As of Feb. 1, the Mississippi State Department of Health’s county clinic offices began a new schedule and, while most services will still be offered, some won’t be on a daily basis.
According to release from MSDH, the state health department will no longer accept new maternity patients, as they now have other options under the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Managed Care.
“Over the past few years, patient flow has seriously declined throughout the state, and with that, so has our incoming revenue. For many months now we have been reviewing clinic hours, patient and current services,” State Health Officers Dr. Mary Currier said in the release. “Like any other business, we’ve had to face the current environment and come up with a different way of doing business while continuing to provide core public health to all Mississippians.”
According to the release, there will be a reduction of 35 full-time employees and 29 contract workers. Health departments in nine counties will be closed permanently due to a limited number of people using services or as a more useful way to utilize staff, the release states.
“We are continuing to evaluate our programs and clinics to ensure the most effective and efficient use of our funds,” Currier said in the release. “While still providing standard services such as immunizations, disease investigation and inspections of restaurants, child care facilities, hospitals, on-site wastewater and others on a daily basis, we will move toward prevention-oriented activities such as diabetes self-management, tobacco and chronic disease prevention.”
The Pearl River County Health Department is located at 7547 Highway 11 North, Carriere.
The clinic’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
According to the release, most services are offered by appointment and walk-ins are accepted on a limited basis.
Contact staff by phone at 601-798-6212.
Immunizations, family planning, WIC, the Perinatal High Risk Management Program and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program may have different days or hours for services.