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APS Program Operational Plan: MIssissippi 

State/Territory/District Mississippi 

Contact Anita Ballard 

Budget Allocation $2,234,165 

Timeline AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021- Grant 1 

August 2021 – September 2023 $722,828 

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 - Proposed Grant 2 

August 2022 – September 2024 $788,509 + $722,828= 

$1,511,337 

Vision 2025 

The Vision clarifies what your ARPA Grant 1 

Program aspires to become and to achieve. It is 

designed to inspire by providing a picture of where 

the program is heading in 3-5 years. 

Note: If you are a part of a larger organization, does 

it have its own future vision? If so, you may want to 

adapt it to your own program. 

Vision for overall APS Program 

Adult Protective Services envisions every Mississippian having 

the opportunity to enjoy wellness, longevity, and quality of life in 

strong healthy communities. 

All Mississippians will have access to quality services and 

supports provided in an appropriate setting of their choice 

regardless, of age, ability, income, or geographic location. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 2 

Mission Statement 

Mission and Values statements can be an effective 

tool to educate the public; state and local 

government officials; state government agencies; 

provider agencies; and service recipients as to 

what the Adult Protective Services is and how they 

do business. 

Mission Statements answer four key questions 

about your APS Program: 

• Who do we serve?

• What needs do they have that we can fulfil?

• How do we meet those needs? How do we

make the clients' lives better?

• Does it link directly to the Vision 

Statement?

Note: if you are a part of a larger organization, 

does it have its Mission Statement? If so, you may 

want to adapt it for your own program. 

The mission of the Mississippi Adult Protective Services (APS) 

program is to protect vulnerable persons whose safety and 

protection may be adversely affected by abuse, neglect, selfneglect, or exploitation; raise public awareness, and educate 

mandated reporters of their reporting responsibilities. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 3 

Guiding Principles / Core Values 

Guiding Principles or Core Values guide internal 

processes and client interactions for your APS 

Program. 

Note: if you are a part of a larger organization, does 

it have its own set of Guiding Principles or Core 

Values? If so, you may want to adapt it for this 

program. 

1. Promote self-sufficiency and personal responsibility for all

Mississippians.

2. Serve others while providing a wide range of public assistance

programs, social services and support for families, and low-income

individuals. MS APS seeks to educate the local communities about our

services so the aging population can remain self-sufficient and apart of 

the community in which they reside.

3. Achieve goals through passion, charisma, and courage. MS APS strives

to meet the needs of its vulnerable persons throughout the state.

4. Display Integrity in all capacities of what we do. APS takes pride in

ensuring that, we stand on the principles of the agency as well as APS.

5. Teamwork mentality is encouraged because we cannot do this alone.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 4 

Goals for Program Improvement 

These are goals to be obtained in order to move your APS 

program from current practices to your Vision.

Now that you have new funds targeted for your work 

with APS, what can be enhanced or improved in your 

current program? These goals must meet the APS 

Formula Grant requirements. It is recommended these 

goals become SMART goals (specific, measurable, 

actionable, and timely). 

Using the results of your Environmental Scan, identify key 

issues that need to be addressed during this planning 

cycle. 

These are goals to move your APS Program from current 

practices to your Vision #1. 

Provide protective services to Mississippi’s most vulnerable population who are 

age 18 and over that meet the definition of a vulnerable person against abuse, 

neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation. To provide services in the less restrictive 

matter that will protect the client’s right to self-determination and to help the 

client to remain in their home for as long as possible and as safely as possible. 

Facilitate the provision of social supports, services, and education to promote selfreliance in Mississippi’s aging community and provide support to their family and 

caregivers. 

Advocate for the rights of aging and vulnerable Mississippians in accordance with 

the Mississippi Vulnerable Persons Act to help decrease incidences of abuse, 

neglect, and exploitation. 

Empower more Mississippians to live with dignity by promoting resident rights, 

advocating for those who cannot help themselves, and educating families and 

communities of those rights. 

