Research About Meet PRIA

Support Data Sources Privacy Policy Terms of Servicehello@policyrisk.com

© 2026 PRIA Technologies, LLC. All rights reserved.

PRIA provides educational policy intelligence and is not a source of investment, legal, or financial advice. Content is for informational purposes only.

™

Your Policy Risk Impact Agent

Research

At My Address
Federal Courts
Daily Briefings
Medicare & Social Security
Policy Risk Index
Congressional Bills
Federal Register
Tariffs
Fed Decisions & The Economy
State Tracker
World Watch
U.S. Code
U.S. Constitution
Aliens

Knowledge

Search Polipedia
Daily Briefings
Calculators
Policy Risk Index
What is Policy Risk?
The Countdown

Company

About PRIA
Support

Get PRIA

Support Data Sources Privacy Policy Terms of Service

hello@policyrisk.com

© 2026 PRIA Technologies, LLC. All rights reserved.

PRIA is a trademark of PRIA Technologies, LLC.

PRIA provides educational policy intelligence and is not a source of investment, legal, or financial advice. Content is for informational purposes only.

Mississippi Statutes, Title 43

™

Your Policy Risk Impact Agent

Mississippi/Statutes

← All Mississippi coverage

Title 43, Public Welfare

42 chapters · 903 sections in this title.

All chapters in Title 43903 Ch 21, Youth Court110 Ch 33, Housing and Housing Authorities110 Ch 13, Medical Assistance for the Aged; Med…81 Ch 35, Urban Renewal and Redevelopment55 Ch 15, Child Welfare49 Ch 27, Department of Human Services - Divis…49 Ch 6, Rights and Liabilities of Persons wi…38 Ch 3, Blind Persons34 Ch 1, Department of Human Services and Cou…30 Ch 12, Medicaid and Human Services Provisions25 Ch 19, Support of Natural Children25 Ch 9, Old Age Assistance24 Ch 20, Child Care Facilities24 Ch 47, Mississippi Vulnerable Persons Act23

49 sections·Filtered byTitle 43✕Ch 15✕

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-1 Title of article
0.1K chars
This article may be cited as the “Administration of Child Welfare Law.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-11 Expenditure of county and municipal monies for support and maintenance of homeless and destitute children
1.1K chars
(1) The board of supervisors of any county and/or the mayor and board of commissioners of any city and/or the mayor and board of aldermen of any municipality in this state are authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to expend out of any monies in their respective treasurie…
Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-12 Qualified residential treatment program established; duties of qualified assessor; court responsibilities when child is placed in qualified residential treatment program
12.8K chars
(1) The following words and phrases, for purposes of this section, shall have the meanings ascribed below:(a) “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” (“QRTP”) means a program that:(i) Has a trauma-informed treatment model that is designed to address the needs, including clinica…
Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-13 Foster care placement program; objectives; system of individualized plans and reviews; training program for persons who provide foster care and relative care; placement priorities and goals; changes in placement; notice to families; Foster Parents’ Bill of Rights and Responsibilities; rights and responsibilities of persons who provide foster care and relative care; grievance procedure

43.3K chars

(1) For purposes of this section, “children” means persons found within the state who are under the age of twenty-one (21) years, and who were placed in the custody of the Department of Child Protection Services by the youth court of the appropriate county. For purposes of this c…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-14 Emergency placement of children in home care; performance of federal name-based criminal history records check of all adults residing in placement home

1.9K chars

(1) As used in this section, “emergency placement” means those limited instances when the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services is placing a child in the home of private individuals, including relatives, neighbors or friends, as a result of a sudden unavailability o…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-15 Registry of children in custody of Department of Child Protection Services and public or private agencies

1.3K chars

(a) The Department of Child Protection Services shall maintain a registry of children whose custody lies with them and private or public agencies licensed by the department. The registry shall contain classifications of children as:(a) Temporary custody for evaluation, not to exc…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-17 Payments for supportive services; relative care payments

