Special Populations
At AccelerateMS, our mission is to elevate every Mississippian’s opportunity to engage in meaningful work. We are especially committed to supporting special populations—individuals who face unique barriers to education, training, and employment. These groups include, but are not limited to:
- Individuals with disabilities
- Justice-involved individuals (formerly incarcerated)
- Youth aging out of foster care
- Single parents
- Veterans
- Low-income individuals
- Individuals experiencing homelessness
- English language learners
For these communities, we work to remove systemic and practical obstacles that hinder access to opportunity, helping each person thrive in Mississippi’s evolving economy. Our goal is to transform these populations into viable, sustainable workforce pipelines that contribute meaningfully to our state’s growth and resilience.
We believe that everyone deserves a pathway to economic mobility, and our approach is rooted in access, equity, and empowerment through strategic workforce development initiatives.
Partners
Our impact is made possible through collaborative efforts with partners across the state. These organizations offer workforce-specific services targeted to special populations:
The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services is a state agency that provides resources to help Mississippians with disabilities find new careers, live more independently, overcome obstacles, and face new challenges.
Helps Veterans, service members, and their families access VA benefits and services. Benefits they can help with include disability compensation, education benefits, life insurance, pensions, and home loans.
Career transition and placement services for returning service members
Offers rehabilitation work programs and reentry services that equip incarcerated individuals with real-world job skills, foster successful reentry, reduce recidivism, and strengthen our communities.
The Mississippi Department of Human Services is dedicated to serving others while providing a wide range of public assistance programs, social services, and support for children, low-income individuals, and families. The agency seeks to empower families so they can become self-sufficient and responsible for their future success.
• Parenting Support
• Division of Economic Assistance Eligibility
• Job Training for low-income families and single parents
The state’s four Local Workforce Development Areas- Delta, Mississippi Partnership, South Central Mississippi Works, and Twin Districts – offer a wide range of training and related services for adult, youth, and dislocated workers. Please select a link to view the specific services offered.
• Delta Workforce Development Area
• Mississippi Partnership Workforce Area
• Southcentral Mississippi Works
• Twin Districts Workforce Area
MCCB serves as the coordinating agency for Mississippi’s 15 community colleges. Guided by its mission to advance the system through coordination, support, leadership, and advocacy, the agency promotes statewide collaboration and innovation that strengthen education and workforce training.
• Adult Education
• Career and Technical Education
• Perkins V
State IMPACT Collaborative Grant
In October 2024, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) received a State IMPACT Collaborative grant from MDRC. With this support, MDES and AccelerateMS are evaluating how workforce training programs affect recidivism and reentry in Mississippi, focusing on post-release employment, earnings, and long-term outcomes. The goal is to inform evidence-based strategies that strengthen reentry and improve employment prospects for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Featured Story
Hands-on training in welding, carpentry, and electrical work is helping individuals at
Leake County Correctional Facility prepare for life after release.
Partner with Us
We are always looking to build strong partnerships that help us better serve Mississippi’s special populations. If you’re interested in collaborating to create a meaningful impact, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our Strategic Programs Manager, Jeremiah Willis.
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