Family Finding For Prevention
The emergency placement period is from the moment a child is removed from the home until the court’s 72-hour protective custody hearing. Previously, the Coalition could not start family finding until the court hearing took place.
However, in 2022, Missouri’s General Assembly passed Senate Bill 683, allowing family finding during the emergency placement period. This three-day jump start is invaluable and can help avoid a child entering foster care. Before Senate Bill 683, the Coalition could not start family finding until the 72-hour court hearing took place.
How Senate Bill 683 Works
The Coalition’s Specialists providing the Senate Bill 683 program are seasoned child welfare professionals. In addition to being experts at family finding, our Specialists are skilled in helping families navigate the child welfare system during this fragile time. Our Specialists are often the first ones alerting relatives that a young person in their family has been removed from the home. We find, time and time again, that relatives are eager to keep the child out of state custody.
Specialists play an essential role at the 72-hour protective custody hearing by providing support and advocacy on behalf of the relatives. They present crucial documentation on viable relative placement options and identify additional family members who are willing to support the child. This ensures that the youth’s best interests are prioritized and family connections are maintained whenever possible.
What Makes It Unique?
The Coalition has an exclusive memorandum of understanding with the State of Missouri, allowing us to provide the Senate Bill 683 program locally. A child’s experience of being removed from their home is traumatic. However, with this program we can help ease trauma by ensuring children are immediately placed within their extended family. We welcome and encourage referrals from the Children’s Division, their contracted foster care management agencies, and court personnel.