Section 93-21-307 - Administration of fund; powers and duties of Department of Child Protection ServicesThe administration of the Mississippi Children's Trust Fund shall be vested in the Department of Child Protection Services. In carrying out the provisions of Sections 93-21-301 through 93-21-311, the Department of Child Protection Services shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) To assist in developing programs aimed at discovering and preventing the many factors causing child abuse and neglect;(b) To prepare and disseminate, including the presentation of, educational programs and materials on child abuse and neglect;(c) To provide educational programs for professionals required by law to make reports of child abuse and neglect;(d) To help coordinate child protective services at the state, regional and local levels with the efforts of other state and voluntary social, medical and legal agencies;(e) To provide advocacy for children in public and private state and local agencies affecting children;(f) To encourage citizen and community awareness as to the needs and problems of children;(g) To facilitate the exchange of information between groups concerned with families and children;(h) To consult with state departments, agencies, commissions and boards to help determine the probable effectiveness, fiscal soundness and need for proposed educational and service programs for the prevention of child abuse and neglect;(i) To adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Law to discharge its responsibilities;(j) To report annually, through the annual report of the Department of Child Protection Services, to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the department's activities under Sections 93-21-301 through 93-21-311 and the effectiveness of those activities in fostering the prevention of child abuse and neglect;(k) To recommend to the Governor and the Legislature changes in state programs, statutes, policies and standards which will reduce child abuse and neglect, improve coordination among state agencies which provide services to prevent abuse and neglect, improve the condition of children and assist parents and guardians;(l) To evaluate and strengthen all local, regional and state programs dealing with child abuse and neglect;(m) To prepare and submit annually to the Governor and the Legislature reports evaluating the level and quality of all programs, services and facilities provided to children by state agencies;(n) To contract with public or private nonprofit institutions, organizations, agencies or schools or with qualified individuals for the establishment of community-based educational and service programs designed to reduce the occurrence of child abuse and neglect;(o) To determine the eligibility of programs applying for financial assistance and to make grants and loans from the fund for the purposes set forth in Sections 93-21-301 through 93-21-311;(p) To develop, within one (1) year after July 1, 1989, a state plan for the distribution of funds from the trust fund which shall assure that an equal opportunity exists for establishment of prevention programs and for receipt of trust fund monies among all geographic areas in this state, and to submit the plan to the Governor and the Legislature and annually thereafter submit revisions thereto as needed;(q) To provide for the coordination and exchange of information on the establishment and maintenance of local prevention programs;(r) To develop and publicize criteria for the receipt of trust fund monies by eligible local prevention programs;(s) To enter into contracts with public or private agencies to fulfill the requirements of Sections 93-21-301 through 93-21-311; and(t) Review, monitor and approve the expenditure of trust fund monies by eligible local programs.Laws, 1989, ch. 509, § 4, eff. 7/1/1989.Amended by Laws, 2023, ch. 516, HB 1149,§ 97, eff. 7/1/2023.