Additional Resources

A number of organizations and agencies in both the public and private sector work with parents whose children are missing. These agencies can provide information, assistance with photo and flier production and distribution, referral services, and investigative resources to you, your family, and law enforcement.

Private Resources

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

NCMEC serves a variety of functions:

  • Distribution of pictures and posters of missing children nationwide.

  • Provision of information and technical assistance to citizens.

  • Provision of training, technical assistance, and technical support to State missing children's clearinghouses and to State and local law enforcement agencies.

You can call NCMEC to get copies of its intake and release forms mailed or sent to you via fax and to get information on how you can have a color picture of your child posted on NCMEC's Web site, distributed to NCMEC's photo partners, and printed on fliers for you to distribute.

NCMEC also manages and coordinates Project ALERT (America's Law Enforcement Retiree Team), a free consultation service on missing children cases for law enforcement agencies.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 550
Arlington, VA 22201-3052
800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678) (Hotline for the United States, Canada, and Mexico),
800-826-7653 (TTD), or 703-235-3900
703-235-4067 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.missingkids.com
CyberTipline: www.missingkids.com/cybertip

Branch Offices
California: 714-508-0150
Florida: 561-848-1900
Kansas City (KS/MO): 816-361-4554
New York: 716-242-0900
South Carolina: 803-750-7055

Association of Missing and Exploited Children's Organizations (AMECO)

AMECO is a national association of missing and exploited children's organizations that work together to serve and protect missing children and their families. You can call AMECO to find out the names of nonprofit missing children's organizations -- both in your community and throughout the country -- that can provide assistance and support to you and your family.

Association of Missing and Exploited Children's Organizations
c/o Jacob Wetterling Foundation
32 First Avenue NW.
St. Joseph, MN 56374
320-363-0470
320-363-0473 (Fax)

Other Nonprofit Organizations

A number of private nonprofit organizations provide services to families whose children have been abducted. Before you contact such an organization, however, ask NCMEC or AMECO to tell you which organizations meet their requirements for certification or membership. You might also want to talk with your law enforcement contact and with the parents of other missing children. Be wary of organizations that promise they can find your missing child, that request payment for these services, or that are unknown in this field.

Victim's Advocates

Ask your law enforcement contact to arrange to have a victim's advocate come to your home to explain your rights and to explore the counseling, treatment, and related services available to you. Victim's advocates are usually associated with the offices of the sheriff, the State prosecutor, or the district attorney. If you have access to the Internet, you can find a list of victim advocacy and compensation groups at the Office for Victims of Crime Web site (www.ojp.gov/ovc). Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children: A Directory for Law Enforcement and Other Public and Private Agencies (see Recommended Readings) also contains a list of victim's advocate services and organizations.

Parent Survivors

Talking with parents who have survived a similar ordeal can help you regain your sanity and increase your effectiveness in the search for your child, for only they can truly understand your pain and anguish. The parents who helped to write this Guide are willing to talk to you. To contact any of the parent authors, call the Missing and Exploited Children's Program at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (202-616-3637). Other victim help groups are listed in Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children: A Directory for Law Enforcement and Other Public and Private Agencies (see Recommended Readings).

In addition, the Parent Resource Support Network has been created through a grant funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. This network can connect trained parent volunteers who can provide advice, assistance, and encouragement to other parent victims. For more information about the program, call the Missing and Exploited Children's Program at the number listed above.

Local Businesses

Local businesses in your community can provide a number of goods and services that will be needed in the search for your child. In addition, with permission you can post your child's picture in store windows, on doors, and on the backs of trucks. See chapter 5 (Volunteers) for a list of the types of organizations and businesses that may be willing to help.

Government Resources

Federal Agencies

Many Federal agencies provide technical support and services to law enforcement and other public and private agencies to aid in the search and recovery of a missing child. A comprehensive list of these services is available in Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children: A Directory for Law Enforcement and Other Public and Private Agencies (see Recommended Readings). The agencies listed below, which have been referenced throughout this Guide, provide support and/or investigative services to missing and exploited children and their families.

Missing and Exploited Children's Program

The Missing and Exploited Children's Program provides support to several missing and exploited childrenÔs organizations, including NCMEC, AMECO, and the Parent Resource Support Network; provides technical assistance and training to law enforcement to improve their investigation of missing and exploited children cases; produces reports to improve services to missing and exploited children and their families; and conducts research related to missing and exploited children. For information about any of these activities or the organizations listed above, call the Missing and Exploited Children's Program at the phone number listed below.

