Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 6 - Division of Family and Children's Services › Chapter 1 - DFCS Policy Manual › Section 18-6-1-D - Foster Care Policy › Section 18-6-1-D-I - FOSTER CARE SERVICES OVERVIEW

Current through June 25, 2024
A.
Scope of
				  Services
MISS. CODE ANN. §
											43-15-5,
					 states DFCS
"...shall have the authority and it shall be its duty to
					 provide for the care of dependent and neglected children in [Resource Family]
					 homes or in institutions, [and] supervise the care of such children..."
B.
Goals
The primary objective and goal of Family Centered Practice
					 is to protect and serve the best interests of the child by strengthening and
					 preserving families so children can live safely at home with their parents or
					 relatives.
The goal of foster care services is to take care of and
					 provide for children who cannot remain with their parents, caretakers, or
					 families in a manner which assures the safety, permanency, and well-being of
					 each child in foster care for as long as it is necessary for such child to
					 remain in foster care.
C.
Legal Basis for Authority
1.
State Laws
For more detailed information regarding any specific law
					 from Mississippi Code, please go to
http://www.michie.com/mississippi
.
MISS. CODE, Ann. §
												43-15-5,
					 Administration of Child Welfare Services:
(1) The Department of Human Services shall
				  have authority and it shall be its duty to administer or supervise all public
				  child welfare services, including those services, responsibilities, duties and
				  powers with which the county departments of human services are charged and
				  empowered in this article; administer and supervise the licensing and
				  inspection of all private child placing agencies; provide for the care of
				  dependent and neglected children in foster family homes or in institutions,
				  supervise the care of such children and those of illegitimate birth; supervise
				  the importation of children; and supervise the operation of all state
				  institutions for children.
MISS. CODE ANN. §
													43-15-3,
					 entitled the "Powers and Duties of Department of Human Services?," authorizes,
					 empowers, and directs DFCS to
...fully cooperate with the United States
					 Children's Bureau and Secretary of Labor in establishing and strengthening
					 child welfare services for the protection and care of the homeless, dependent
					 and neglected child and children in danger of becoming delinquent. DFCS is
					 further authorized empowered and directed to cooperate with the United States
					 Children's Bureau and Secretary of Labor in developing plans for said child
					 welfare services and extending any other cooperation necessary under § 521
					 of Public Law No. 271-74h Congress of the United States.
MISS. CODE ANN. §
													37-13-91,
					 outlines the compulsory school attendance requirements.
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													37-23-3
					 et seq. defines an exceptional child as it relates to the educational system
					 and mandates individualized programs in schools for such children.
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													41-23-27,
					 states the Mississippi State Department of Health's authority to "isolate,
					 quarantine or otherwise confine, intern, and treat such person afflicted with
					 such infectious sexually transmitted disease for such time and under such
					 restrictions as may seem proper."
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													41-37-25,
					 defines who may give consent for autopsies, specifically that "In the event
					 that neither parent has legal custody of the minor, the guardian shall have the
					 right to authorize an autopsy."
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													41-88-3,
					 outlines the Mississippi State Department of Health's roles and
					 responsibilities in ensuring the children receive proper and timely
					 immunizations.
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													43-15-1 et seq.,
					 outlines all of the child welfare services and activities mandated by state
					 law.
* Article 1 relates to the Administration of Child
					 Welfare,
* Article 2 relates to Multidisciplinary Teams,
* Article 3 relates to the Licensing of Family Foster
					 Homes, Child Caring Agencies and Child Placing Agencies,
* Article 5 relates to the Safe Baby Drop Off Law, and
* Article 7 relates to the Restrictions on Employment by
					 or Operation of Child Care Facilities by Registered Sex Offenders.
The MISS. CODE ANN. § 43-21-1 et seq. outlines the
					 laws for the Youth Court's Organization, Administration and Operation,
					 jurisdiction, records, custody and detention, intake, informal proceedings,
					 petitions, summons, adjudication, disposition, and appeals.
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													63-1-25,
					 States that "any negligence or willful misconduct of a minor under the age of
					 seventeen years when driving a motor vehicle upon a highway shall be imputed to
					 the person who has signed the application of such minor."
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													93-15-101
					 et seq. relates to the laws and procedures for the Termination of Rights of
					 Unfit Parents.
The MISS. CODE ANN. §
													97-5-1
					 et seq. outlines and defines crimes or offenses affecting children.