Provide advanced leadership to promote program effectiveness and financial 

management. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 5 

Targeted Improvement Projects 

Using the results of your Environmental Scan and 

PESTEL, describe the targeted improvements and 

enhancements needed for this planning cycle. 

Your improvements should be concrete, measurable, 

and complete. 

WHY is this improvement needed? 

What Purpose or NEED will it fill? 

What RESOURCES will be used? 

What ACTIVITIES will it entail? 

What are the direct OUTPUTS of the activities? What are 

the intended results and how will clients benefit? 

See example on next page. 

ARPA 1 Project 1 $114,400 A training Unit is needed to ensure that all APS workers 

are receiving on-going trainings and staying abreast of changes in APS. The 

training coordinator will conduct all trainings and will ensure each APS worker 

attends annual refresher training. A training unit will allow each supervisor more 

time to dedicate to closing cases and case reviews. 

ARPA 1 Project 2 $451,020 Direct Services are needed to assist the clients served 

and in need of services such as: in-home sitters, utility payments, groceries, 

medications/prescriptions filled, medical tests, etc. This will allow each client 

served the opportunity to remain in the home and in a safe environment. It will 

also assist a need in which why many reports are called in especially by healthcare 

professionals. 

ARPA 1 Project 3 $50,000 IPAD and software upgrades are needed to assist each 

worker with timely documentation. This will also allow each worker more time 

with the client if needed rather than the worker needing to return to the office to 

complete timely documentation. 

ARPA 1 Project 4 $107,408 Travel costs will be maintained for training unit as well 

as APS Regional Supervisors for conferences, overnight stays, or extended travel 

days for areas that are more than 3 hours away. 

ARPA 2 Project 1 $148,389 Training Unit expansion will consist of hiring two 

training/performance coaches. Each employee hired will have assigned counties 

that they will cover for public awareness projects. The employees will create 

educational libraries that are readily available to each APS worker. The employees 

will also assist the training coordinators with the annual refresher training. 

ARPA 2 Project 2 $147,841 Quality Assurance/Direct Services Unit development is 

needed due to the direct services that will be offered by MS APS. Two quality 

assurance reviewers will be hired to assist the quality assurance coordinator with 

case reviews. This will allow each APS supervisor more time to dedicate to closing 

cases for their APS workers. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 6 

ARPA 2 Project 3 $500,000 MS APS will continue direct services. Direct Services 

are needed to assist the clients served and in need of services such as: in-home 

sitters, utility payments, groceries, medications/prescriptions filled, medical tests, 

etc. This will allow each client served the opportunity to remain in the home and 

in a safe environment. It will also assist a need in which why many reports are 

called in especially by healthcare professionals. 

ARPA 2 Project 4 $50,000 MS APS will purchase a vehicle for travel purposes for 

the training unit. This will save money on travel costs, and it will allow the 

training/performance coaches easy access to a company vehicle. Reservations for 

a vehicle will not have to be made to the agencies’ administrative department for 

travel. 

ARPA 2 Project 5 $275,000 MS APS will incorporate a crisis prevention program. 

The MS APS hotline will refer calls that do not meet screen-in criteria to the 

appropriate supervisor for the area that the client resides. Services will be offered 

to individuals in the community that are in need but do not necessarily have an 

active/on-going APS investigation. 

ARPA 2 Project 6 $390,107 MS APS will allow contractual services for training unit 

learning resources such as conferences, online learning courses, and professional 

development. MS APS quality assurance will go through thorough trainings and 

attend seminars that will help build quality assurance skills. 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 7 

Purpose/Need

s to be filled 

by ARPA 

Funds

Inputs (Resource

s Deployed)

Activities Outputs from 

Investment

Short-Term Outcomes Long-Term Outcomes

Training Unit 

Development

will give APS 

supervisors 

more time to 

close cases.

$114,400 ARPA 1 Project 

1 

We expect that all APS 

workers received proper 

trainings as needed. Oneon-One trainings will be 

available for any worker 

that may need guidance. 

