Planning and Development Districts in Mississippi were created in the late 1960’s. The PDDs grew out of the efforts of local elected officials who saw the need to create a mechanism that would allow communities to collectively address problems that do not stop at political boundaries. Each of the ten PDDs in Mississippi is an independent organization governed by a Board of Directors.
Each PDD is managed by an Executive Director, and is staffed with administrative personnel, and specialists in areas such as planning, economic development, community development, job training, social services, transportation, geographic information systems, data processing, gerontology, and community based medicaid programs.
The activities of the PDDs have changed significantly over the past 40 years and these changes are expected to continue as needs, objectives, and programs evolve. Since each PDD represents a distinctly different region of the state, its activities, projects, and programs are somewhat different based on local needs and priorities. However, there are many common functions provided by each PDD.
| E & D Medicaid Waiver Case Management | Aging, Health and Social Services |
| Community and Economic Development | Small Business Assistance |
| GIS Mapping Services | Workforce Development |
| Data Management | Technical Assistance |
| Grant Assistance | Loan Assistance |
The PDDs have proven to be a very cost effective intergovernmental tool to address common problems and issues. To date, the PDDs continue to be the only statewide organizational structure aimed at bringing about the effective delivery of services and coordination in a comprehensive manner.