Operation Open Arms

The mission of Operation Open Arms is to provide a loving, caring, nurturing home environment to children whose mothers are incarcerated. Operation Open Arms provides assistance to foster parents to make placement of foster children successful. Operation Open Arms provides assistance to mothers during incarceration and upon reentry into the community. Our founders, Cathy and Irv Bailey, were approached by the Justice Department about a growing demand across our country, regarding children of mothers who are in prison.   Since 1990, the female prisoner population in the U.S. has more than doubled, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. An estimated 70% of women in state prisons and 59% of women in federal prisons have young children. From 2001 to 2013, the number of incarcerated mothers increased by 122%. The need is great. In July 2003, Operation Open Arms, Inc. was licensed as a private child placing agency by the Kentucky Office of Inspector General. Operation Open Arms, Inc. has remained in positive standing with the Office of Inspector General on a yearly basis.