(100%) 

The creation of the 

training unit will allow 

each supervisor more 

time to assist workers 

with cases rather than 

trainings. APS Regional 

supervisors will have 

more time to dedicate 

towards building multidisciplinary teams.

APS workers can feel confident in 

their jobs and know that they 

have made a difference in the 

clients’ life. APS workers will have 

all resources they need to ensure 

that each clients’ needs are met. 

Direct Services

will assist 

clients with 

everyday 

needs.

$451,020 ARPA 1 Project 

2 

Any APS case that is 

assigned to an APS 

worker is eligible for 

direct services if all 

criteria is met and the 

APS supervisor deems 

a true need. APS will 

allow up to $2000 in 

services per client.

Each client needs are 

met instantly by the 

APS worker providing 

allowable services that 

are needed by the 

client. Ultimately the 

client can remain in 

their home or given 

temporary shelter in 

emergency cases. 

Each client will be able to 

maintain their services after APS 

has provided knowledge and 

available resources needed to 

maintain a healthy lifestyle.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 8 

IPAD 

Purchase/Softw

are Upgrades

will allow more 

timely 

documentation.

$50,000 ARPA 1 Project 

3 

All APS 

documentation will be 

100% complete in the 

timeframe expressed 

in policy.

Each employee can 

complete case notes 

effectively. There will 

not be any wait time 

with entering 

documentation into 

the Wellsky system. 

Each APS worker will be 

confident in the work that they 

do. Documentation will be 

timely, which will ensure job 

security and allow APS workers 

to see more clients or possibly 

assist other APS workers with 

ride-a-long investigations.

Travel Costs

coverage is 

needed to ensure 

that training unit 

has mobility to 

train APS workers 

across the state 

and allow savings 

to APS budget by 

cutting back on 

hotel stays and 

travel vouchers 

for APS workers 

to stay in one 

central location.

$107,408 ARPA 1 Project 

4 

All 82 counties will be 

served by providing 

training and more 

public awareness of 

MS APS.

Travel 

reimbursements will 

no longer be needed 

which will assist with 

lowering travel 

budgets. 

All staff members will be fully 

trained by training/performance 

coaches. If referral is made by 

One-on-one trainings will be 

always readily available. 

Training Unit 

Expansion will 

assist with

publicizing the 

MS APS 

program.

$148,389 ARPA 2 Project 

1 

ALL 82 counties will be 

covered by training unit 

to ensure that public 

awareness meetings are 

held at least 3 times per 

month. 100% of staff 

will be trained and an 

onboarding process will 

be created.

Small towns will be 

reached and informed 

about services offered 

by MS APS. 

MS APS will receive more calls on

the APS abuse hotline which will 

result in MS APS workers being able 

to serve more clients of Mississippi. 

The nature of APS services will be 

known by many more entities that 

offer public service such as mobile 

medical response, fire academies, 

and law enforcement.

Quality 

Assurance/Dir

ect Services 

Management

$147,841 ARPA 2 Project 

2 

All (100%) APS cases 

will be reviewed in 

the timeframe 

expressed in policy for 

APS Supervisors will 

have time to 

thoroughly review APS 

Case documentation will make 

improvements which will be 

positive for cases that will be 

presented in court. APS workers 
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 9 

will ensure 

that each APS 

case is 

reviewed for 

best practices 

in social work.

quality assurance 

purposes.

workers cases for 

accuracy and closure.

will skills for proper 

documentation. This will create 

legwork for future APS trainings.

Continuation 

of Direct 

Services will 

assist clients 

with everyday 

needs.

$500,000 ARPA 2 Project 

3 

Any APS case that is 

assigned to an APS 

worker is eligible for 

direct services if all 

criteria is met and the 

APS supervisor deems 

a true need. APS will 

allow up to $2000 in 

services per client.

Each client needs are 

met instantly by the 

APS worker providing 

allowable services that 

are needed by the 

client. Ultimately the 

client can remain in 

their home or given 

temporary shelter in 

emergency cases. 

