Mental Illness

The relationship between mental illness and missing persons is significant, as mental health conditions can complicate  missing persons cases.

• Urgency: When someone with a mental health condition goes missing, it is crucial to act quickly, as their situation may be more serious. 
• Complexity: Mental illness can exacerbate the confusion surrounding missing persons cases, making it harder to  locate them. 
• Statistics: Research indicates that between 30% and 80% of people who go missing may be experiencing some form of mental health issue. Understanding these factors is essential for effectively addressing cases involving missing  persons with mental health challenges.

One thing is clear, Mental health struggles and substance abuse issues account for the largest percentage of disappearances. These are real people: teenagers in crisis, adults battling addiction, or seniors suffering from dementia.

These cases require experience, empathy, and urgency. Unfortunately, they’re often the ones that get misunderstood by law enforcement.

Mental Health and Addiction in Missing Persons Cases

Mental health and addiction-related disappearances far outnumber other types.

These cases include:

• Adults struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or schizophrenia
• Teens facing self-harm, suicidal, or emotional breakdowns
• Active drug or alcohol addiction, moving through shelters, encampments, or transient living
• Elderly persons with Alzheimer’s or dementia
• People released from inpatient mental health or rehab facilities without a proper support system

Why These Cases Get Mishandled by Law Enforcement

Despite the clear prevalence, law enforcement agencies often mishandled is due to assumptions:

• “They’ll come back when they sober up.”
• “They’re mentally unstable, but they’ve done this before.”
• “They’re an adult and have the right to disappear.”

These kinds of statements ignore the reality. Mental illness and addiction reduce a person’s capacity for safe, rational decisions. Disappearing is not always a choice; it is often a symptom. In too many cases, failure to act quickly leads to tragedy.

Our Approach: Urgent, Compassionate, Strategic

We bring urgency and specialized tactics to every mental health or substance-related case:

• We act without waiting
• We use digital forensics, location tracing, shelter outreach, and street-level canvassing to track high-risk individuals
• We partner with family members, caseworkers, and treatment providers.
• When needed, we use K9s, drones, and rapid deployment teams for wilderness or urban searches

Recovery Means More Than Just Finding Them

We see each recovery as a new opportunity, a chance for someone to reconnect with care, rehab, support, or family.

• Re-enter treatment programs
• Rebuild connections with loved ones
• Receive legal or medical advocacy
• Get safe housing or mental health support

When someone is found alive and safe, it is not the end. It is the beginning of a new chapter. That is why we push so hard to find them, regardless of how many times they have been reported missing.

Every Demographic is affected

These cases affect every demographic:

• Teens and young adults in emotional or behavioral health crises
• Middle-aged adults with long-term depression, PTSD, or bipolar disorder
• Veterans suffering from substance abuse and mental trauma
• Seniors with dementia, memory loss, or medication confusion

There is no age limit on needing help. And there is no such thing as too many times when a loved one is missing.