Video: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services

by Victoria Bailey

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)—Life, as you know it, can change in the blink of an eye. Simple things that most do on a daily basis can be a huge obstacle for others to over come.

WCBI’s Victoria Bailey sits down with a woman who worked through her tragedy and the people who assisted in making it possible.

An everyday task like putting on makeup is now a everyday challenge for Mercetia Parr.

A car accident in December of 2007 left Parr paralyzed from the waist down.

MDRS client Marcetia Parr says,”When I first had my accident I could only move my head. I couldn’t talk I had to depend on a trachea and a ventilator. I had a feeding tube so I had to learn how to feed myself all over again.”

With a lot of hard work, Parr eventually regained some independence. She learned to hold her head up, dress herself, and brush her teeth. She credits the love and encouragement of family and friends and the staff at The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services.

District Manager for MDRS, Liz Terry says,”Our primary goal is to provide services that the individuals will need to prevent them from going into a nursing home or some kind of long term care program.

District Manager Liz Terry says MDRS also covers many other areas of assistance. She says,” we have 4 major programs the officer of special disabilities program, did ability determination services, vocational rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation for the blind.”

It’s been nine years since Parr’s accident. She’s now a graduate student at MUW, studying health education. She says the help and encouragement she receives from this program is helping her reach her goal of pursuing a career in health care.

Terry says,” I think the services were’re providing Mississippians with disabilities is a great thing and it’s very rewarding, you know, when you see someone who’s life has been changed because of disability , now able to do some of the things they want to do because of assistance provided in the community.”

The special disabilities service is located on 915 Alabama Street in Columbus or you can visit their website at MDRS.MS.gov.