Work-Life Resources
The University of Mississippi knows that balancing work and life in a healthy way is critical, whether you are a student or an employee.
Funds for Respite Care — a time-limited opportunity
For a limited time, the MS Department of Human Services is providing vouchers for respite care expenses, including sitters/companions, respite care centers, in-home care agencies, or transportation expenses. Anyone who provides unpaid care for a disabled or chronically-ill person may apply, no matter the age of the patient or the income of the caregiver. Contact James Davis at 601-359-4928 (lifespan.respite@mdhs.ms.gov) for more information and to apply.
Awards are up to $590 per household; payments are non-taxable and do not impact government issued benefits. (Apply soon: funds not distributed before August 2023 will have to be returned to the federal government.)
Counseling and Mental Health
Students can access counseling services by calling (662) 915-3784.
Employees can access on-campus counseling by contacting University Counseling at 662-915-3784 for an appointment.
In addition, the university’s partner, Deer Oaks EAP, provides counseling, coaching, and wellness resources to all benefit-eligible employees and members of their households. Learn more at hr.olemiss.edu/eap or by calling (888) 933-7650 or visiting Deer Oaks EAP’s website. Access counseling via telephone, video telehealth, or get a referral to an in-town therapist. Find financial and legal help, create a will, browse articles and on-demand seminars on a range of topics that support personal and professional strength. If you’re not sure which service is right for you, begin by calling 888-933-7650 and talking your situation through with the counselor who answers; they’ll be able to direct you to the service and modality that feels right to you.
Find out more information about the services offered through our Employee Assistance program (EAP), available to all benefit-eligible employees and their household members, at hr.olemiss.edu/eap.
Parenting
While achieving work-life balance can be challenging for anyone, it can be particularly hard when you’re managing more lives than just your own! We are working to add new childcare options on campus, unify and promote our lactation spaces, establish affinity groups around parenting and caregiving, and develop resources for student parents.
We’re learning that we have more student parents on our campuses than we realized. If you are a parent who is also a student, or if you are a faculty or staff member who works with student parents, please check out the resources at www.olemiss.edu/studentparent.
Community and Campus Information
The UM Career-Life Connector Initiative helps prospective and new employees with general questions about campus and the larger community. Career-Life Consultants can provide job candidates information about school districts, housing information, faith communities and other community sectors that support quality of life. In addition, Career-Life Consultants are there to support staff members as they navigate the university system and its policies and practices. Find more information here.
In addition, Deer Oaks EAP can help employees by researching work-life resources in our area. Perhaps you need to know what assisted living community has space for your aging parent, or the contact information for plumbers who can come after work hours, or a list of available two-bedroom apartments that meet your rent requirements — call 1-888-933-7650 and put their research team to work.
Contacts
The Work-Life Resources Program Manager, Lynn Wilkins, is available to support employees with child care questions, connect employees to emergency assistance resources in the community, answer questions relating to our EAP services, and work with employees on other work-life issues.
RebelWell is the university’s wellness program for employees. Sign up to receive notices about UM events and policies that promote wellness in the workplace.