During the recent annual meeting of Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital, May Watson, an RN at the Purvis behavioral health program, was named Employee of the Year.
During the recent annual meeting of Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital, May Watson, an RN at the Purvis behavioral health program, was named Employee of the Year. Selected from employees of each quarter, the honor was voted on by employees based on adherence to the hospital’s values system.
Watson has been employed as an RN at SMSH since March 2014 and currently serves as a unit coordinator. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in December 2009 and recently completed a Master’s of Science in Nursing in the Health Care Systems Management program at Loyola University of New Orleans School of Nursing.
“May is hard working and very knowledgeable,” said April Holder, SMSH nurse executive. “She encompasses all our values and her outlook is always a positive one. She continually goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
Friends of SMSH is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting an understanding of mental health and the needs of individuals with mental illness, improving the quality of life for patients and providing recognition and support for hospital employees. The Friends group does this by advocating for the hospital in the community, meeting needs of the patients and providing activities for both the patients and the staff.
The organization elected new officers and board members during the meeting. Benny Prestridge, a community volunteer, will serve as president; Pat Lee, of Lamar Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, will serve as vice-president. Donna Boutwell and Andy Tucker, the hospital’s public relations director and fiscal services director, who are ex-officio officers, will serve as secretary and treasurer, respectively. Missy Gipson, of Hancock Bank, will fill the slot of past president.
Other board members include: Doug Boutwell (community volunteer), Bill Coll (community volunteer), Ed Felsher (community volunteer), Michael Graham (Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association), April Holder (SMSH 2015 Employee of the Year), Harold Myatt (community volunteer), Steve Reid (Pearl River County Hospital Intensive Outpatient Program), May Watson (SMSH 2016 Employee of the Year), and Wynona Wiley (community volunteer). Members elected to the Honorary Board of Directors are Senator Joey Fillingane, Greg Lowery (Owens Business Machines), and Jeff Mayo (Oak Grove Heating & Air).
Keynote speaker for the meeting was Teresa Mosley of Clinton, a member of the Mississippi Board of Mental Health. Mosley is also the owner of TRM Educational Consulting, Inc. and serves as the lead psychometrist at the Mississippi College Dyslexia Education and Evaluation Center.
Hospital volunteers and Friends of SMSH corporate sponsors were also recognized. The meeting closed with a reception in the hospital’s multi-purpose room.
For information on mental health, South Mississippi State Hospital or membership in Friends of SMSH, please call 601-794-0219.