Six months ago, I stepped into this role with hope and humility. I knew the journey ahead would be challenging — leading an agency of roughly 2,000 team members who have experienced the pendulum swinging over the past several years. Having stepped away from Children’s Division for a short period of time, what I didn’t fully grasp was how concerning some of our practices would be, beyond what the data already revealed.

Child welfare is one of the hardest and most vital responsibilities in Missouri. At its core, it is about protecting children, strengthening families, helping children find a forever home, and giving communities the chance to thrive. Instability in leadership, the aftermath of a pandemic, budget cuts that caused layoffs, past Legislative Oversight Committee Hearings, a capac

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