2.8K chars

(1) The Department of Child Protection Services is authorized to make such payments as may be appropriate for supportive services to facilitate either the return of children to their natural parents or their adoption, depending upon and contingent upon the availability of the Dep…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-19 Adoption resource exchange registry

1.0K chars

(1) The Department of Child Protection Services shall maintain a Mississippi Adoption Resource Exchange registry, which shall contain a total listing of all children freed for adoption as well as a listing of all persons who wish to adopt children and who are approved by a licens…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-21 Penalty for releasing confidential information

0.3K chars

Anyone violating or releasing information of a confidential nature without the approval of the court with jurisdiction or the Department of Child Protection Services, upon being found guilty, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of no more than One Thousand Doll…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-23 “Placing Out”; defined

2.0K chars

(1) As used in this section the term “placing out” means to arrange for the free care of a child in a family, other than that of the child’s parent, stepparent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt or legal guardian, for the purpose of adoption or for the purpose of provid…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-25 Elected officials as foster parents; payments on behalf of foster child

0.4K chars

An elected official shall not be precluded from serving as a foster parent under Chapter 516, Laws of 1998, and any payments on behalf of or for the benefit of a foster child shall not be considered a contract of interest or compensation or financial income to the elected officia…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-3 Powers and duties of Department of Human Services and Department of Child Protection Services; appeal to Commissioner of Child Protection Services for denial of foster care and/or adoption assistance

3.1K chars

The Department of Human Services and the Department of Child Protection Services are authorized, empowered and directed to cooperate fully with the United States Children’s Bureau and Secretary of Labor in establishing, extending and strengthening “child welfare services” for the…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-5 Administration of child welfare services

2.0K chars

(1) The Department of Child Protection 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 local offices of child protection services are …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-6 Criminal background checks and child abuse registry checks for providers of children’s services in residential setting; authority to exclude certain crimes as disqualifying from providing child care; penalties; administrative immunity

3.3K chars

(1) Any person, institution, facility, clinic, organization or other entity that provides services to children in a residential setting where care, lodging, maintenance, and counseling or therapy for alcohol or controlled substance abuse or for any other emotional disorder or men…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-7 Local offices of child protection services authorized to provide protective services; appropriation of funds

1.0K chars

Any local office of child protection services is authorized to provide protective services for children as will conserve home life; assume responsibility for the care and support of dependent children needing public care away from their homes; place children found by the local of…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-9 Article inapplicable to orphans’ homes, etc

0.3K chars

None of the provisions of this article shall apply to any orphan’s home, child caring agency or children’s home society under the jurisdiction of and maintained by any fraternal organization, religious or fraternal denomination or nonprofit association or corporation organized an…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-51 Formation of multidisciplinary child protection teams to evaluate and investigate reports of commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, child abuse and neglect; membership; order of Youth Court prerequisite to formation of teams; participation by experts and child advocacy centers; disclosure of information obtained from task force meetings prohibited; limited immunity for good faith report of alleged child abuse

8.6K chars

(1) The district attorneys, the Department of Human Services or the Department of Child Protection Services may initiate formal cooperative agreements with the appropriate agencies to create multidisciplinary child protection teams in order to implement a coordinated multidiscipl…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-101 Purpose

0.4K chars

The purpose of this article is to protect the health, safety and well-being of all children in the state who are cared for by family foster homes, residential child-caring agencies and child-placing agencies by providing for the establishment of licensing requirements for such ho…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-103 Definitions

7.7K chars

(a) As used in this article:(a) “Agency” means a residential child-caring agency or a child-placing agency.(b) “Child” or “children” mean(s) any unmarried person or persons under the age of eighteen (18) years.(c) “Child placing” means receiving, accepting or providing custody or…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-105 Department of Child Protection Services to be licensing authority; duties

2.6K chars

(1) The Department of Child Protection Services shall be the licensing authority under this article, and is vested with all the powers, duties and responsibilities described in this article. The department shall make and establish rules and regulations regarding:(a) Approving, ex…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-107 Licensure requirements

4.4K chars

(1) Except as provided in Section 43-15-111, no person, agency, firm, corporation, association or other entity, acting individually or jointly with any other person or entity, may establish, conduct or maintain foster homes, residential child-caring agencies and child-placing age…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-109 Information on application for license; information received through reports, complaints, investigations and inspections classified as “public.”

