In the evolving landscape of missing persons investigations, both the FBI's NCIC and the Department of Justice's NamUs play pivotal roles. NCIC serves as a secure law enforcement database, while NamUs offers a publicly accessible platform, fostering collaboration between agencies and families. Together, they enhance the effectiveness of locating and identifying missing individuals.

According to the FBI, there are approximately 96,955 Active Missing Person Records as of December 31, 2023 reported in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

That number of missing persons in the NCIC database does not include the estimated 1.5 + million youth and adults who may be lost on our streets among the homeless and/or who are missing and otherwise unaccounted for.

While NCIC remains a critical tool for law enforcement, NamUs has become increasingly significant due to its public accessibility and comprehensive support services. Some states have enacted legislation mandating the entry of missing person cases into NamUs, enhancing nationwide collaboration.

• Unlike NCIC, NamUs allows public access to its database, enabling families and the general public to search and contribute information.

• As of December 31, 2024, NamUs reported 25,553 active missing person cases and 15,168 active unidentified person cases.

This approximate number is based on several factors including the many years of research that includes the disparity between NCIC 'reported' and 'unreported' John and Jane Doe unidentified deceased person cases, homeless populations across the country, and the numbers of estimated unreported runaway children vs. reported as missing children who are listed as missing in the National Crime Information Center database.   These are but a few of the factors we've considered in coming up with what we believe to be a conservative base line approximation. Not 'every' homeless person is lost but there are many who do fall into the cracks of the system.   How many youth are actually considered to be homeless?  

• Covenant House reports that over 4.2 million young people experience a form of homelessness each year in the U.S.

• The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that approximately 550,000 unaccompanied youth and young adults up to age 24 experience a homelessness episode of longer than one week annually

Outpost for Hope’s founder, Libba Phillips, coined the term “Kids Off The Grid” to describe the most vulnerable and hidden population of unreported missing children. These are children who are not listed on flyers, in Amber Alerts, or in law enforcement databases like the NCIC.

Who is a Kid Off The Grid?

• A homeless adolescent or teenager who is not officially listed as missing

• A child missing from foster care who is not in the NCIC system

• A runaway or abandoned child not reported to law enforcement

• An undocumented immigrant child who disappears without being reported

• An unaccounted-for infant or child whose parent is a lost, unreported, or homeless youth or adult

These children often fall through every crack. For example, studies show that 44% of young homeless women are pregnant or already parenting. If a woman is mentally ill, trafficked, or on the streets and never reported missing herself, her child may also remain entirely invisible to systems of care.

Being "Off The Grid" puts both children and the adults they depend on at extreme risk of exploitation, trafficking, or simply disappearing without a trace.

No. Most people assume that all missing children appear on flyers, Amber Alerts, or in the media—but that’s only part of the picture.

At Outpost for Hope, our focus is on a hidden population of children who are not officially listed as missing and often don’t appear in any database at all. These are the Kids Off The Grid—children who may be:

• Born to an unreported missing parent, such as a homeless or mentally ill adult

• Living on the streets, abandoned, or running from abusive situations

• Unaccounted for by law enforcement or child welfare systems

These children are invisible in the eyes of the system. And that invisibility makes them especially vulnerable to predators and exploitation. As founder Libba Phillips has found in her research, the most at-risk of all are the unaccounted-for infants and children of those who themselves are lost or missing.

When no one knows a child exists, no one is looking for them. That’s what makes this crisis so urgent—and so dangerous.

When someone is unreported as missing—or “off the grid”—they face a much higher risk of harm, including exploitation, violence, and total disappearance without anyone even knowing.

What makes this issue so complex is that there are many possible outcomes. A person may:

• Suffer from mental illness and become lost among the homeless

• Fall victim to trafficking, abuse, or other exploitative crimes

• Become involved in prostitution or survival-based relationships

• Die unidentified, becoming a John or Jane Doe in the morgue

At Outpost for Hope, we’ve identified at least 11 different outcomes for those who vanish in these ways—and there may be more. We’ve illustrated these possibilities as exits with no return along the Lost Highway graphic, which you can view on our home page.

Sadly, there are many tragic examples of what can happen when a person goes unreported as missing—especially when they are vulnerable, isolated, or living on the margins.

