Mississippi has been selected as the first state to partner with the federal government in a revamped initiative to locate missing foster children.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch and Department of Child Protection Services Andrea Sanders have launched “Operation Hope,” alongside federal partners. As part of this campaign, 13 children have already been located, offered support services, and brought to safety, per officials.
“We are proud to have helped kick off this program here in Mississippi. Over the past several weeks of planning and in the execution of the operation last week, it was always our intention not only to locate vulnerable Mississippi youth but also to create a model that can be used in other states,” Fitch said.
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“There are children all across this country who live without hope, but through partnerships like this we can show them that we care, that they matter, and that they deserve hope,” she continued.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services first instituted Project Hope in Kansas and Missouri in President Donald Trump’s first term, locating a total of 42 missing youth. In his second term, the president has chosen Mississippi as the first state to implement a trauma-informed, law enforcement-led operation to locate and recover missing youth before bad actors are able to get to them.
“Delivering on the promise of a home for every child means leaving no child behind. The Trump administration is proud of our early success working with Attorney General Fitch on this special, first-of-its-kind operation, where we recovered 87% of missing foster youth in under 48 hours,” Assistant Secretary at the Administration for Children and Families Alex J. Adams said.
“To continue serving the best interests of children, Operation Hope will be replicated in other states, and we will leave no stone unturned when searching for these kids.”
A full list of states participating in Operation Hope can be found here.
