Child-protection agency says 450 more children in custody, seeks $32.7 million deficit appropriation

An agency presenter told the Legislative Budget Committee that Mississippi's child-protection system has a roughly 450-child net increase in custody since June 2023 and is seeking about a $32.7 million deficit appropriation for 2025 to cover immediate costs, with the annualized gap for 2026 estimated higher.

The presenter said the extra children are driving higher per-child costs, more residential and contracted placements — including out-of-state treatment — and larger workforce needs. "We have had a consistent steady increase of children coming into custody faster than children are leaving since June of 2023," the presenter said.

Why it matters: The agency explained that taking children into state custody increases the state's duty of care and requires maintaining safe caseload ratios and adequate clinical supervision. The presenter said meeting the caseload standard tied to the Olivia Y court settlement remains central; the agency reported progress but said the lawsuit still sets a 90% target for small caseloads.

Key details and drivers

The presenter described three main drivers of the deficit request: (1) additional children in custody (a net gain of about 450); (2) higher-cost placements and treatment needs for children with acute or specialized needs that are not available in-state; and (3) workforce costs to hire and retain caseworkers and supervisors to meet caseload and supervisory ratios.

The agency estimated roughly $40,000 of annual cost per child as an illustrative figure when describing the fiscal impact of more children in custody. The presenter said the agency has…