One of the most chilling and well-known cases is that of Gary Leon Ridgway, also known as The Green River Killer, who confessed to murdering 48 teenage girls and women over the span of two decades. In a 2004 Associated Press report, Ridgway explained his reasoning:

“I picked them as victims because they were easy to pick up without being noticed. I knew they would not be reported missing right away and might never be reported missing. I picked them because I thought I could kill as many as I wanted without getting caught.”

Several of his victims remain unidentified Jane Does to this day.

These women were someone’s daughter, sister, mother, or friend. Their invisibility—social, legal, and systemic—made them targets. And their stories are not isolated incidents. We’ve documented additional cases and patterns of harm like these on our Press Room page.

There is no single solution—but we believe it begins with awareness, compassion, and a willingness to care about those our society too often overlooks.

At Outpost for Hope, we’ve always believed that being lost is both preventable and resolvable. But the first step is acknowledging that there is a hidden population of people who are missing, uncounted, and unheard.

These are often vulnerable individuals—many facing mental health challenges, trauma, addiction, or life on the streets—who fall through the cracks. They become invisible not because they don’t matter, but because systems fail to see them.

The real solution lies in shifting our collective consciousness:

• We must notice who is being left behind.

• We must have compassion for people in pain, even if their lives look different from our own.

• We must push for accessible and affordable healthcare, and invest in real trauma-informed services.

• And most importantly, we must care enough to act.

For over 20 years, our founder, Libba Phillips, was a voice for those no one saw. While she no longer actively advocates in this space, the work—and the need—still speaks.

The real solution begins with noticing. With caring. With refusing to look away.

We may not have all the answers—but bearing witness, speaking truth, and extending compassion to the most vulnerable is a form of action.

No, we are not a crisis hotline or active case-management organization.

Outpost for Hope is no longer operating as an active nonprofit, but we continue to serve as a valuable informational resource for those searching for unreported missing persons—what we call the “missing, missing.” Our site remains available to offer guidance, education, and tools for families, law enforcement, and professionals navigating this complex issue.

We encourage you to explore the Family Resource Guide and our “Now What?” Recovery Planning Tool inside the Family Resource Guide—two of our most helpful offerings designed to support those affected by the disappearance or return of a lost loved one.

While we are not currently offering live services or training, the information here has helped thousands.
Please use the navigation menu at the top of our home page to find the section that best meets your needs.

If you are in immediate danger or need urgent support, please contact a local crisis center, law enforcement, or dial 911.

Because lives are at risk when we don’t see who’s missing.

Most people don’t realize that thousands of individuals are unaccounted for—not listed in databases, not searched for, not even acknowledged as missing. Families often don’t know where to turn. Some law enforcement agencies may not take reports, especially in complex cases.

Without awareness, the most vulnerable—those with untreated mental illness, addiction, or children born into homelessness—remain unseen and unprotected. These are the people predators target.

As founder Libba Phillips says:
“The oldest law of the jungle applies… a lion will always go for the weakest prey.”

Awareness isn’t just important. It can save lives.

The goal isn’t always reunification. Sometimes, it’s understanding, closure, or simply dignity.

When dealing with unreported missing persons—what we call the “missing, missing”—each case is different. While many assume the goal is to bring someone home, that’s not always possible. Some individuals may be found deceased. Others may not want or be able to return to family, especially if there’s a history of trauma or a lack of safety.

In some cases, the person may resist treatment. In others, current laws make it nearly impossible for families to access or advocate for care—especially when mental illness, addiction, or guardianship issues are involved. And tragically, as more vulnerable people are left without support—including pregnant teens and unhoused mothers—we’re likely to see more cases where reunification simply isn’t realistic.

That doesn’t mean the search doesn’t matter.
It still matters deeply.
Because every human being deserves to be seen, to be named, and to not be forgotten.

We encourage families in crisis to explore our Family Resource Guide and “Now What?” Recovery Planning Tool, available on our Is Someone Lost? page. These tools are here to help you navigate the path forward—whatever the outcome may be.

Because it’s a hidden crisis—one that most systems don’t track, and most people don’t talk about.

From the late 1990s through 2024, Libba Phillips—founder of Outpost for Hope—worked to shine a light on the “missing, missing” and the “kids off the grid.” What began as a personal search for her sister Ashley became a national effort to uncover this invisible crisis.

