Nov 3, 2021 – Connie Reguli

In 2017, DSS in Missouri was sued for on behalf of 13,000 foster children for being over-exposed to psychotropic medication. Jennifer Tidball was the acting director at the time of the allegations. The lawsuit filed by St. Louis University Legal Clinic said that children has a constitutional right to be free from harm while in state’s care. The action alleged that 30 percent of the children in state care are prescribed psychotropic meds, anti-depressants, mood stabilizers. All eyes were on Mo. DSS for a short period of time.

On October 4, 2021, it was reported 978 children went missing from Mo. DSS foster care. A hearing was set with Mo lawmakers for later that week. A report was released by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. The state does not have policies to identify foster children who may be at risk of running away. The investigation showed that one in three children did not receive any required health and safety checks. A federal report from 2014 requires states receiving federal taxpayer foster care money requires the states to have protocol for locating any missing children and make missing child reports within 24 hours. Notably, the investigators found the case management system creates challenges trying to provide oversight because the system does not differentiate between children who are missing from placement and those who may be in an unauthorized, but known placement.

On October 25, 2021, the

On November 2, 2021, a state government building in the capital city burned down in the wee hours night before. This building housed the information technology services for DSS, that would be presumably all records related to children in custody and foster care.

Mo. DSS has had eight state directors in seven years.