Children’s Division Training: Four-part Virtual Series

Tuesday, June 10 – Prevention Programming

Session Overview
This presentation will provide an overview of the prevention programs available within the Children’s Division. This presentation will cover the Primary Prevention, Family-Centered Services and Intensive In-Home Services programs. The intention of the Children’s Division Primary Prevention program is to meet families where they are to reduce risk and connect families to safety networks, community support and resources. Family-Centered Services and Intensive In-Home Services work with families to mitigate safety concerns with the goal of keeping families safely together.

Elaine Casteel
Senior Program Development Specialist
Missouri Children’s Division Prevention Unit, Central Office

Michelle Dixon
Program Development Specialist
Missouri Children’s Division Prevention Unit

Tuesday, June 24 – Safety and Response Programming

Session Overview
This presentation provides an overview of the Missouri Children’s Division Safety Unit, focusing on key elements such as the Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline Unit, the role of investigators and case workers, and the reporting process. Participants will learn how reports are processed, steps to ensure child safety, and strategies for family intervention and stability with an emphasis on newborn crisis assessments. By the end of the session, attendees will clearly understand how the system operates and how they can contribute to protecting Missouri’s children.

Misty Allen
Program Development Specialist, Critical Event Central Office Program Specialist
Children’s Division Quality Assurance Unit, Central Office

Tuesday, July 8 – Temporary Alternative Placement Agreements and Team Decision Making Meetings Programming

Session Overview
This presentation will provide an overview of the Temporary Alternative Placement Agreements process and Team Decision Making®(TDM™) program within the Children’s Division. Pursuant to Section 21.0123 RSMo and 13 CSR 35-30.030, a TAPA is a voluntary agreement between the Children’s Division, a relative of the child, and the parent or guardian of the child to provide a temporary, out-of-home placement for a child to provide time and opportunity to address and mitigate safety concerns with the goal of preventing removal of the child into protective custody. Team Decision Making®(TDM™) meetings are important for child safety and discussing a family’s strengths and challenges. Families and team members work together to find solutions, using parents’ expertise with a goal to make the best decision possible that keeps the child safe. Join us to learn how these programs create better outcomes for the children and families.

Elaine Casteel
Senior Program Development Specialist
Missouri Children’s Division Prevention Unit, Central Office

Tuesday, July 22 – Alternative Care Programming

Session Overview
This presentation will provide an overview of the Children’s Division’s Alternative Care program and processes beginning with a child entering foster care through exit to permanency. This presentation is a great opportunity to learn more about the role of Alternative Care and the important role of Family Support Team members.

Crystal Wenger
Senior Program Development Specialist
Missouri Children’s Division Permanency Unit

Desiree Gardner
Senior Program Development Specialist
Missouri Children’s Division Permanency Unit

Misty Allen has been with the Missouri Children’s Division for 20 years. Allen is a program development specialist in the Central Office Prevention and Safety Unit. She oversees the newborn crisis assessments and is the critical event central office program specialist. She has experience in all program lines with the Children’s Division. She spent 12 years as a front-line worker in Saline County. Allen was an investigator, subsidy worker, resource worker, service worker and a worker III before transitioning to a regional worker IV for juvenile assessment reports. Prior to becoming a program development specialist, she was a part of the Children’s Division Quality Assurance Unit for five years. Allen is currently working toward her Master of Social Work through the University of Missouri.

Elaine Casteel is a senior program development specialist with the Missouri Children’s Division Prevention Unit. She has a wide range of experience within the Children’s Division and in project management. During her career with the Children’s Division, Casteel has worked as a front-line team member, supervisor and specialist within the circuit before transitioning to her current position in the Central Office. Casteel oversees a variety of prevention programs, contracts and initiatives. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri.

Michelle Dixon is a program development specialist within the Missouri Children’s Division, working specifically in the Prevention Unit. Dixon has been with the Children’s Division for 15 years and has worked in a variety of program lines during her time with the agency. Within the Prevention Unit, she works specifically with front-line staff on the implementation and continued work in communities around prevention and support for families who may be in crisis.

Desiree Gardner is a senior program development specialist in the Permanency Unit for the Missouri Children’s Division. Gardner has been with the Children’s Division for 10 years. She started off her career as an alternative care case manager. Later, she worked for the Circuit Assistance Team first as a children’s service worker, later transitioning to the supervisor for the Circuit Assistance Team. That team assisted all counties in northeast Missouri as requested with urgent needs by helping with alternative care responsibilities, hotline reports, training, and legal guardianship and adoption subsidy contracts. In her current role, she writes policy for a variety of topics regarding children and youth in foster care, serves as the liaison for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and partners with Division leadership and other invested parties to support and ensure the well-being of children and youth in the Children’s Division custody.

Crystal Wenger is a senior program development specialist in the Permanency Unit for the Missouri Children’s Division. Wenger has been with the Children’s Division for 18 years. Through her time with the Division, she has worked as an investigator, Family-Centered Services case manager, Alternative Care case manager, regional specialist and now helps maintain and strengthen the Alternative Care practice in Missouri. She writes Alternative Care policy, leads projects, and provides training to enhance process flow and quality service delivery to children and families.

Please note that your registration request will be submitted to the organizer for approval. Upon approval, instructional materials will be sent to the email address indicated on the registration form.

If you have special needs addressed by the Americans With Disabilities Act, please contact the Missouri Hospital Association.

MHA Health Institute
P.O. Box 60
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: 573-893-3700
Fax: 573-893-2809

MHA reserves the right to cancel this event due to low enrollment, public health concerns, natural disasters or unforeseen weather conditions, or any circumstance that makes it illegal, impossible or commercially impracticable for the event to be held. In the unlikely event this occurs, a full refund for any registration costs will be provided. MHA is not responsible for nonrefundable items such as airfare, hotel or other travel costs.

Contact the event planner with any questions.