It took nearly four years for Libba’s family to obtain an official missing persons report for Ashley. Along the way, Libba discovered they were not alone. Thousands of families were experiencing similar barriers—desperately trying to get help for lost loved ones who weren’t recognized by the system.

As she met with other families, law enforcement, forensic experts, coroners—and searched the streets, morgues, and shelters herself—she uncovered a painful truth: stigma often keeps people lost. Mental illness, addiction, homelessness, and undocumented status can all lead to a person being ignored or erased.

The world doesn’t always count people who live on the margins.

The answer isn’t always simple—especially when mental illness, addiction, or trauma are involved.

Legally, adults (age 18 and older) have the right to go missing and remain private if they choose. Unless there’s evidence that the person is in immediate danger or poses a threat to themselves or others, law enforcement may not intervene—or even inform the family of their whereabouts if they are located.

But what if the person isn’t truly capable of making safe decisions?

Many individuals who disappear due to untreated mental illness may not understand that they need help. This condition is known as anosognosia—the inability to recognize one’s own illness. In these cases, it’s not about someone being “lost by choice”—it’s about someone lacking the capacity to seek care or keep themselves safe.

Families with loved ones who are at risk are often left heartbroken and powerless, running into wall after wall as they try to get help for a loved one who doesn’t believe they need it. It’s one of the most painful realities we’ve seen: the “right to privacy” can sometimes function more like the “right to be lost”—alone, untreated, and unprotected.

We believe it’s time to advocate for stronger mental health systems and laws—ones that protect the vulnerable while honoring the dignity of every human life.

We are no longer an active organization, but we continue to share helpful resources and awareness through this site and social media.

A person over the age of 18 does have the right to privacy and confidentiality and can be voluntarily missing or 'lost by choice'.  A family member may need to provide information that can be validated by law enforcement to suggest that the missing person is a danger to him or herself and/or others so that he or she can be properly reported as 'endangered missing'.

If an adult person is 'lost by choice', the police are not obligated to inform the family of the missing person's whereabouts.  This is why it is critical to raise awareness about the need for the proper procedure as well as treatment options for people who are are lacking discernment about his or her own well being.

It is a mis-perception to consider that a person with untreated mental illness is 'lost by choice' - he or she would not be living on the streets and unable to make good decisions for his or her care.    Many people who are lost and have an untreated mental illness simply do not have the proper discernment for his or her own safety.  It is extremely frustrating for concerned family members who run into obstacles time and time again in obtaining the right care and support in getting their lost loved one to safety.

But often times, the 'obstacle' of the 'right to privacy' equates to nothing more than the 'right to be crazy' and on the streets.  We hope you will join us in rallying behind the need for change and to support our work.

Not all people experiencing homelessness are technically “missing.” Some are unhoused due to poverty, systemic failures, untreated mental illness, or co-occurring addiction—but they may still be in contact with loved ones or known to local agencies.

However, others are truly lost—not just without a home, but without safety, support, or visibility. These individuals may be unreported as missing, disconnected from any family or social services, and unable to advocate for themselves. Some may be youth who’ve run away from unsafe homes, undocumented individuals, or adults with untreated mental illness who’ve fallen through every crack in the system.

When someone is lost in this way—disconnected, sick, vulnerable, and unaccounted for—they are at extremely high risk of exploitation, harm, or even death. And if no one knows they’re missing, no one is looking for them.

Our founder, Libba Phillips, understands this deeply. Her sister Ashley disappeared in 1999, and despite tireless efforts, her family’s attempts to file a missing person report were not taken seriously for years. Though Ashley was located briefly in 2007, her story continued—marked by cycles of being lost and found, experiencing repeated exploitation, untreated illness, and unimaginable hardship.

In late 2021, Ashley was found deceased. She had initially been unidentified—a Jane Doe—until one coroner took the time to investigate and find out who she was. Libba and her family will forever be grateful to him for helping bring her home.

Ashley’s story is not just about homelessness—it’s about what it means to be truly lost: to live with the weight of unhealed trauma, untreated illness, and to survive in a world that often looks the other way.

This is why awareness matters. Because some of the most invisible people among us are not just without housing—they’re without hope, without help, and sometimes, without anyone even knowing they exist.