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Watchdog report slams state barber board, recommends axing it

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2 years ago

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Watchdog report slams state barber board, recommends axing it

by Geoff Pender, Mississippi Today
December 20, 2022

The state’s legislative watchdog committee has issued a report critical of the Mississippi Board of Barber Examiners, and suggests lawmakers consider dissolving it and the separate cosmetology board and put regulation of both under the Health Department.

Findings of the report by the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review, or PEER, include:

  • Mississippi has more restrictive requirements for a barber’s license than 40 other states.
  • The board’s exam practices “are not effective in evaluating a candidate’s preparedness for licensure.” In the last year, only 39% of candidates taking barber exams passed.
  • In the last year, the board inspected only 191 of the state’s 2,134 barber shops and schools.
  • The board last year paid its members improper per diem and travel reimbursement, including paying board members for days they did no board work and paying travel expenses without proper documentation. It also improperly paid staff members at a lower mileage rate than that set in state policy.
  • The board lacks internal accounting controls, which puts it at risk for mismanagement and fraud.
  • The board’s “lack of knowledge and expertise related to required retirement contributions” cost the board and its licensees nearly $20,000 in delinquent interest payments. And, “the board might have extended its current lease with terms that are not in the state’s best interest.”
  • The board’s records are hard to decipher and not easily accessible to staff. The board is not located in a state-owned office building and not easily accessible to licensees or the public.
  • Lawmakers “should consider dissolving the Barber Board and the State Board of Cosmetology to create a Barbering Advisory Council and a Cosmetology Advisory Council within the Department of Health’s Professional Licensure Division.” Also, lawmakers should consider making age and education requirements comparable to those of surrounding states and consider prohibiting board members from administering exams.

Lawmakers and other state politicians have for years discussed and debated consolidating or eliminating many of the states scores of small agencies, boards and commissions and reigning in bureaucratic red tape in professional licensure and regulations. They are run by appointed boards, mostly members of the industry they regulate, which raises questions of fairness and competition.

But efforts to reduce or consolidate such boards have had minimal success. They have legislative and political clout. For instance, no elected leader relishes the prospect of thousands of barbers or cosmetologists mad over consolidation come election time.

The barber board refutes many of the PEER report’s findings and “does not agree or concur with dissolving (barber and cosmetology) boards under any circumstances.”

In a written response, the board said it does agree some changes need to be made, but “Dissolving boards does not address the issues of the industry. You will lose the knowledge, history and expertise of the current professionals attempting to streamline or effect cost savings over time.”

The board said it has tried but has not received support from the Legislature in updating current laws. It says it lacks funding to find a third party to administer exams and that its inspectors are part time and limited to working 60 hours or less a month, which limits the number of inspections annually. It said it also lacks funding for a records management system.

The board said, “All board members, inspectors and staff have been provided a copy of the state travel policy rules and regulations. All board members, inspectors and other staff will have training.” But it said it was not asked by PEER to provide documentation of travel and expenses and has since provided them. It also said the state has failed to provide help for the agency to secure better office space.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.biloxinewsevents.com/?p=201481

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

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2 days ago

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

  • Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
  • Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

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Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

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2 days ago

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

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Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

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2 days ago

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April 30, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.

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