Missing and Exploited Children's Program
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
202-616-3637
202-307-2819 (Fax)
Internet: www.ojjdp.gov

Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

OVC makes awards each year to State crime victim compensation and assistance programs to supplement State funding for victim services. Crime victim compensation is the direct payment to a crime victim or to his or her family to help cover crime-related expenses, such as medical treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages, or funeral services. Every State administers a crime victim compensation program, and most programs have similar eligibility requirements and offer a comparable range of benefits.

Crime victim assistance programs provide direct services, such as crisis intervention, counseling, emergency transportation to court, temporary housing, and criminal justice support and advocacy. For information about these programs, contact your local crime victim compensation program or crime victim assistance program. Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children: A Directory for Law Enforcement and Other Public and Private Agencies (see Recommended Readings) contains a listing of all State offices.

Office for Victims of Crime
U.S. Department of Justice
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
202-307-5983
202-514-6383 (Fax)
Internet: www.ojp.gov/ovc/

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Child Abduction and Serial Killer Unit
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Quantico, VA 22135
540-720-4700
540-720-4790 (Fax)

The Child Abduction and Serial Killer Unit (CASKU) is a rapid response element of the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group. Following a request by a law enforcement agency, CASKU staff can provide operational assistance to Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of a child abduction.

Morgan P. Hardiman Task Force on Missing and Exploited Children
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Quantico, VA 22135
540-720-4760
540-720-4792 (Fax)

The Morgan P. Hardiman Task Force coordinates Federal law enforcement resources to assist State and local authorities investigating the most difficult cases of missing and exploited children.

FBI Headquarters
Special Investigations and Initiatives Unit
Office of Crimes Against Children
Office of Indian Country Investigations
935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
Washington, DC 20535-0001
202-324-3666
202-324-2731 (Fax)
(See the front of your local telephone book for the number of your local FBI Field Office.)

The Office of Crimes Against Children and the Office of Indian Country Investigations work closely with FBI Field Offices and other FBI components to coordinate operational support to more effectively address crimes against children. The FBI Field Offices house Crimes Against Children Coordinators, who use all available investigative, tactical, forensic, informational, and behavioral science resources in the investigation of crimes against children. CASKU services can be obtained through the local FBI Field Office.

Missing Children's Clearinghouses1

Missing children's clearinghouses are State government agencies connected with law enforcement. Because the types of services available in each State vary substantially, you need to call your State clearinghouse to find out both what services are available to help you in your search and whether the clearinghouse will distribute photographs of your missing child. Then you can call other State clearinghouses in your region and throughout the Nation to compare services and take advantage of those not available to you in-State. Keep a list of what you learn about each clearinghouse in a spiral notebook for later use.

Alabama

Alabama Department of Public Safety
Missing and Exploited Children
P.O. Box 1511
2720 West Gunter Park Drive
Montgomery, AL 36109-1014
800-228-7688 or 334-260-1172
334-260-8788 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: ALAST0047

Alaska

Alaska State Troopers
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
5700 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
800-478-9333 or 907-269-5497
907-338-0276/7243 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: AKAST0100

Arizona

Arizona Department of Public Safety
Criminal Investigations Research Unit
P.O. Box 6638
2310 West Encanto Boulevard
Phoenix, AZ 85005
602-223-2158
602-223-2911 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: AZ0079925

Arkansas

Arkansas Office of the Attorney General
Missing Children Services Program
200 Catlett-Prien Building
Little Rock, AR 72201
501-682-1323
501-682-6704 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: AR060035A

California

California Department of Justice
Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit
P.O. Box 903387
4949 Broadway
Sacramento, CA 94203-3870
800-222-3463 (in-State only) or 916-227-3290
916-227-3270 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: caag.state.ca.us/bcia2/mups.htm
ORI: CA0349454

Colorado

Colorado Bureau of Investigation
Missing Children Project
690 Kipling, Suite 4000
Denver, CO 80215
303-239-4251
303-238-6714 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: COCBI0009

Connecticut

Connecticut State Police
Research and Planning/Missing Person
111 Country Club Road
Middletown, CT 06457
860-685-8071
860-685-8341 (Fax)
ORI: CTCSP2900

Delaware

Delaware State Police
State Bureau of Identification
1407 North DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19903
302-739-5883
302-739-5888 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: DEDSP0001

District of Columbia

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
Missing Persons/Youth Division
1700 Rhode Island Avenue NE.
Washington, DC 20018
202-576-6771
202-576-6561 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: DCMPD0000

Florida

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Missing Children Information Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 1489
2331 Phillips Road
Tallahassee, FL 32302
888-356-4774 or 904-488-5224
904-487-6763 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.fdle.state.fl.us/

