MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2007 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Mettetal, Thames, Kirby, Albritton, Browning, Burton, Butler, Carmichael, Chaney, Davis, Dawkins, Dearing, Fillingane, Frazier, Gollott, Gordon, Jackson (15th), Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jordan, King, Lee (35th), Little, Michel, Moffatt, Morgan, Pickering, Posey, Ross, Thomas, Tollison, White, Wilemon
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO DR. ALBERT RANDEL HENDRIX FOR HIS LEGACY, CONTRIBUTIONS AND SELFLESS SERVICE TO THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL DISABILITIES, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.
WHEREAS, Albert Randel Hendrix, Ph.D., currently serves as Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, a position he has held since 1986, making him the longest serving Executive Director of Mental Health Services in the United States of America, and he has served as Executive Director of the Mississippi Arts Fair for the Handicapped since 1980; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Albert Randel Hendrix, a native of Batesville, Mississippi, is the son of Howard Roy Hendrix, Sr., and Marjorie Oliphant Hendrix. In 1973 he married the former Sandra June Reynolds of Jones County, and they had four children, Jo Ellen, Sarah Elizabeth, Albert Randel, Jr., and Sandra Louise. They have three grandchildren, Grace, Jessica and Jeffrey; and
WHEREAS, he graduated from South Panola High School in 1964, Northwest Mississippi Junior College in 1966, earned a Bachelor's Degree in 1968 and a Master's Degree in 1971 from the University of Mississippi, and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1979. As a young boy, Randy started his first business shining shoes in Batesville, Mississippi, and one of his best customers was future Governor Cliff Finch; and
WHEREAS, he served with distinction in the 1st/84 Artillery and 2nd/4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division, United States Army, in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1970, earning the Vietnam Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Palm, the Civil Action Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal; and
WHEREAS, he completed management programs to earn certifications in Nursing Home Administration, Certified Public Management, and Supervisory Management, and he completed the Mississippi Executive Development Institute at Mississippi State University, and the Top State Managers Executive Education Program at Duke University. He is licensed as a Clinical Mental Health Therapist, a Clinical Mental Retardation Therapist, a Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program Administrator, and as an AAAA Teacher of the Emotionally Disturbed, the Mentally Retarded, the Learning Disabled, and the Physically Handicapped. He served as Coordinator of Grants and Developmental Training at Ellisville State School from 1970 to 1974, and with the encouragement of Dr. Robert Mann and the mentorship of Dr. Paul Cotten, he became Director of North Mississippi Regional Center in Oxford, Mississippi, from 1975 to 1986. He has taught Health Care Administration at the University of Mississippi Pharmacy School, Special Education at the University of Mississippi School of Education and the University of Southern Mississippi; and Human Services at Itawamba Community College and Adult Education at Jones Junior College; and
WHEREAS, he has served on many boards and commissions by state statute, including the Disability Resource Commission, the Interagency Coordinating Council for Children and Youth, the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council, the Mississippi Council on Obesity, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind and the State Board of Rehabilitation Services, where he is Chairman, and the longest serving member; and
WHEREAS, he has been appointed by several Mississippi Governors to serve on many boards and commissions, including the Governor's Commission for Citizens with Disabilities, the Governor's Task Force on County Jails, the Task Force on Health, the Mississippi Kids Count Policy Panel, the Cooperative Employment Task Force, the Statewide Community Development Coalition Project, the Substance Abuse Policy Council, the Welfare Reform Interagency Council, the Commission for Children and Youth, the Executive Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council and the Council on Aging, and many other university and state agency committees; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hendrix's honors and awards are almost too numerous to mention: the Paul D. Cotten Leadership Award, the James C. Stubbs Volunteer Service Award, the newly established Albert Randel Hendrix Leadership Award at the annual conference of the Mental Health/Mental Retardation Council held in November 2006 in Tunica, Award for Appreciation of Unselfish Support of the Foster Grandparent Program from the Foster Grandparent Program of the Capital Area, Award for Establishing Mississippi's First Foster Grandparent Program from the Corporation for National and Community Service, Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Mental Health from the Mississippi Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Outstanding Service Award on Behalf of Mental Health at the Social Workers Education Conference, the Richard B. Dillard Award for Outstanding Leadership from the Southeastern Region of the American Association on Mental Retardation, the First Annual Albert Randel Hendrix Award of Excellence for Service and Commitment from the Mental Health Association of the Capital Area, the Larry D. Scott Award for Outstanding Agency Leadership from the Southeastern Region of the American Association on Mental Retardation, the Embracing Mississippi System of Care Award from the Mississippi Families as Allies for Children's Mental Health, the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Mental Health Services from the North Mississippi Mental Health Consumer's Conference, the Distinguished Legislative Achievement Award from the Mississippi Psychological Association, Honorary Membership in the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Administrators, the Distinguished Service Award of the Mississippi Association of Personnel Administrators, the Bradley Sanders Leadership Award from the Mississippi Chapter of the Association of Behavioral Healthcare Administration (twice), the John C. Stennis Award for Excellence in Government from Governor Kirk Fordice, Service Award from the National Council on Disabilities, the State Administrator of the Year Award from the Mississippi Chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators, the Alumnus of the Year Award from the University of Mississippi School of Education, the Alumnus of the Year Award from Northwest Mississippi Community College, and many other awards for distinguished service. He was initiated into the scholastic organizations of Phi Theta Kappa of Phi Kappa Phi and the professional honorary organization of Phi Delta Kappa and Phi Alpha Alpha; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hendrix's family and his animals are most important to him. He currently has nine dogs, Sam, Sugar, Sweetie, Duce, Fred, Bandit, Buddy, Robin and Pippi; and about a dozen or so sugar gliders, two canaries, three cats and many goldfish; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize Dr. Albert Randel Hendrix for his decades of dedicated and stellar service in the field of mental health, creating, administrating, and funding innovative programs which are providing life-changing advancements and much-needed hope to persons with disabilities and their families; for his invaluable assistance and cooperation with the Legislature in developing complex legislation; for his honorable and distinguished service in the Vietnam War; for his devotion to his family, his church and his community; his entire life, from boyhood to the present has exemplified the ideals of honor, service and courage:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and express the gratitude and appreciation of the State of Mississippi to Dr. Albert Randel Hendrix for his legacy, contributions and selfless service to the field of mental health and to persons in Mississippi with mental disabilities, on the occasion of his retirement after 20 years of dedicated service as Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, and express to him and his family our best wishes for future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Dr. Hendrix and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.