Thursday, October 16 – Friday, October 17, 2025

Michael Memorial Baptist Church (15053 John Clark Rd, Gulfport, MS 39503)

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View the 2025 Bridging the Gap Agenda

Thursday Breakout Sessions

• Room A: Human Trafficking (Sarah Young, Mississippi Coalition Against Human Trafficking): According to the World Population Review, Mississippi has more reported incidences of human trafficking per capita than any other U.S. state. Human trafficking has been named one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal industries. It affects every country in the world and every state in the nation. Mississippi has been called a “hub” for trafficking due to the intersection of I-55 and I-20 in central Mississippi, linking some of the largest cities in the southeast United States.
• Room B: Interpersonal Violence (Jessica Henry, Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence): The GCCN provides services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of interpersonal abuse. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. It can take many forms—including physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or psychological abuse—and affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. Learn more about the dynamics of domestic violence, warning signs to watch for, and the services available at GCCFN to help survivors find safety, support, and a path forward.
• Room C: Drug Testing (Melinda Borja, CASA of South Mississippi): Drug tests are not easy to interpret for the average person. Why is it important to know the difference between instant drug screens, lab confirmation, hair screens, nail scrapings, and many more? Because we often review drug tests as CASA volunteers! Join Melinda Borja, Advocate Supervisor, as she trains advocates on her years of experience working with a drug testing agency.
• Room D: Resources for Children 0-5 (Cathy Wilson, Excel by 5): Excel By 5 is a community-based certification program designed to improve a child’s well-being by age five. It is the first of its kind in the United States. This program emphasizes the important roles communities play to ensure that our children are Happy, Healthy, and Ready to learn when they reach Kindergarten. Excel By 5 provides resources for children and parents. We accomplish this by partnering with our amazing Library System, our Childcare Centers, and our School Districts. We are also very active in the community by attending local events such as Children’s Health Fairs, Safety Fairs, and Festivals.

Friday Breakout Sessions

• Room A: Homeless Coalition Resources (Cathy Pitalo, Open Doors Homeless Coalition): Open Doors Homeless Coalition is a collaborative initiative in South Mississippi dedicated to building solutions to homelessness through improved service delivery, community outreach and advocacy. Open Doors Homeless Coalition’s Coordinated Entry system is the “front door” to housing opportunities and services through the Continuum of Care. For individuals and families who are experiencing a housing crisis and qualify for assistance, or are living outside and identified by community outreach teams. Creating Housing Options In Communities for Everyone (CHOICE) provides rental assistance, to make housing affordable for individuals with serious mental illness.
• Room B: Supportive Services (Michelle Eleuterius, Catholic Charities): Motivated by the teachings of Christ, Catholic Charities of South Mississippi empowers our community by providing help and creating hope. Community Outreach offers a variety of services to individuals and families experiencing financial difficulty.  Infant and maternity care services are also available, including confidential pregnancy testing. Catholic Charities of South Mississippi’s Food Bank distributes government commodities, Feeding America products, and other goods and food items to soup kitchens and food pantries throughout an eight county service area. Money management is provided for individuals with mental health issues who receive disability or social security payments. Attend to learn more about Catholic Charities’ supportive services in our area!
• Room C: Drug Testing (Repeat) (Melinda Borja, CASA of South Mississippi): Drug tests are not easy to interpret for the average person. Why is it important to know the difference between instant drug screens, lab confirmation, hair screens, nail scrapings, and many more? Because we often review drug tests as CASA volunteers! Join Melinda Borja, Advocate Supervisor, as she trains advocates on her years of experience working with a drug testing agency.
• Room D: Mental Health Services (Jean Robertson, Pine Belt Mental Healthcare): Pine Belt’s mission is to excel in providing community-based behavioral healthcare services in such an effective manner that the individuals we serve will be empowered to pursue an optimal quality of life. Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources has offices in 18 Mississippi counties and provides services from 68 locations. Services are available to residents of Amite, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jeff Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Stone, Walthall and Wayne counties. Select services are available in Jackson county. Across the agency, Pine Belt employs more than 800 full and part‐time staff working throughout the region. Learn more about how Pine Belt can provide assistance for children and families on our CASA cases.
• Forensic Interviews (Daniel Dooley, Canopy Child Advocacy Center): Canopy’s South Mississippi Child Advocacy Centers (SMCAC), located in Gulfport and Pascagoula, Mississippi, serve child victims ages 3 to 18, vulnerable adults, and their families along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. SMCACs are safe environments for child abuse or neglect victims to share their experiences only once with a trained team to begin the investigation and healing process. Canopy’s SMCAC coordinates a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) model involving Law enforcement, Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS), Medical personnel, District Attorney’s office, Mental health personnel, Victim assistance coordinators, & CASA