All things must come to an end...and with that, what better way to send our host, Darrell, off to his next great adventure but a podcast? In this episode, Darrell shares his hopes for the future of Children's Division and reminds us of the 10 Directives. In true Darrell fashion, prepare yourself for heartfelt words, stories, and an emotional goodby…

This month we met with Alison Jacobson, the current CEO of First Candle. As a SIDS mom, Alison knows the pain of losing an infant to a sleep-related death firsthand. Also joining us for this conversation was Haylee Musso and Misty Allen from our DSS team. While we cover trend data, experience and other great information, the whole podcast boils dow…

Listen in on a conversation with the Founder and current CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Monica Kelsey. Safe Haven Baby Boxes' (SHBB) mission is to prevent the illegal abandonment of newborns through education, raising awareness of the safe haven law, and offering the only anonymous option, the Baby Box. Monica talks about how the organization got st…

Ashton Kever hosts this episode with guests Julie Starr and JoDene Bogart. Learn all about the findings of the CFSR and how they are implemented in the Program Improvement Plan (PIP), how that plan is used to make improvements in practice, and a few actionable tips for you to start tweaking your work to better serve the children and families of Mis…

The fight for children starts July 4, 2024. In this bonus episode of the We Are Children's Division Podcast, our hosts are joined by Shasta Miller and Jessica Huckstep, the hosts of the Call to Foster Podcast, and Rebekah Weigel, Writer and Producer of "SOUND OF HOPE: The Story of Possum Trot". Hear from Rebekah about the writing process, the chara…

This month, Darrell and Ashton sit down with Crystal Wenger and Katie Murphy. Katie is a parent who successfully reunified with her children. In this episode, she shares her story of overcoming addiction and hard times in order to become the parent her children needed. You'll also hear from Crystal about what Children's Division is working on to cr…

Ana and "T" share a bit about their stories and the impact foster care has had on their lives. These young adults are passionate and articulate in sharing their advice to those working in the child welfare space. They also talk with Darrell and Rene Brinkman about Child Advocacy Day 2024.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

In this episode, you'll hear from the dedicated Primary Prevention Team at Children's Division. They discuss how they all got started with the division, where their interest sparked in prevention work, and what's going on now with the quickly growing and evolving world of prevention in the division.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

In this episode, Darrell and the Deputies react to the portrayal of Child Welfare/Social Workers in the movies! Listen along as they talk about the stereotypes and situations shown in King Richard, Lilo and Stitch, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Instant Family. If you haven't watched these movies, you can find the clips being referenced below. DISCLAIMER: We …

Listen along as Darrell has a conversation with Director Robert Knodell, CFO Pat Luebbering, and Legislative Director Ryan Conway. These four department leaders sit down to discuss what team members can expect this legislative season along with expressing their appreciation to team members for their continued work in empowering Missourians.…

Darrell, Danielle, and Ashton speak with Rachel Jones from the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) in this episode. Hear what DMH does for families and how the work they do overlaps with Children's Division's work. Learn how you can get involved and enjoy Rachel's passion as she discusses her big dreams for the future of our work together.…

Listen along as Darrell and Ashton have a conversation with Vickie Stoneberger and a couple of our partners at the Missouri Baptist Children's Home, David Burch and George Fulgham. These passionate gentlemen share how they got involved with charitable work and ministry, the ways they work with Children's Division to support the families and childre…

For National Adoption Month, Deputy Director of Permanency, Angie Swarnes, Vickie Stoneberger and Ashton Kever sit down with representatives from our Family Resource Centers. Lori Ross (FosterAdopt Connect), Heather Craig (Foster Adoptive Care Coalition), and Deanna Alonso (Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association) all share their pers…

It's here! The last of the intro podcasts from this season. We are thrilled to be able to give you this opportunity to learn about the executive leadership team in the metro areas. Hear about how they came to CD, their regions, what their goals and vision are, and what keeps them invested in their work.…

With a combined experience of over 50 years with DSS, Lisa and Pam share their passion for the wellbeing of Missouri's children and families. Learn how they got their start with Children's Division, where their passions have lead them, what their visions are for the future of their region, and why they come to work every day. Get to know these two …

October is Safe Sleep Month! In 2021, of the 102 infants who died from non-medical causes, 81 percent were related to the infant’s sleep environment. Another way to look at it, is that we are losing one infant every four days to deaths that could have been easily prevented. We sat down with Liz Tietsort and Haylee Musso and chatted about safe sleep…

Join us for this great conversation with Miss Black Missouri, USA, Eugenia Wallace, about her experience in the foster care system. She tells her story and shares how it has impacted her life and mission in adulthood. She is passionate about empowering foster youth to go to college and follow their dreams and helps them navigate the system. Eugenia…

