Upon the retirement of Jackie Edwards, the Board of Commissioners for Region VII Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities has appointed Richard Duggin as the executive director of Community Counseling Services (CCS). Duggin has been employed at CCS as the Chief Financial Officer since 2013. Prior to his tenure at CCS, Richard served as the Executive Director of Delta Community Mental Health Center in Greenville.
Duggin will serve as the fifth executive director of CCS since it began operations in the 70’s. Community Counseling Services’ mission is to provide quality, affordable, person-centered, comprehensive behavioral health services to individuals in need of mental health services. CCS employs approximately 375 employees, over a seven-county region and has been recognized as an industry leader in the state of Mississippi.
“We are fortunate to have someone with Richard’s background and experience to lead CCS moving forward. He has the benefit of working with Jackie for the past seven years and is positioned to continue her vision of ensuring that individuals with mental health issues can and should have access to needed services in his/her community,” said Billingsley, board president. “With the impact of COVID, we are well aware that many individuals in our communities are experiencing higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance use, etc. We are confident in Richard’s abilities to lead his dedicated team in ensuring that the mental health needs of individuals in our service area are met.”
Duggin said, “I am very appreciative of the confidence that the Commission has placed in me for this leadership role. CCS is a vital service in the community for those with mental health, substance use, and intellectual disabilities and I am committed to ensuring they receive the best quality care.”
For those in need of support, you can contact any of our county offices or our administrative office at 662-524-4347. For more information, please visit our website at www.ccsms.org.
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