Jackson, Miss. – October 14, 2026 -- The American Correctional Association (ACA) will convene a national summit in Mississippi in early 2027 to examine how the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) cut suicide deaths by 82%, from 11 in 2021 to 2 so far in 2026.
The event, titled Insights for Impact, will bring together correctional and healthcare leaders, behavioral health experts and community partners. It will feature new findings and outcome data from Mississippi, according to the ACA.
ACA Executive Director Robert Green attributes the decline to sustained system-level strategies
Green said the figures reflect sustained attention, system-level strategies, stronger behavioral health efforts and a commitment to addressing the factors behind suicide in correctional environments. He said the summit will let leaders examine the data and consider how the lessons apply to systems nationwide.
Summit sessions will cover eight program components and implementation challenges
Topics include behavioral healthcare, screening and assessment, crisis intervention, data and analytics, staff training, community partnerships and continuity of care. Sessions will also address leadership and culture change, staff engagement, suicide prevention protocols and clinical treatment pathways, with a focus on putting practices into action rather than only identifying them.
MDOC and VitalCore trained staff through ACA-certified instructors
MDOC worked with its statewide healthcare provider, VitalCore, to strengthen behavioral healthcare and suicide prevention across Mississippi's correctional facilities. The two brought in certified ACA trainers to deliver Correctional Behavioral Health Certification (CBHC) training, which equips correctional and behavioral health staff to identify, manage and respond to mental health needs.
MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain credited VitalCore with improving behavioral health programs and said the changes are reducing suicides and stress in the prisons and making facilities safer. He also credited Governor Tate Reeves for bringing him to Mississippi to change the prison system.
Pre-summit presentation set for ACA Winter Conference in Phoenix on January 7-10, 2027
The ACA will present the work at its Winter Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, ahead of the summit. The date, location, speakers and registration details for the full summit will be announced later. The summit will close with a national discussion on the future of correctional suicide prevention.