'First Stop' offers community support to developmentally disabled youth Published July 15, 2010 Airmen and Family Readiness Center KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- First Stop is a collaborative program that links military families of children and youth with developmental disabilities with their community through a one-stop family support center. Partners in the program include Keesler, the University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies, the Naval Construction Battalion Center, the Air National Guard, the Tricare Service Center and Gulf South Market Office Case Management, the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Governor's Office. Available services include family support groups, information and referral, ensuring access to appropriate educational services, specialized recreational activities, parenting skills training and informational workshops. A family support plan that outlines all services needed by families are developed for eligible families. Project staff members then assist eligible families in locating and accessing needed services for their children. A resource library is available on the USM Gulf Park campus in Long Beach for parents to locate and check out print and video information as well as assistive devices including adapted toys, adapted recreation equipment and augmentative communication devices. Limited diagnostic evaluation services are available for children 6 weeks through 5 years old. For more information, call Vickie Murdy, 601-266-5163 or 228-214-3422, or log on to www.usm.edu/ids