Health Connect America
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Your Story is Not Over, It’s Just Beginning
Health Connect America treats children and adults who suffer from mental health and drug or alcohol issues. They are a private community mental health agency offering individual grief and family therapy. They have specified programs targeting children who are at risk such as therapeutic day treatment. A lot of time you see that program offered in the schools, but they have found that many times it’s better to have that therapeutic day treatment in the center. They serve ages 5-17 which are broken into age groups. In the school year, they offer this service from 3-5 pm, and during the summer, 9am-2pm. Health Connect does a lot of adolescent IOP programs which target alcohol and drug issues. That program is available for adults, also, and they are working closely with the drug court to have IOP for adults.
“We are excited to be here in Meridian, working with other agencies and seeing where we can fill some of the gaps. We are kicking off our summer therapeutic day treatment program June 1st, and are accepting referrals, targeting those ages. The most intensive service we have is our My Pack Program. My Pack serves as the highest level of outpatient services for children and youth. The great thing about the program is it doesn’t just treat the child, it treats the family. School behavior problems are often the result of problems at home, so it’s good to be in the home. We are geared to treat siblings, parents and the child. Everyone comes to the table whether it’s a pastor, teacher, or best friend. The significance of this program is the child is the captain of their own ship. We’re not outlining a treatment program and saying you have to follow this plan. The child identifies who the support around them is that will help them become successful,” says Sheila Baker, Executive Director.
In July of 2020, Health Connect America became a therapeutic foster care agency. They have 14 families in training to be foster parents. Therapeutic foster care targets one child at a time. They work with the child, the parents, and the foster parents. A lot of training goes into helping the parents deal 
with the traumatic exposure the child has had. HCA works closely with the Department of Mental Health and state hospitals. There are so many people with needs, and agencies are there to work together to meet those needs.
Health Connect America was founded in 2006 by Todd Hickman. He spent years in addiction himself. Through his recovery process, he went back to school wanting to be able to give back. He worked with various organizations and realized that mental health is connected to everything. He founded Health Connect America and is the Chief Clinical Officer. HCA is in five states now, VA, MS, AL, GA, and TN. It started in MS in 2018 and now has eight locations in the state.
Doing business in Meridian/Lauderdale County means you have an array of services, two hospitals that provide outpatient care, and so many opportunities for agencies to work together. There are a lot of support options like the chamber and when you come into any new area, you need their support. Meridian is a great location.
Sheila adds, “Plans fail, people don’t. You need everyone’s support to reach goals. We say, ‘nothing about me without me’. We don’t ever sit behind a desk and write a plan. The family is going to be involved because without their involvement it won’t work. We hear all the time from clients how we were there with them and saw them from the beginning to the end. We’ve seen parents gain custody of their children because we helped change their way of life and their way of parenting. It’s all worth it when a child says, ‘I love you, you changed my life’.”
Health Connect America
2300 12th St., Meridian, MS