Barbara,

The organization that I recommend is Project Jason (www.projectjason.org).  A family member will have to contact them.  Kelly Jolkowski is the founder of Project Jason and is the mother of a missing son.  She is one of the highest trained people in the world of the missing and her help and advice is solid.  She well understands the problems associated with having a missing loved one who is an adult.

Unfortunately we see more often than not what appears to be law enforcement's seemingly lack of caring involving adult missing person cases.  In my own case I had little cooperation from my detective yet I had law enforcement across the country reach out to help me.  I call it the luck of the call.  When the detective is assigned you either get someone who totally understands what the families and friends face having a loved one missing or they don't get it at all.  Most have very, very little training in handling adult missing person cases.  They are focused (hopefully) on the missing person and if a crime has or hasn't taken place and don't realize that the missing person and their family is a package deal. Law enforcement has to have something to go on, tips, etc.  I was told by my detective every tip has to be investigated .... what the public doesn't realize is that many times law enforcement is not out seeking tips so the family has to be the ones to be proactive and do their own investigations as you have found out.

I always suggest and did this myself is make mini missing person flyer up on business cards as those can be easier passed out and people can carry them with them to refer to if they think they see a missing person.  Also, use QR codes on all fliers to link back to the flyer or website that the family deems is the official flier and/or site.

Make sure you get the fliers/business cards in all truck stops, rest stops and campgrounds. 

Make sure you share the Facebook link and any website the family has approved of.  If you are running the Facebook site make sure you have the family's permission and that they have the admin rights to delete any comments they find offensive or that could hurt the investigation.  Make sure the detective is given this link.

The family can request another detective or request a meeting with his/her superiors to sit down and discuss the case.  If that is not agreed to by law enforcement then rain down on them from above....everyone answers to someone.  Congressmen can get more done than anyone so make use of that avenue.

Awareness is the key but with awareness comes responsibility.  The crazies will come out of the woodwork.  They will be all nice and sweet when they approach you but are using the cases in hopes of getting reward money or for pure entertainment....both are major time hogs and take the family away from what they should be doing: searching and caring for each other.  If you or the family are not sure of someone ask any of the admins on this site...we have a wealth of experience. 

Have the family get to know their local media.  Many are not allowed to run a story without law enforcement permission but many once they get to know the family will fight to get the story told.  Don't leave out radio stations as they can be a great way of getting the word out.

The family needs to keep as much control as they can ... don't let strangers set up sites or blogs or put the case on so called crime boards without permission from the family and without guidelines dictated by the family.

The family should also not sign an exclusive with anyone or let any org tell them they are not allowed to go to law enforcement without them.  The families own their cases and no one else does. 

Hope some of this helps.

Maureen R.

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Awareness-for-MissingUnidentified-People-and-Crime-Victims/378360945532968

I'm sorry to hear about your missing loved one; I have begun a Facebook page; feel free to not only join this page and share it with other families, victims and advocates but also post there!

Welcome to PEACE4 THEMISSING, Barbara and thank you for adding your voice to this united effort to bring missing people home, to support their families and to work for justice. May your experience here be a great one and may you meet some fine people. Peace. Love. Blessings.