Our Opinion: Journey fosters coordination among advocates for children

When families are disrupted, the welfare of children takes on a wide gravitational pull that attracts the interests of government, the judiciary, health care, volunteer groups and more.

A key concern is coordinating these varied interests to provide for the needs and development of young people.

Addressing that concern was the purpose of the recent Journey Home Missouri bus tours. All three foster care and adoption resource agencies in the state held bus tours simultaneously. The Cole County tour was sponsored by the Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association (CMFCAA), which spans a 13-county region.

The tours were made possible with the support of Jockey Being Family, a foundation committed to adoption and foster care, according to DeAnna Alonso, executive director of CMCFAA.

In Central Missouri, 200 invitations were sent to representatives of area businesses, volunteer agencies and state legislative assistants.

The four-hour tour featured visits with:

• State Department of Social Services officials and investigators, who determine when children must be removed from dangerous situations in the home.

• The director of Capital City Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which trains volunteers to help children navigate legal proceedings within the court system.

• St. Mary's Hospital medical professionals, who are subject to reporting requirements if they identify evidence of child abuse.

• The juvenile court administrator at the Prenger Family Center, who discussed the need for more foster parents and the goal of creating "forever families."

• Two foster parents, who described their family experiences.

"What I'm reminded of today is working as a community to care for children is a collaborative effort," said Tim Decker, director of the children's division for the state social services agency.

Alonso said the bus tour was a first for Central Missouri and, based on positive feedback, may be held again.

"This community is fantastic," she said. "They really push the needs forward for children."

Through cooperative efforts like the Journey Home Missouri bus tour, the welfare of children is advanced with greater coordination and efficiency.