In this episode, we catch up with DSS Director Robert Knodell and Division Director of Financial and Administrative Services Pat Luebbering about the outcome of the 2023 Legislative Session. It goes without saying that Children's Division has a lot of heart - these leaders tout that heart and determination and even discuss goals for the next legisl…

With a combined experience of over 52 years with DSS, Chris and Kyle share a wealth of passion and knowledge for the wellbeing of Missouri's children and families. Hear about how they got their start with Children's Division, where their passions have lead them, what their visions are for the future of their region, and why they come to work every …

Meet Tiffany Moore, CD Deputy Director of Operations and Administration. Tiffany has been with the division for over 19 years and worked in many different roles. She has a passion for keeping families safely together and supporting her fellow teammates.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

Get to know Children's Division's Deputy Director of Prevention and Response, Danielle Corley. Listen as she talks about her career, interests, experience, vision, and passion for protecting Missouri's most vulnerable population.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

For National Foster Care Month, Director Missey is joined by Lauren Masterson, CD's Foster Care expert, and the hosts of CD's other popular podcast, The Call to Foster, Shasta Miller and Jessica Huckstep. Prior to this recording, the team sat in on an interview with a foster parent in Missouri for The Call to Foster Podcast (episode to be released …

In this episode of the We are Children's Division podcast, Director Missey and Deputy Director Corley is joined by a group of passionate Children's Division team members to include Haylee Musso, Liz Teitsort, and Elaine Casteel. Also participating in this conversation is Denise Cross of the Missouri Coalition for Children. This team covers all thin…

In this episode, Darrell introduces Deputy Director of Permanency, Angie Swarnes. Learn about her career, her passion, and her experience at Child Advocacy Day. Angie is incredibly passionate and driven to make Missouri a better place for families and children in care. The passion and dedication in Angie's voice is undeniable.…

Join Director Missey in this episode of the We are Children's Division podcast, where he interviews Tony Scott from the Federal Children's Bureau, Dennis Alford, a Children's Bureau Contractor who focuses on the process work in the CFSR, and JoDene Bogart, the Missouri Children's Division's CFSR lead. Learn the ins and outs of the CFSR, the process…

In Season 2 Episode 2 of the We Are CD podcast, Director Darrell Missey talks with Acting Director Knodell and Pat Luebbering about this year's legislative session, how its going, and the potential impact it could have on our overall mission as a division and department.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

Join your hosts as they talk with Misty Allen and Agent Daniel Root of the FBI about human trafficking and what Children's Division is doing and can do to prevent it.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

In Episode 10 of the We Are CD podcast, Darrell and Teri talk with Vickie Stoneberger about Adoption. The team shares their personal connections to adoption and learns more about the services Missouri offers to adoptive parents and the process from start to finish. Vickie also discusses the process for case workers to place a child on valuable webs…

Join Children's Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey, Joan Rogers, Sara Smith, and special guests Misty Allen, Liz Tietsort, and Kara Wilcox as they discuss the ABC's to safe sleep and how we can all ensure that zero babies die from sleep related deaths. October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month - be sure to follow DSS on Faceb…

Bill Bott joins the CD leadership team to Check-in on progress that has been made since the launch of the CCU.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

Join Children's Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey, Teri Armistead, Joan Rogers, and Sara Smith as they discuss a legislative update with special guest Scott Montgomery.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

Join Children's Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey and Deputy Directors Teri Armistead, Joan Rogers, and Sara Smith, along with special guest Lauren Hall as they discuss and explain the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), and how it can help Missouri families.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

Join Children's Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey, Teri Armistead, Joan Rogers, and Sara Smith as they discuss Director Missey's directive, 'Embracing the Probate Code'. Director Missey is currently traveling around the state talking with team members and presenting his vision for change, which includes his '10 directives'.…

Join Children's Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey, Teri Armistead, Joan Rogers, and Sara Smith as they discuss Foster Care Month and more specifically, explore this year's national theme, "Relative and Kin Connections: Keeping Families Strong." Program Manager for Foster Care, Lauren Masterson is this month's guest host.…

Join Children's Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey, Teri Armistead, Joan Rogers, and Sara Smith as they discuss all things Child Abuse Prevention Month with Haylee Musso from the State Technical Assistance Team and Liz Tietsort from the Prevention & Safety Unit. Along with the hosts, Haylee and Liz touch on what we can do to pre…

Join Children’s Division Leadership, including Director Darrell Missey, Teri Armistead, Joanie Rogers, and Sara Smith as they continue the discussion surrounding the capacity crisis, and how the division is working to streamline retention efforts.Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services

Join Children's Division Leadership, including New Director Darrell Missey, Joan Rogers, and Sara Smith as they discuss how to resolve capacity issues within the division with Bill Bott from Change & Innovation Agency, which strives to help agencies "increase capacity so they can do more good."Oleh The Missouri Department of Social Services