The Mississippi State Legislature through House Bill 960 passed in its 1995 session the enabling legislation authorizing the construction of a regional psychiatric hospital. The 50-bed acute care facility, located in Tupelo, Mississippi, offers treatment and services for mentally ill adult men and women in the northeastern portion of the state. North Mississippi State Hospital is the eleventh facility in the Department of Mental Health, joining five regional centers for individuals with developmental disabilities, one juvenile rehabilitation center, three other psychiatric hospitals, and a residential center for the mentally ill. The State of Mississippi through the Department of Mental Health is seeking to offer a continuum of services for the mentally ill within the patient's region of residence. This closer proximity will allow family, friends, and community to more actively support the treatment, recovery, and aftercare of the patient. North Mississippi State Hospital opened in April 1999. The hospital is located on the corner of Eason Boulevard and Briar Ridge Road and employs approximately 120 people. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday, December 19, 1996, signifying the first state-run psychiatric hospital to be established in Mississippi in more than a century. The patient's length of stay is intended to be 14-21 days. Emphasis is placed on a total continuum of care, including pre-admission, inpatient, aftercare, and crisis intervention. It is our goal to be a part of the community mental healthcare system and to work cooperatively with other service providers in positively influencing outcomes and the overall care of our patients.