JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) provided an update on the state welfare programs to House and Senate lawmakers on Tuesday. Regaining the trust of the public is at the top of their list.

Ever since Bob Anderson took over MDHS as executive director, he adopted a name for his tenure: Operation Restore Trust.

In the aftermath and amidst the ongoing investigations into the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) scandal, Anderson said the department is getting closer to achieving this goal. He flipped through a slide show during a joint Public Health Committee meeting and explained the ins and outs of how the agency is focused on providing for Mississippi’s need population.

“We’re in the helping business. You know, we, our purpose is to bring hope to families who are in need. And that’s what we do,” he said.

Anderson also came with a few asks of the Legislature, most notably one for funding the modernization of the department’s antiquated computer system. Up to date computer systems were not the only thing MDHS was lacking. The first hire Anderson made once appointed executive director was a compliance officer.

“When I came on board as executive director, I asked, ‘Where is our compliance officer?’ And the response I got was, ‘We don’t have one.’ We had to restore the public’s trust that we could do business properly, accountably, and in accordance in the law. I think we have made that transition, I think the public is beginning to trust us again,” he said.

As MDHS continues to redefine itself in this post-John Davis era, one lawmaker is confident they’re on the right track.

“With the history from before, I think trust is the key. I think we not only need trust, we need accountability. I think they are moving in the right direction, and what I’m trying to find is a way where we can hopefully get some benefit out of those dollars that are appropriate without that fear of something, you know, maybe looking inappropriate,” said State Sen. David Parker (R-District 2).

Anderson did recognize some challenged the office still faces, including staffing issues in satellite offices throughout the state.