0.4K chars

(1) An application for a license under this article shall be made to the department and shall contain information that the department determines is necessary in accordance with established rules. (2) Information received by the office through reports, complaints, investigations a…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-111 Exemptions from licensure requirements

3.7K chars

(a) The provisions of this article do not apply to:(a) A facility or program owned or operated by an agency of the State of Mississippi or United States government;(b) A facility or program operated by or under an exclusive contract with the Department of Corrections;(c) Schools …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-113 Reinstatement of license following revocation

1.2K chars

(1) If a license is revoked, the department may grant a new license after:(a) Satisfactory evidence is submitted to the department, evidencing that the conditions upon which revocation was based have been corrected; and(b) Inspection and compliance with all provisions of this art…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-115 Inspections of facilities

1.9K chars

(1) The department may, for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with the provisions of this article and its rules and regulations, enter and inspect on a routine basis the facility of a licensee. (2) Before conducting an inspection under subsection (1), the department shall, a…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-117 General restrictions; advertising restrictions; no licensing requirement for attorney providing legal services in connection with adoption; regulation of fees; written disclosure of fees and charges

3.9K chars

(1) Except as provided in this article, no person, agency, firm, corporation, association or group children’s home may engage in child placing, or solicit money or other assistance for child placing, without a valid license issued by the department. No out-of-state child-placing …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-119 Disciplinary proceedings

1.7K chars

(1) If the department finds that a violation has occurred under this article or the rules and regulations of the department, it may:(a) Deny, suspend or revoke a license or place the licensee on probation, if the department discovers that a licensee is not in compliance with the …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-121 Injunctions

0.5K chars

In addition to, and notwithstanding, any other remedy provided by law, the department may, in a manner provided by law and upon the advice of the Attorney General who, except as otherwise authorized in Section 7-5-39, shall represent the department in the proceedings, maintain an…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-123 Criminal penalties

0.3K chars

Any person, agency, association, corporation, institution, society or other organization violating the provisions of this article shall be guilty of illegal placement of children and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or by imprisonment no…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-125 Immunity for department and its employees

0.2K chars

The department and/or its officers, employees, attorneys and representatives shall not be held civilly liable for any findings, recommendations or actions taken pursuant to this article.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-201 Emergency medical services provider to take possession of certain abandoned children; “baby safety device”; guarantee of anonymity of parent or parent designee surrendering baby under baby drop-off law

6.9K chars

(1) An emergency medical services provider, without a court order, shall take possession of a child who is forty-five (45) days old or younger if the child is voluntarily:(a) Delivered to the provider;(b) Placed in a baby safety device that is sponsored by an emergency medical se…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-203 Notification to Department of Child Protection Services that provider has taken possession of abandoned child; department to assume care, control, and custody of child upon receipt of notification; determination that infant is a missing child

2.3K chars

(1) No later than the close of the first business day after the date on which an emergency medical services provider takes possession of a child pursuant to Section 43-15-201, the provider shall notify the Department of Child Protection Services that the provider has taken posses…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-205 Affirmative defense to crime of child abandonment

0.3K chars

It shall be an absolute affirmative defense to prosecution under Sections 97-5-1, 97-5-3 and 97-5-39 if the parent or a person designated by the parent voluntarily delivers the child unharmed to an emergency medical services provider pursuant to this article.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-207 Definition of “emergency medical services provider.”

