Missouri Children's Division

Incoming Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin said Missouri’s Children’s Division has failed in its core mission and needs to be restructured to protect vulnerable children.

The former Jefferson County judge has served as the leader of the agency investigating child abuse and neglect since 2021.

Starting salaries for Children’s Division investigators are often much lower than those in other governments and the private sector.

Foster kids are being housed in hospitals, people are waiting for months in jail to be transferred to psychiatric facilities, daycares are struggling to remain open and low-income kids are losing Medicaid.

The number of foster kids in custody of the State of Missouri has dwindled to just below 12,000 as of last month, compared to more than 14,000 in 2021.

The Salem Republican recently held a hearing on child welfare issues at a time when Missouri’s Children’s Division has struggled with staff retention and executing key programs.

Missouri child advocates and legislators are alarmed over the sporadic use of a program to steer parents to drug rehabilitation and keep their children out of foster care.

The head of the agency that oversees the Missouri Children’s Division says he wants investigators to treat evidence of fentanyl as an imminent danger to kids.

“The subcommittee identified issues like inadequate case assessments and families declining services, leading to case closures,” a state report states.

The Senate still could include the increase when considering its version of the budget.