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Our vision is for all children to be
treated with kindness, dignity and respect.
Missouri KidsFirst empowers adults to protect children from abuse and neglect through community education, professional training, and child advocacy.
SAFE-CARE
Missouri KidsFirst manages the SAFE-CARE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination-Child Abuse Resource and Education) network. SAFE-CARE is Missouri’s medical response to child abuse.
PREVENTION
Although we would like to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever occurring, we believe that adults must also be educated and empowered to recognize and react responsibly to child abuse.
POLICY
Missouri KidsFirst advocates in the Missouri General Assembly for policies and statewide funding for programs that protect and prioritize the safety and well-being of children.
MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING
Missouri KidsFirst manages Missouri’s Child Abuse and Neglect, Mandated Reporter Training (free and online). We also provide in person mandated training to organizations for a fee.
Check us out on Facebook
Yesterday, the House Committee on Children and Families heard HB 557/560, to be known as the Residential Care Facility Notification Act. This legislation is Missouri KidsFirst's top priority this session and we are incredibly proud to work with Reps. Rudy Veit & Keri Ingle on this bill which #moleg must pass this year. It's time. In fact, it's long overdue.
Lack of oversight of unlicensed youth residential facilities in Missouri has been an issue of concern for decades. So many brave individuals traveled from all over the country to speak at yesterday's hearing to share their stories of the horrors and trauma experienced at these facilities in Missouri or at facilities that were run out of other states due to abuse and neglect where they found refuge here. Yesterday's hearing was powerful.
By strengthening our laws to provide minimum protections for children living in unlicensed residential facilities, HB 557/560 helps to keep kids in Missouri safe from abuse and to ensure predators are not shielded due to lack of oversight. Without these protections, programs that engage in abusive practices will continue to slip through the cracks in Missouri, leaving behind traumatized children. We need to ensure our state is no longer a haven for people who harm children.
Lack of oversight of unlicensed youth residential facilities in Missouri has been an issue of concern for decades. So many brave individuals traveled from all over the country to speak at yesterday's hearing to share their stories of the horrors and trauma experienced at these facilities in Missouri or at facilities that were run out of other states due to abuse and neglect where they found refuge here. Yesterday's hearing was powerful.
By strengthening our laws to provide minimum protections for children living in unlicensed residential facilities, HB 557/560 helps to keep kids in Missouri safe from abuse and to ensure predators are not shielded due to lack of oversight. Without these protections, programs that engage in abusive practices will continue to slip through the cracks in Missouri, leaving behind traumatized children. We need to ensure our state is no longer a haven for people who harm children.
‘We are essentially describing torture.’ An emotional hearing on MO reform school abuse
Former students and one parent traveled from across the country to testify for a bill that would for the first time give Missouri some oversight of faith-based reform schools.
kansascity.com
Missouri KidsFirst is pleased to announced that we have been rechartered as the Missouri Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America.
Learn more:
https://preventchildabuse.org/latest-activity/announcing-ten-newly-re-chartered-chapters/
Learn more:
https://preventchildabuse.org/latest-activity/announcing-ten-newly-re-chartered-chapters/
Experiencing violence as a teen can harm development and increase the chance of health problems in adulthood. Teens, parents, families, communities, and schools all play a role in preventing violence. Learn more from the CDC's Vital Signs: go.usa.gov/xAMYj
Violence Impacts Teen’s Lives
Teens, parents, families, communities, and schools all play a role in preventing violence.
cdc.gov
A new Missouri law requires school districts to provide trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate sexual abuse training, minimally for grades 6 through 12. (Section 170.045, RSMo)
Missouri KidsFirst and the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children worked with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop guidance and training materials for districts and communities to help with implementation.
Check out our January newsletter: https://conta.cc/3okCE7o
Learn more: https://www.missourikidsfirst.org/our-work/school-based-education/
Missouri KidsFirst and the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children worked with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop guidance and training materials for districts and communities to help with implementation.