2.6K chars

(a) For the purposes of this article, the following words shall have the meanings described herein:(a) “Emergency medical services provider” means a licensed hospital, as defined in Section 41-9-3, which operates an emergency department, an adoption agency duly licensed by the De…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-209 Immunity from liability

0.4K chars

A person, entity, county or municipality taking possession of a child under the provisions of this article shall be immune from liability for any civil action arising out of any act or omission resulting from taking possession of the child unless the act or omission was the resul…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-211 Required signage to be posted at the site of a baby safety device

1.2K chars

(1) Any emergency services provider that installs a baby safety device shall post signage that is approved by the Department of Child Protection Services at the site of the device that clearly identifies the device and provides both written and pictorial instruction to the surren…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-301 Definitions

2.4K chars

(a) As used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:(a) (i) “Child care service” means any school, business or volunteer service that is:1. Licensed by the state to perform child care;…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-303 Operators of child care service prohibited from employing registered sex offenders; penalties for violations

1.9K chars

(1) A child care service employer offering or conducting a child care service:(a) Shall not employ or permit to volunteer an applicant who is listed on the sex offender registry as a sex offender under Section 45-33-25; and(b) Shall not knowingly employ or permit to volunteer an …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-305 Registered sex offenders prohibited from owning or operating child care services; penalties for violations

0.4K chars

A person required to register as a sex offender under Section 45-33-25 may not own or operate a child care service. Any person who is required to register as a sex offender under Section 45-33-25 who knowingly owns or operates a child care service is guilty of a felony, and upon …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-307 Registered sex offenders prohibited from working for or volunteering at child care services; penalties for violations

1.0K chars

(1) A person required to register as a sex offender under Section 45-33-25 may not be employed by or volunteer at a child care service. Any person who is required to register as a sex offender under Section 45-33-25 who knowingly undertakes employment or volunteer service with a …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-401 Investigation of missing children; policies; procedures

5.9K chars

(1) Law enforcement agencies in this state shall adopt written policies that specify the procedures to be used to investigate reports of missing children. The policies must ensure that cases involving missing children are investigated promptly using appropriate resources and are …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-501 Short Title

0.1K chars

This article shall be known and may cited as the “Foster Youth Earned Benefits Protection for Success Act”.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-503 Determination of eligibility for earned federal benefits; application

0.6K chars

(1) For all children in the care and custody of the Department of Child Protection Services (CPS), which may also be referred to as “department” throughout this article, the department shall determine within sixty (60) days after entry into care whether each child is receiving or…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-505 Representative payee; responsibilities of CPS as representative payee

3.4K chars

(1) If a child is already receiving earned federal benefits before entering CPS, or if CPS applies for benefits on behalf of the child, the department shall, in consultation with the child and the child’s attorney, identify an appropriate representative payee consistent with Titl…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-507 Written notification of benefits; appeal of denial

0.5K chars

(1) CPS shall provide written notice to the child, the child’s parents (unless parental rights have been terminated), the child’s guardian, the child’s current placement, and the child’s attorney of any application for benefits, decision, appeal, or appellate determination relate…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-509 Annual case review

0.2K chars

CPS shall review each case annually to determine whether a child in care has become newly eligible for earned federal benefits after the department’s initial determination.

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-511 Success Sequence Savings and Disbursement Plan; access to conserved benefits; disbursement thresholds

1.5K chars

(1) CPS shall develop and implement a Success Sequence Savings and Disbursement Plan for each child with conserved earned benefits. (2) Under the plan, a child may access a portion of conserved benefits upon completion of specific milestones that promote independence and financia…

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-513 Release of conserved funds upon termination of CPS custody or legal responsibility

0.5K chars

(a) Upon termination of CPS’s custody or legal responsibility for the child, the department shall release any remaining conserved funds as follows:(a) To the child, if the child is at least eighteen (18) years of age or emancipated; or(b) To the person responsible for the child, …

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-15-515 Rules

0.2K chars

CPS may adopt rules consistent with federal law to implement this article, including rules governing account management, milestone disbursements, reporting, financial literacy education, and oversight.