Mississippi Foster Care System Falls Short on Majority of Court-Ordered Safety Standards

A court-monitor report released on July 29 examined the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services' performance in 2025 and concluded the agency satisfied only 22 of 107 safety benchmarks established in the Olivia Y. v. Barbour federal lawsuit. The findings show children in state foster care suffered abuse or neglect at more than twice the permissible rate, were frequently housed in unlicensed facilities or with relatives before background checks were completed, and often missed mandated in-person caseworker visits.

The department also underreported maltreatment, omitting at least 18 incidents and providing insufficient data for the monitor to assess several standards. While caseworkers' caseloads improved and placements in overcrowded homes declined, overall compliance deteriorated compared with the 2020 assessment. Governor Tate Reeves, the Department, and Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office are pursuing dismissal of the lawsuit, but lead attorney Marcia Lowry contends the monitor’s findings contradict the state's safety claims. Chief U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden has permitted the children’s lawyers to file a response after the report’s publication.