The Department of Social Services announced on Wednesday that it was reverting to pre-pandemic support for child care. The announcement may force child care providers to stop offering services to working families receiving benefits under the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program, loosen compliance with CDC-recommended health and safety guidelines or some combination of
As of July 1, Missouri had access to more than $100 million in its annual allocation of federal Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding. Additionally, through June, the state has spent $13.7-17.9 million of the $66.5 million dollars it received in CARES Act CCDBG funding, leaving $48.6-52.8 million in pandemic relief available to support
After more than 30 years helping at-risk youth and their families, I’ve seen how Medicaid can help Missourians access the mental health and addiction services and care they need. Fortunately, on August 4th, we all have the opportunity to save lives and strengthen families by expanding Medicaid and bringing Missouri tax dollars back to our
My name is Cortaiga Collins and I am a Missouri childcare provider. When I first entered the profession, I simply wanted to provide a safe place for mothers to leave their children. I had so many traumatic experiences in my pursuit of quality child care, I wanted to spare other mothers from similar occurrences. As
At Kids Win Missouri, our vision is a Missouri where all children have the opportunity to be happy, healthy, and successful. With this in mind, we are proud to give our endorsement to the Yes on 2 campaign and urge Missouri voters to approve Medicaid Expansion on the ballot on August 4. Since Missouri will
When schools in Missouri closed due to COVID-19, homes across the state quickly transformed into classrooms, kitchens turned into cafeterias, and backyards became playgrounds. Unfortunately, it also meant many children lost crucial access to school meals, and families were left to cover the costs on already tight grocery budgets. Luckily, families in Missouri now have
Our team has been heartbroken and distressed with the people of Missouri and across America watching the events of the last few weeks unfold. Witnessing the murder of George Floyd ignited a pain in all of us, but especially our communities of color, as it was another atrocity in a long history of violence, injustice
The 2020 legislative session was certainly unique, but with the help of our allies, we secured some legislative victories for kids and families amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work to build and expand relationships in the Capitol with partners and allies continued, building champions in the legislature for the child well-being issues we work on,
With the presence of COVID-19 cases in the state, pediatric and family medical offices have implemented protocols to ensure children and families stay safe, while receiving routine well care.We encourage all patients to call their local clinic to discuss if an in-person visit is needed, should be delayed, or switched to a telehealth visit. Due
In times of instability and stress, the risk of child abuse and neglect increases. Yet as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the state, reports to the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS)’s Child Abuse and Neglect hotline declined dramatically. In the first two weeks of closures, DSS announced a 50% drop in hotline calls. As