Georgia

Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Intelligence Unit
P.O. Box 370808
3121 Panthersville Road
Decatur, GA 30037
800-282-6564 or 404-244-2554
404-244-2798 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: GAGBI0050

Hawaii

Department of the Attorney General
810 Richards Street, Suite 701
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-586-1416
808-586-1424 or 808-753-9797 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.hgea.org/HSC/

Idaho

Idaho Bureau of Criminal Identification
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 700
700 South Stratford Drive
Meridian, ID 83680-0700
888-777-3922 or 208-884-7136
208-884-7193 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.state.id.us/dle/idmpch/htmlsrc/mpcpage.htm
ORI: ID001015Y

Illinois

Illinois State Police
I-SEARCH
500 Iles Park Place, Suite 400
Springfield, IL 62718
800-843-5763 or 217-557-1775
217-785-3328 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.state.il.us/isp/isphpage.htm
ORI: IL0849800

Indiana

Indiana State Police
Indiana Missing Children Clearinghouse
100 North Senate Avenue, Room 309
Third Floor North
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2259
800-831-8953 or 317-232-8310
317-232-0652 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.ai.org/isp/html/mcc
ORI: INISP0012

Iowa

Missing Person Information Clearinghouse
Division of Criminal Investigations
Wallace State Office Building
East 9th and Grand
Des Moines, IA 50319
800-346-5507 or 515-281-7958/5138
515-242-6297 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.state.ia.us/government/dps/dci/mpic/index.htm

Kansas

Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
1620 SW. Tyler Street
Topeka, KS 66612-1837
800-572-7463 or 785-296-8200
785-296-6781 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: KSKBI0000

Kentucky

Kentucky State Police
1240 Airport Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
800-222-5555 (in-State only), 502-227-8799, or 502-564-4310 (afterhours answering machine)
502-564-4931 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: KYSKP0022

Louisiana

Louisiana Department of Social Services
Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children
Office of Community Services
333 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70812
504-342-4011
504-342-4038 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]

Maine

Maine State Police
Missing Children Clearinghouse
State House Station 52
18 Meadow Road
Augusta, ME 04333-0052
800-452-4664 (in-State only) or 207-287-7502
207-287-7277 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: MEMSP0000

Maryland

Maryland Center for Missing Children
Maryland State Police
1201 Reisterstown Road
Pikesville, MD 21208
800-637-5437, 410-290-0780, or 301-621-3910 (local for Washington, DC)
410-290-0752 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: MDMSP9500

Massachusetts

Massachusetts State Police
Missing Persons Unit
470 Worchester Road
Framingham, MA 01701
800-622-5999 (in-State only) or 508-820-2130
508-820-2128 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: MAMSP0070

Michigan

Michigan State Police
Prevention Services Unit
P.O. Box 30634
4000 Collins Road
Lansing, MI 48909-8134
517-333-4006
517-333-4115 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]</P>

Minnesota

Minnesota State Clearinghouse
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
1246 University Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
612-642-0610
612-642-0618 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]

Mississippi

Mississippi Highway Patrol
P.O. Box 958
1900 East Woodrow Wilson
Jackson, MS 39205
601-987-1592
601-987-1579 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]

Missouri

Missouri State Highway Patrol
Division of Drug and Crime Control
P.O. Box 568
1510 East Elm Street
Jefferson City, MO 65102
800-877-3452 or 573-751-3452
573-526-5577 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: MOMHP0014
ORI: MOMHP0007

Montana

Montana Department of Justice
Missing/Unidentified Persons
303 North Roberts Street, Room 374
Helena, MT 59620-1417
406-444-3625
406-444-0689 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: MT025045Y

Nebraska

Nebraska State Patrol
Criminal Records and Identification Division
P.O. Box 94907
1600 Nebraska Highway 2
Lincoln, NE 68509
402-479-4019/4938
402-479-4002 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]

Nevada

Nevada Office of the Attorney General
Nevada Missing Children Clearinghouse
555 East Washington Avenue, Suite 3900
Las Vegas, NV 89101-6208
800-992-0900 (in-State only) or 702-486-3539
702-486-3416 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: NV018025A

New Hampshire

New Hampshire State Police
Major Crimes Unit/Missing Children
Hayes Building
Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305
800-852-3411 (in-State only), 603-271-2663, or 603-271-3636 (24-hour referral number)
603-271-2520 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: NHNSP0800

