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For Immediate Release:
June 19, 2007
Contact: Sara Anderson
(573) 751-4815
Jefferson City - The Children's Division announced today that the 4th Circuit office of the Department of Social Services' Children's Division has met the standards for accreditation by the Council on Accreditation (COA). The 4th Circuit covers Atchison, Holt, Nodaway, Gentry and Worth counties. The 4th Circuit joins the state's Central Administration, Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, 32nd, 33rd, 34th and 11th Circuits which have met accreditation standards since the onsite review process began last spring.
"I want to congratulate staff in the 4th Circuit for their hard work and tremendous dedication to reach these national, best practice standards,” said Paula Neese, Children’s Division Director. “The 4th Circuit joins a growing list of Circuit offices that are setting a great example for the remaining Circuits in the Children’s Division.”
The COA is an international, independent, not-for-profit accrediting body that accredits behavioral health care and social service programs. Its rigorous accrediting process reviews all aspects of an organization and evaluates them based on national standards of best practices.
A panel of reviewers from various states found the 4th Circuit to be in compliance with each of the major categories for the 832 standards with which an agency must comply to be accredited. The local offices had to meet service standards in adoption services, foster and kinship care services, child protection services and family-centered casework as well as organization and management standards in general areas such as ethical practice, financial management, behavioral management and organizational integrity.
Children's Division Director Paula Neese said, “Each local jurisdiction will go through a similar process of strengthening their practices; the goal is for the entire system to be accredited. Accreditation is making us a stronger, more professional organization to meet the incredible demands placed on the child welfare system as we work with communities in the fight to protect Missouri's children. This is making us a stronger, better child welfare organization.”
Gov. Blunt has supported the accreditation plan which began in 2004 when then House Speaker Catherine Hanaway sponsored a landmark children's services reform bill including accreditation for the Children's Division.
The state's accreditation plan spans a five year period. The state’s remaining circuits will be evaluated circuit by circuit over the next few years. The state's child protection system is organized around Missouri's 45 judicial circuits.