Check out our January newsletter: https://conta.cc/3okCE7o
Learn more: https://www.missourikidsfirst.org/our-work/school-based-education/
Missouri lawmakers returned to Jefferson City on Wednesday, January 6 for the start of the First Regular session of the 101st General Assembly. To date, over 1,100 bills have been filed.
Check out our 2021 legislative priorities, which include protecting crucial funding for children, the Child Residential Home Notification Act and more. #moleg
https://conta.cc/38ttCQT
Check out our 2021 legislative priorities, which include protecting crucial funding for children, the Child Residential Home Notification Act and more. #moleg
https://conta.cc/38ttCQT
Check us out on Twitter
21 hours ago
House Bill 557/560 passes unanimously through the House Committee on Children and Families bringing #moleg one step closer to protecting children in unlicensed residential youth facilities and ensuring perpetrators are not shielded due to lack of oversight. https://t.co/sVxRehF2v1 https://t.co/ZxmLbV5QJ6
House Bill 557/560 passes unanimously through the House Committee on Children and Families bringing #moleg one step closer to protecting children in unlicensed residential youth facilities and ensuring perpetrators are not shielded due to lack of oversight. https://t.co/sVxRehF2v1 https://t.co/ZxmLbV5QJ6
1 week ago
Great news! Thanks to Reps. Bailey and Mackey for sponsoring this legislation and to @MissouriMODE for their leadership. This bill improves protections for children from the trauma and abuse that can come from the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. https://t.co/jWvRPcdno7
Great news! Thanks to Reps. Bailey and Mackey for sponsoring this legislation and to @MissouriMODE for their leadership. This bill improves protections for children from the trauma and abuse that can come from the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. https://t.co/jWvRPcdno7
2 weeks ago
Yesterday, the House Committee on Children and Families heard HB 557/560, the Residential Care Facility Notification Act. This is Missouri KidsFirst's top priority this session and we are proud to work with @VeitRudy & @RepKeriIngle on this bill. #moleg https://t.co/OsSCWMrPhT
Yesterday, the House Committee on Children and Families heard HB 557/560, the Residential Care Facility Notification Act. This is Missouri KidsFirst's top priority this session and we are proud to work with @VeitRudy & @RepKeriIngle on this bill. #moleg https://t.co/OsSCWMrPhT
2 weeks ago
This morning, Missouri lawmakers are discussing the need to implement oversight of religious boarding schools. Rep. Keri Ingle said she’s heard from many former students who said they suffered at these schools. “Faith can not be used to abuse and neglect children.” https://t.co/ox7r4jBV85
This morning, Missouri lawmakers are discussing the need to implement oversight of religious boarding schools. Rep. Keri Ingle said she’s heard from many former students who said they suffered at these schools. “Faith can not be used to abuse and neglect children.” https://t.co/ox7r4jBV85
2 weeks ago
PCA America announced today that 10 state chapters successfully completed the organization’s chartering process, extending efforts to ensure the safe, stable & nurturing relationships/environments that enable children, families & communities to thrive. https://t.co/ZmSkZUWirN https://t.co/lH7E8eztcQ
PCA America announced today that 10 state chapters successfully completed the organization’s chartering process, extending efforts to ensure the safe, stable & nurturing relationships/environments that enable children, families & communities to thrive. https://t.co/ZmSkZUWirN https://t.co/lH7E8eztcQ
3 weeks ago
FUNDING AWARDED: For the first time in #MOCTF history, nearly $1.7 million awarded specifically toward Child Sexual Abuse #prevention. Learn more > https://t.co/x8b4IWeaR9 @CDCgov @MOCSAkc @TheChildCenter https://t.co/R9kHP2cvPN
FUNDING AWARDED: For the first time in #MOCTF history, nearly $1.7 million awarded specifically toward Child Sexual Abuse #prevention. Learn more > https://t.co/x8b4IWeaR9 @CDCgov @MOCSAkc @TheChildCenter https://t.co/R9kHP2cvPN
OUR STORY
Missouri KidsFirst primarily leads and supports communities in abuse prevention, provides training to multi-disciplinary team members engaged in child protection, and advocates public policies that address and prevent child abuse.