Each client will be able to 

maintain their services after APS 

has provided knowledge and

information on available 

resources in the community that 

is needed to maintain a healthy 

lifestyle.

Vehicle 

Purchase will 

allow savings 

for APS budget 

by removing the 

need to rent 

transportation. 

$50,000 ARPA 2 Project 

4 

Townhalls, community 

centers, libraries, etc will 

be areas used to meet 

with communities to 

spread awareness of MS 

APS. All 82 counties will be 

reached.

All counties will be 

covered for public 

awareness and 

trainings.

Communities all over the state 

will be more aware of APS and 

the services that we offer. APS 

will have connections to hospital 

staff, home health staff, and 

assisted living staff all over the 

state and those employees will 

be able to make appropriate 

referrals.

Crisis

Prevention 

Services are 

needed to 

assist 

vulnerable 

persons that 

need help but 

$275,000 ARPA 2 Project 

5 

MS APS will serve all 

referrals that are 

made to APS Regional 

Supervisors for 

preventive services.

MS APS will be able to 

give assistance to 

clients that do not 

have an active/open 

APS case.

More of the older adult populations 

needs will be met. Services will be 

rendered to clients that are in need and 

the mission of MS Department of 

Human Services is upheld by being 

dedicated to serving the clients of 

Mississippi.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 10

does not have 

an active APS 

case.

Contractual 

services for 

Training/Devel

opment and 

APS/Quality 

Assurance 

Advancement

$390,107 ARPA 2 Project 

6 

MS APS will hire 

multi-purpose 

contract services for 

training development 

and quality control 

investments.

MS APS training unit 

and APS staff will 

attend conferences 

and build knowledge 

of APS practices in 

social work.

MS APS will have knowledge of 

best practices in social services 

that will allow each APS 

employee to better serve the 

vulnerable population.
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 11

Budget / Spending Plan for ARPA funds – Semi-annually for 3 to 5 years

Budget/Spending Plan will be used to enhance, improve, and expand the ability of APS workers to investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and 

exploitation. Be sure to use separate line items for each major improvement project.

Operational Plan Submission due by January 31, 2022. 

ARPA 1- First Grant Allocation - August 2021 - September 2023

Description 2022 

Period 1

2022 

Period 2

2023 

Period 1

2023 

Period 2 Total

Project 1

Training Unit 

Development $28,600 $28,600 $28,600 $28,600

$114,400

Project 2

Direct 

Services $112,755 $112,755 $112,755 $112,755 $451,020

Project 3

Purchase of 

IPADs 

Software 

Upgrades $50,000 $50,000

Project 4 Travel Cost $26,852 $26,852 $26,852 $26,852 $107,408

Total $218,207 $168,207 $168,207 $168,207 $722,828

ARPA 2- Second Grant Allocation - August 2022 September 2024 

Description

2023 Period

1

2023 Period 

2

2024 

Period 1

2024 

Period 2 Total

Project 1

Training Unit 

Expansion $43,643.60 $52,372.70 $52,372.70 $148,389

Project 2

Quality 

Assurance 

Expansion $43,483.24 $52,178.88 $52,178.88 $147,841

Project 3 Direct Services $125,000 $125,000 $125,000 $125,000 $500,000

Project 4

Vehicle 

Purchase $50,000 $50,000
APS Program Planning Template: State/Territory/District-Specific Focus Page 12

Project 5

APS 

Prevention 

Services $68,750 $68,750 $68,750 $68,750 $275,000

Project 6

APS 

Contractual 

Services $97,526.75 $97,526.75 $97,526.75 $97,526.75 $390,107

Total $341,276.75 $378,403.59 $395,828.33 $395,828.33 $1,511,337

Summary of ARPA 1 + ARPA 2 Expense

2022 

Period 1

2022 

Period 2

2023 

Period 1

2023 

Period 2

2024 

Period 1

2024 

Period 2 Total

Summary $218,207 $168,207 $509,483.75 $546,610.59 $395,828.33 $395,828.33 $2,234,165