offices and local businesses throughout the City of Jackson. For more information and to apply, click the button below.

Summer Employment

Mental Health

Our teenage years are a time of transition and change, and these years can often be hard on mental health. Teenagers experience a lot of emotions, some of which are normal, but some can be dangerous. If your teen is experiencing a mental health crisis, here are some resources to help support them and help your family get educated on teenage mental health.

Local Resource: NFusion Metro at HBHS

NFusion Metro is a youth program from the Hinds Behavioral Health Center that provides mental health resources to youth and their families in a stigma-free teen environment. The program helps individuals between the ages of 0-26 transition into adulthood through activities, groups, counseling, and peer support. To learn more about this program, click here.

Teen Mental Health Guide

If you are parenting a teen and want a good starting point to learn about how you can support them and their mental health, this organization put together a straight forward guide for parents about teen mental health. Check it out by clicking the button below.

Mental Health Guide for Parents

Teen Bullying & Abuse

If you are worried your teen is suffering from bullying or abuse by a friend or partner, but don’t know what to do, you may want to look at this resource from Child Help. It will help you learn how to identify teen bullying or abuse. To learn more, click one of the buttons below.

Teen Bullying Dating Abuse Healthy Relationships

Teen Suicide

If you are concerned about your teen’s mental health, and want to learn more about teen suicide prevention, including warning signs and how to help, click the button below. If you or your child are having a mental health crisis, call 9-8-8.

Teens and Suicide

Other Health Topics

If you are looking for educational resources on a variety of teen heath topics, this may be a good resource for you. Teens Health has articles on a variety of topics to help educate you or your teen, including sports, drugs & alcohol, food & fitness, sexual health, and more.

Teens Health

Physical Health

Teens start getting involved in all sorts of activities as they age, they may be exposed to sex, drugs, and puberty. These things can all affect their physical (and emotional) health. This section will include resources for education on health topics, and resources to help your teen get through new experiences safely.

Local Resource: UMMC

UMMC has an adolescent health program, the adolescent medicine team at Children’s of Mississippi offers specialized services for children between the ages of 12 and 22. For more information, click here.
You can also schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or health center. For more information about other health resources, visit the Health and Wellness resource page on this website.

Drug & Alcohol Use: Educational Resources

If you are concerned about your teen starting to use drugs or alcohol, you are not alone. Teens are transitioning into adulthood, and often experience drug and alcohol use by those around them. Here are some resources for parents to get educated about teens and drug use, so you can be prepared to talk to your teen about how to be responsible in situations where they may have drugs or alcohol available to them.

UMMC: Teens & Drugs

Sexual Education & Health

Our teenage years are often when we have our first sexual experiences, and it’s important that if your teen is engaged in sexual experiences that they know what they’re getting into and how to be safe. For more information on sexual health for teens, visit one of the resources below by clicking on one of the following buttons. There are more resources for sexual health on the Mississippi State Department of Health’s resource list, linked at the top of the page.

Fact not Fiction Teen Health Mississippi

Birth Control

Birth control is a big part of being safe when having sex. For a list for teens of types of birth control methods, click the button below.

Chose your Method

Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?

There are more resources about health, including sexual health, mental health, and physical health, on the Health and Wellness resources page. Check out that page for more resources, helpful links, and education.

Family Planning

Family Planning means having kids when you want them, if you want them, so you can grow your family when you want to. This section will have resources and educational materials about what family planning is, different methods of contraception, and where you can go to get reproductive health services such as pregnancy testing.

What is Family Planning?

Family planning is having kids when and how you want to have them, so that you can grow your family when and how you want to. For more information about family planning, click the button below.

Family Planning: MS Dept. of Health

Pregnancy Testing

Many birth centers and health centers offer pregnancy testing. Additionally, over the counter pregnancy tests are available, but they are somewhat less accurate and reliable. If you think you may be pregnant, and would like to get tested at a health center, schedule an appointment with your usual doctor, or search for free pregnancy tests near you to find a provider that works for you.

