The Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition has a longstanding relationship with the Missouri Children’s Division. Our agencies collaborate on a day-to-day basis to better serve children and families impacted by foster care in the state. Our staff also sit in on several collaborative committees, including the Kinship Navigation Steering Committee.
Kenya Willis, Senior Director of General Support, participated in conversations at the state level pertaining to rolling out trainings to support upcoming changes in relative licensure. Kenya knew the Coalition was ready to step up to the challenge because of the work already being done by our Families United and Institute for Child Welfare Innovation teams.
Families United works specifically with relatives as they navigate and complete the kinship caregiver licensing process. “In Missouri, this process can be daunting, with background checks, classes, and a home study,” explained Summer Renne, Director of Families United. She continued, “Currently, relatives must also complete licensure in 90 days—compared to four to six months for a non-relative—or the child could be removed from the home. Families United works to ensure this does not happen.” Summer and her team of compassionate Specialists meet families where they are at every step of the way, helping with paperwork, providing training, completing home studies, gathering resources needed for licensure, and providing ongoing support. “The true measure of the program is that in 100% of cases to date, no child has been removed from a relative because of the 90-day timeframe,” said Summer.
Complementary to Families United, the Institute for Child Welfare Innovation, the professional development and training arm of the Coalition, offers training and replication services for child welfare professionals across the country, focusing on this kin-first approach. The Institute has trained professionals in family finding in 35 U.S. states and parts of Canada, challenging the status quo in child welfare across the country and beyond.
“The Institute had the methodology piece, and our Families United team had the implementation piece,” said Kenya. “It made complete sense to combine the expertise of these two teams to put on the Children’s Division trainings. Once we got the go-ahead, we worked closely with Joanna San Paolo, Program Development Specialist Relative Foster Care Licensing, and Melissa Selsor, Senior Program Development Specialist Resource Licensing, Relatives & TFC, from the Children’s Division to develop a strategy and refine our presentations. What we could not have expected was how fast these trainings would take off and just how many professionals would be reached.”
In just four months, from August–November 2025, the Coalition trained 1,000 child welfare professionals in its kin-first philosophy. 21 trainings were held in total, reaching every corner of the state, such as Poplar Bluff, Springfield, Kansas City, Independence, Columbia, and St. Charles. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive. “This is the first time in 17 years that we have done such extensive cross-training,” remarked Lauren Masterson, LMSW, Assistant Deputy Director, Adoption, Subsidy, Foster Care Licensing, ICPC, Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division.
In addition to receiving the training, professionals provided feedback on new state standards for relative licensure. “These new guidelines will break down barriers that prevent relatives from being licensed. We are looking to provide relatives with all the supports they need to have placement stability,” said Kenya. “The kin-first mindset prioritizes to the strength of family and what they are willing to do for each other. At the end of the day, children belong with their families.”