More than five thousand children are in the custody of Mississippi's child welfare system. A lawsuit alleging the state isn't adequately taking care of the children in foster care was settled more than 8 years ago. But critics say the child welfare system is still over-burdened and under-funded. An infant even died in state custody, in the home of a foster family, last year.
As part of our series, "Crisis Point," MPB's Evelina Burnett reports on what the state has to do now to avoid a federal takeover of its child welfare system.