by Jack Criss
The Mississippi Monitor
Serving over 40 people with unique challenges in Pike County, REM Mississippi also serves such clients statewide out of their home base in Flowood. Opening in 2013, McComb was REM’s first office in the state and provides services that are often difficult to find, said program director, Dr. Monica Dillon.“REM Mississippi is a community-based, innovative health and human services provider,” Dillon said. “We specialize in offering programs and services for those who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as those who have complex emotional, medical and behavior challenges. We approach people as the individuals they are and try to maximize each person’s unique and specific ways of learning so that they can function better in their communities. Not many, if any, organizations do exactly what we do, especially in our state.”
Dillon said REM Mississippi assists their clients by allowing them as much personal autonomy as possible, while still utilizing the resources and oversight the company provides. These include two supervised living homes for clients, one in McComb and another in Magnolia, as well as day programs at REM’s home office in McComb and in-home respite care throughout Pike County, all of which Dillon oversees.
Dillon said REM provides IDD (Intellectual Developmental Disability) waiver-provided services. “And it’s important to point out that a mental disability does not also mean a person also has a mental illness,” Dillon said. “We serve people, ages 18 and up, who have mental disabilities, some of which are due to physical injury, for instance. Most of our clients are referred to us from Ellisville State School, and occasionally by parents or family members. We have to weigh the needs of every person sent to us to first see if we can meet their needs while at the same time trying to determine that what they require won’t affect our existing clients’ progress,” said Dillon.
Only four people at a time can reside in the REM supervised living homes in McComb and Magnolia, said Dillon. “We have staff members with them in the homes, 24 hours a day. We provide three daily meals, recreational activities, transportation to events, shopping outings and even the workplace, because some of our clients do have jobs and most don’t have driver’s licenses. It’s very similar to a traditional assisted living facility, because they can stay in the homes as long as they want. Some can make the transition to the general community after two years or so if they make the necessary progress, but most live with us long-term.”
REM accepts Medicaid as well as private pay, said Dillon. “But we try to steer potential clients and their caretakers, or parents, to apply through the IDD waiver, and I personally reach out to our local schools and for people who think they might need our services to start that waiver process immediately. It can take seven to ten years to acquire an IDD waiver,” said Dillon.
Set to enter her fourth year with REM Mississippi, Dillon said she was recruited to the company by current executive director, Jessica Matthews. “I had never heard of REM at the time,” the McComb native said. “My background was as a Certified Nurses Assistant and with a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Social Science, and I was very impressed after I met with Jessica and learned about what REM is doing for this community, and this state.
We’re making a huge difference in the lives of people who need help in living skills,” Dillon said. “And I must give so much credit to Jessica as well as my own staff for the hard work and dedication they put into their jobs. No other entity in this part of Mississippi offers the type of services and programs that we do at REM. Personally, I love to serve and always have. And it’s wonderful for me to serve our clients in Pike County.”
REM Mississippi is part of Boston-based Sevita, a national network of local health and human providers offering community services across the country.