Jessica Williams, PMHNP
Jessica Williams is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner dedicated to serving vulnerable populations within Mississippi’s correctional healthcare system. Based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, she oversees healthcare delivery across eight prison facilities throughout the state, ensuring continuity of care while working closely with incarcerated individuals and their families. With a strong commitment to compassionate, patient-centered treatment, Jessica has built her career around advocating for individuals who are often overlooked and underserved, striving to provide dignity, understanding, and hope through every stage of care.
Jessica began her corrections healthcare career as Director of Nursing at Mississippi’s largest prison facility in Pearl, the only correctional institution in the state that houses men, women, and youth offenders. In that role, she gained invaluable experience managing complex healthcare operations while addressing the unique emotional and psychological needs of incarcerated populations. Her work has led to specialized expertise in trauma-informed care, particularly for incarcerated women who have survived sexual trauma, exploitation, abusive relationships, and other significant hardships. She believes that compassionate healthcare interactions can play a vital role in rehabilitation, healing, and successful reintegration into society.
Known for her empathy, leadership, and unwavering dedication, Jessica approaches her work as both a profession and a calling. She regularly reviews patient care plans, collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, and serves as a trusted liaison for families seeking information and reassurance about their loved ones’ treatment. Through her leadership and advocacy, Jessica continues to make a meaningful impact within Mississippi’s correctional system, offering comfort, stability, and quality mental healthcare to individuals navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
• Mississippi College - B.A., Psychology and History
• Hinds Community College - A.S., Nursing
• University of Mississippi Medical Center - M.S. in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner program
• MSN
• PMHNP-BC
• ACLS
• ACA
• Featured as Exceptional Nurse in America's Best in Medicine 2026 Edition
• ACA
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Mental Health
- Corrections
- Women's Health
- Trauma-Informed Care
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoy most is getting to make a huge difference in the lives of a vulnerable population. Working in corrections is completely different than what you see on TV or online. You get to see people who absolutely should be there, but also people who should not be there. Many of the women I work with have experienced severe sexual trauma through prostitution or abusive relationships. When we do their intake and have to perform a pap smear, I watch these women freeze up and experience trauma, and I get to walk them through that and be one of the only people that's ever touched them in a manner that was not harmful. Getting to be that difference, getting to transition them into a very scary, unknown world of corrections, and getting to be a friendly face and just kind of love on them and be Jesus with skin and try to be part of that rehabilitation program, that's what I love. What people don't realize is once these people get out, these are the people behind you in Walmart. They're all around you, and it very much depends on how we treat them as to how they go back into the world and treat others. We're very blessed to be in the position that we're in, where we get the opportunity to make a huge difference in a vulnerable population's life.