by Judge R. Brent Elliott
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I was among several judges who attended the “Youth Summit” recently held in Trenton. The event was designed to help area youth in foster care transition to independence. It was, to say the least, enlightening.
As of Oct. 1, 2016, the 43rd Judicial Circuit (Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb and Livingston counties) has 186 children placed in the custody of the Missouri Children’s Division. The vast majority of these children has been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect issues.
When a child is removed, there are limited options for placement. The child may be placed in a licensed relative’s home, licensed kinship (unrelated friend) home, or licensed foster care provider. Placement with an unlicensed relative is permitted only by court order and is, generally, very temporary in duration. Licensed providers have undergone significant vetting and training.
Of our 186 children currently in the custody of the Children’s Division, 88 are with licensed foster providers, 60 with relatives, 12 with kinship placements, and 26 with licensed mental health or other special contract services. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of licensed providers, only 83 of our children are placed with residents of the 43rd Circuit. Over 55% of these children (who need our help) have been placed outside this circuit.
The 43rd Circuit currently has only 32 licensed foster homes, 11 kinship, and 20 licensed relative placement homes. (Note: Some of the licensed homes may be counted more than once, depending on the types of licenses they possess. For example, a kinship home may also be a licensed foster home, so they would be counted in both groups.)
Personal Note: I hope you agree the 43rd Circuit is a wonderful place to live and raise our families. We have outstanding communities, schools, churches, and civic organizations fueled by tireless individuals dedicated to preparing our youth for the future. Among these are the selfless individuals who serve as relative, kinship, and foster providers for our children in need. They come from all walks of life. Laborers, retirees, educators, ministers, law enforcement officials, and even a judge are among their ranks. I sincerely hope others will recognize this need and consider becoming placement providers.
If you are interested, please call (816) 649-1414. Look for the next “From the Bench” where I will discuss more issues facing our abused and neglected children.
Editor’s note: Circuit Judge R. Brent Elliott’s “From the Bench” is a series of articles designed to provide the public with a better understanding of the judicial system and changes in the law. Last month he discussed how officials, employees and inmates of the Department of Corrections work with private citizens on the highly successful Puppies for Parole program. Look for future topics to be published in the times ahead.