Birth Control

There are many types of birth control, so if you haven’t found a type of birth control that works for you yet, you may want to look into different options! If you don’t currently want kids, or want to wait to have more kids, then birth control can be a helpful tool. To read about the different types of birth control, click the button below.

Birth Control

Where can I get Birth Control?

Many types of birth control you can get over the counter or at a doctor. Most clinics, especially clinics focused on sexual health, will have free condoms you can take or ask for. If you live in Mississippi, you can get free condoms sent to you by the AIDS Services Coalition. Click on the button below to be taken to their website where you can fill out the form to get free condoms.

Free Condoms

Reproductive Health Care for those without Insurance

If you do not have insurance and are not otherwise qualified for insurance such as Medicaid, you may qualify for free family planning coverage from the government. To find out more about this program, check if you qualify, and apply, click the button below.

Family Planning Coverage

Looking for more information?

If you are looking for more information about reproductive and sexual health, go to our Health and Wellness resource page, and click on the Sexual Health tab for information about sexual health, including STDs, HIV/AIDS, and pregnancy.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

800-799-7233

Domestic Violence Resources

If you or your child(ren) are experiencing domestic violence and need assistance, you are not alone and their are resources to support you during this time. This page has resources and programs that address domestic violence situations, whether local to Jackson or national resources.

If you are experiencing homelessness as a result of domestic abuse, there are more resources for homeless individuals on the Housing Stability Resource page under the “Homelessness and Re housing” tab.

Local Resources

The Rapid Re-Housing Domestic Violence Program provides a quick response to individuals and families who are displaced and homeless as a result of domestic violence. Catholic charities also offers shelter and services to battered women. For more information, click the button below.

Catholic Charities Transitional Housing Catholic Charities All Services

The Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention is located in Pearl Mississippi. It offers a variety of services to domestic abuse victims and human trafficking victims, including a temporary shelter with access to services. For more information and contact info, visit their website by clicking the button below.

Center for Violence Prevention

Haven House shelter is located in Vicksburg Mississippi and offers both emergency shelter for crisis situations as well as long-term transitional shelter for women and children. They have resources and contact information on their website. To visit their website, click the button below.

Haven House

Canopy Children’s center has a few resources that may be helpful if you are experiencing domestic abuse. If you are currently involved with CPS, they can refer you to Canopy’s Family Preservation and Reunification program. Additionally, Canopy has the LINK program, meant to help connect families with resources for support. To find out more, click one of the buttons below.

Canopy Crisis Solutions Canopy LINK program

Not in Mississippi?

If you are not in Jackson or in Mississippi, you can use this tool from HUD to find shelters, food pantries, health clinics, and clothing near you. Click the button below to start searching.

Find Shelter

National and Online Resources

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has resources for safety plans, accessing other resources, financial education, and a list of more resources. For more information visit their website by clicking the button below.

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

The Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence has many resources for individuals experiencing domestic violence, and those who want to learn more about domestic violence. They have a list of shelters in Mississippi, the national and state hotline numbers, and resources for education and legal assistance. To visit their website and learn more, click the button below.

MS Coalition Against Domestic Violence

The National Domestic Violence Hotline has call and text options, and their website has other resources for getting help, identifying abuse, and planning for safety. For more information, click the button bellow to go to their website.

Domestic Violence Hotline

There are government benefits that may help if you are experiencing domestic violence. To find out more, visit benefits.gov by clicking on the button below.

Benefits.gov

WomensLaw.org has state resource lists for domestic violence survivors. They link to advocates and shelters, finding a lawyer, and also have legal information. For more information, click the button below.

WomensLaw.org

If you’re child has been affected by domestic abuse, Child Help has resources available to assist. They run a child abuse hotline, and additionally have resources for children and parents. For more information, click one of the buttons below.

Child Help Website Child Help Resource Lists

Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in this list of resources, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has put together a resource list of national resources that might be helpful. To go to this list, click the button below.

Resource List