New Jersey

New Jersey State Police
Missing Persons Unit/Child Exploitation
P.O. Box 7068
River Road
West Trenton, NJ 08628
800-709-7090 or 609-882-2000
609-883-2007 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: NJNSP0032

New Mexico

New Mexico Department of Public Safety
ATTN: Communications
P.O. Box 1628
4491 Cerrillos
Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-827-9191
505-827-3396 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]

New York

New York Division of Criminal Justice Service
Missing and Exploited Children
4 Tower Place
Albany, NY 12203
800-346-3543 or 518-457-6326
518-457-6965 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: criminaljustice.state.ny.us
ORI: NY001025Y

North Carolina

North Carolina Center for Missing Persons
Administration Building
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-1335
800-522-5437 (in-State only) or 919-733-3914
919-715-1682 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: NCNHP0000

North Dakota

North Dakota Clearinghouse for
Missing Children
North Dakota Radio Communication
P.O. Box 5511
Fraine Barracks
Bismarck, ND 58502
800-472-2121 (in-State only) or 701-328-2121
701-328-2126 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: NDRCD0000

Ohio

Missing Children Clearinghouse
Attorney General's Office
30 East Broad Street, 16th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-3428
800-325-5604 or 614-644-0122
614-466-8226 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.ag.state.oh.us/

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Information Unit
P.O. Box 11497
6600 North Harvey, Suite 300
Oklahoma City, OK 73136
405-848-6724
405-843-3804 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: OKOBI0000

Oregon

Oregon State Police
Missing Children Clearinghouse
400 Public Service Building
Salem, OR 97310
800-282-7155 (in-State only) or 503-378-3720
503-363-5475 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: OROSP0003 OROSP0004

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Police
Bureau of Criminal Investigation
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110
717-783-5524
717-772-6917 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: PAPSP0012

Rhode Island

Rhode Island State Police
Missing and Exploited Children Unit
311 Danielson Pike
North Scituate, RI 02857
800-546-8066 or 401-444-1125
401-444-1133 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: RIRSP0001

South Carolina

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
Missing Person Information Center
P.O. Box 21398
4400 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
800-322-4453 (in-State only) or 803-737-9000
803-896-7041 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: SCLED00M0

South Dakota

South Dakota Attorney General's Office
Division of Criminal Investigation
East Highway 34
c/o 500 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-3331
605-773-4629 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: SDDCI0000

Tennessee

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Intelligence Unit
1148 Foster Avenue
Nashville, TN 37210
615-741-0430
615-532-8315 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: TNTBI0000

Texas

Texas Department of Public Safety
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 4087
5805 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78773-0001
800-346-3243 (in-State only) or 512-424-2814
512-424-2885 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.missingkids.org
ORI: TXDPS4300

Utah

Utah Department of Public Safety
Bureau of Criminal Identification
Box 148280
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-8280
801-965-4939
801-965-4749 (Fax)

Vermont

Vermont State Police
RR#1 Box 4468
Rutland, VT 05701
802-773-9101
802-775-6968 (Fax)

Virginia

Virginia State Police Department
Missing Children's Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 27472
7700 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, VA 23261
800-822-4453 (in-State only) or 804-674-2026
804-674-2105 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: VAVSP0000

Washington

Washington State Patrol
Missing Children Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 2347
Building 17 Airdustrial Way
Olympia, WA 98507-2347
800-543-5678 (in-State only) or 360-753-3960
360-586-8231 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: WAWSP00L1

West Virginia

West Virginia State Police
Missing Children Clearinghouse
725 Jefferson Road
South Charleston, WV 25309-1698
800-352-0927 (in-State only) or 304-558-1467
304-558-1470 (Fax)

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Department of Justice
Crime Information Bureau
P.O. Box 2718
123 West Washington Avenue
Madison, WI 53701-2718
800-THE-HOPE (800-843-4673) (in-State only) or 608-266-7314
608-267-1338 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: WI013015Y

Wyoming

Wyoming Office of the Attorney General
Division of Criminal Investigation
316 West 22d
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307-777-7537
307-777-7252 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: WY0110400

Canada

Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Missing Children's Registry
POB 8885
1200 Vanier Parkway
Ottawa, Ontario, CN K1G 3MB
613-993-1525
613-993-5430 (Fax)
E-Mail: [email protected]
ORI: ON11074

The ORI numbers following many of the clearinghouses in this list are assigned by the National Crime Information Center to law enforcement agencies for administrative purposes.


1. The ORI numbers following many of the clearinghouses in this list are assigned by the National Crime Information Center to law enforcement agencies for administrative purposes.


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OJJDP Report: When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide, May 1998