MISSISSIPPI
Deana Darlin
Program Specialist
Child Protective Services Unit
Division of Family and Children's Services
Mississippi Department of Human Services
P.O. Box 352
Jackson, MS 39205
(601) 359-4483 (601) 359-4978 Fax
Sources of Data and Data Collection Methods
Data have been collected from the Department's Social Services Information System based on information submitted by the staff on preprinted agency forms for substantiated reports of abuse and neglect. The system counts data by investigation and not by child.
Level of Evidence Used
To Substantiate a Report
No information.
Comments on Specific Items
Item 2:Information is unavailable as it is entered into the Mississippi Social Services Information System (MISSIS) based on an investigation rather than by child.
Item 3: The category "other" (L) includes "child abuse hotline," "missing," and "other."
Item 4: Due to changes in the State law, the State no longer provides data on the category "indicated" (B).
Item 6: The number of children with substantiated dispositions cannot be provided since the State counts in terms of investigations.
Item 7: The category "neglect" (B) includes "medical neglect" (C).
Items 7-14:The MISSIS system counts data by investigation, not by child, so the data are based on substantiated investigations.
Item 14:The source for these data is a tabulation of the number of abuse/neglect-related fatalities as received in the State Office of the Department of Human Services. The policy is for the State Office to review all maltreatment related fatalities.
Item 15:A perpetrator is counted once, although multiple victims may be involved.
