How to call dhs on someone anonymously?

Any known or suspected child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse, Human Trafficking of minors, infants affected by substance abuse, and child fatalities. (See Legal Definitions for more information.)

In accordance with Section 43-21-353 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, “Any attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, psychologist, social worker, family protection worker, family protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement officer, public or private school employee or any other person having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a neglected child or an abused child, shall cause an oral report to be made immediately by telephone or otherwise and followed as soon thereafter as possible by a report in writing to the Department of Child Protection Services ….”

A person who has not reached their 18th birthday, or a youth 18 years or older if currently in MDCPS Custody.

Reports of abuse and neglect of persons 18 years of age or over who are not in MDCPS custody, even if still enrolled in school, are not to be reported to MDCPS but are to be referred to the MS Department of Human Services, Adult Protective Services, and law enforcement, if applicable.

Vulnerable Adult Abuse Hotline 844-437-6282 or visit their website here.

A report may be made to the hotline, 1-800-222-8000, a statewide, toll-free 24-hour line answered seven days a week.  You may also make a report online through the MDCPS website. Reports of Human Trafficking can also be made to the National Hotline 1-800-373-7888.

If you need to make a report in another state, you can find contact information at Child Welfare Information Gateway by clicking here.

The Intake Specialist answering your call will ask questions to collect pertinent information related to the child’s identity and household members, a full address for the family, and details related to the alleged maltreatment of the child.  You may be asked questions pertaining to the following.

Please help us understand what you know about the family’s situation and your concerns during the reporting process.  Let us know what leads you to believe the parent or caregiver may be neglectful and whether you are searching for resources to help the parents meet the needs of their children.

On the online reporting document, you will be asked questions about the victims, caregivers, household members, others who know about the abuse/neglect, and your contact information.  There will be a place for you to describe the maltreatment.  Please use the information shown above that you would have been asked in a phone call to give the necessary information for the agency to make a thorough assessment.   The ability of the agency to assess and respond to the report will depend on whether there is sufficient information included and whether we can reach you for more information if needed to proceed.

If you use the online reporting on the MDCPS website, you will receive a confirmation number once you have reviewed and submitted your report.  Keep this confirmation number if you ever need it to document your reporting.

Any attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, psychologist, social Worker, family protection Worker, family protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement officer, school attendance officer, public school district employee, nonpublic school employee, licensed professional counselor or any other person participating in the making of a required report pursuant to MISS. CODE ANN. § 43-21-355, participating in the judicial proceeding resulting there from, shall be presumed to be acting in good faith. Any person or institution reporting in good faith shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed.

MDCPS does not require a reporter to identify themselves as a condition for reporting suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation.  A reporter will be encouraged to leave contact information to allow the assigned staff to contact the reporter for any information which would help assess the report and work with the family.   Insufficient information and the inability to contact the reporter could affect the agency’s ability to intervene for the safety of the child.

MISS. CODE ANN. § 43-21-259 requires all records involving children and the contents thereof, including the identity of the reporter, to be kept confidential except as provided in § 43-21-261.

Upon being found guilty, the individual shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $5,000, imprisonment in jail not to exceed one year, or both (Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated Section 43-21-353(7)).

• The situation you are reporting is an emergency;
• You prefer to remain anonymous;
• You have insufficient data to complete the required fields using the online reporting system; or.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment in the U.S. In 2013 alone, an estimated 539,805 children were neglected — that’s 79.5% of all maltreatment victims.

What is Neglect?

Neglect is defined as “a type of maltreatment that refers to the failure by the caregiver to provide needed, age-appropriate care although financially able to do so.” Poverty is mistaken for neglect — but they are not the same. Poor families do not have the means to provide adequate care — neglectful parents and caregivers do.

Types of Child Neglect

Physical Neglect

Physical neglect is by far the most common type of neglect. In most cases, the parent or caregiver is not providing the child with all of the basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter. In some cases, young children are left without proper supervision for extended periods of time.

Educational Neglect

Children who suffer from this type of neglect are being kept from the very thing that can help turn things around. The child may not be showing up to class, or in some cases, they may not be enrolled in school or homeschooling at all.

Emotional Neglect

Children who have been emotionally abused often feel ignored, rejected, threatened and isolated. Their parents or caregivers have created an environment of fear, denying the child of the attention, social interaction, and emotional support they need to thrive. Unfortunately, this is the hardest form of neglect to prove and cases often go unreported.

Medical Neglect

In these cases, parents or caregivers aren’t providing adequate healthcare for their child, even though they can afford it or have been offered help. Protective services often get involved in cases where denying treatment could lead to life-threatening illnesses, disabilities, disfigurement or death.

What You Can Do to Help

Over the course of the past year, Voices for Children has provided educational, medical and emotional support to over 500 children in the Broward County area. Want to get involved? Find out more about our Guardian Ad Litem program or make a donation today.

You may be wondering who can report child abuse and neglect, what information is included in a report, or what happens after a report is made. On this page, find answers to your questions, as well as national and local resources that are available to provide assistance and information about reporting suspected maltreatment.

State Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Numbers Contact your local child protective services office or law enforcement agency.

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline Childhelp Provides information on the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (Call or text 1.800.4.A.CHILD [1.800.422.4453]). Professional crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources.

CyberTipline National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2022) Provides information about how to report online sexual exploitation of a child or if you suspect that a child has been inappropriately contacted online. Information will be made available to law enforcement to investigate.

Child Welfare Information Gateway is not a hotline for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, and it is not equipped to accept reports or intervene in personal situations of this nature.

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Anyone can report suspected child abuse or neglect. Reporting abuse or neglect can protect a child and get help for a family.

Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect  All U.S. States and territories have laws identifying persons who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Mandatory reporters may include social workers, teachers and other school personnel, child care providers, physicians and other health-care workers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers. Some States require any person who suspects child abuse or neglect to report.

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Provide a complete, honest account of what you observed that led you to suspect the occurrence of child abuse or neglect. Any reasonable suspicion is sufficient.

What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms Learn how to identify and report child abuse or neglect and refer children who may have been maltreated. This factsheet provides information on the legal definitions, different types, and signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.

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