Effective 28 Aug 2014

210.001. Department of social services to meet needs of homeless, dependent and neglected children — only certain regional child assessment centers funded. — 1. The department of social services shall address the needs of homeless, dependent and neglected children in the supervision and custody of the children's division and to their families-in-conflict by:

(1) Serving children and families as a unit in the least restrictive setting available and in close proximity to the family home, consistent with the best interests and special needs of the child;

(2) Insuring that appropriate social services are provided to the family unit both prior to the removal of the child from the home and after family reunification;

(3) Developing and implementing preventive and early intervention social services which have demonstrated the ability to delay or reduce the need for out-of-home placements and ameliorate problems before they become chronic.

2. The department of social services shall fund only regional child assessment centers known as:

(1) The St. Louis City child assessment center;

(2) The St. Louis County child assessment center;

(3) The Jackson County child assessment center;

(4) The Buchanan County child assessment center;

(5) The Greene County child assessment center;

(6) The Boone County child assessment center;

(7) The Joplin child assessment center;

(8) The St. Charles County child assessment center;

(9) The Jefferson County child assessment center;

(10) The Pettis County child assessment center;

(11) The southeast Missouri child assessment center;

(12) The Camden County child assessment center;

(13) The Clay-Platte County child assessment center;

(14) The Lakes Area child assessment center;

(15) The Ozark Foothills child assessment center; and

(16) The North Central Missouri child assessment center;

­­provided the other approved assessment centers included in subdivisions (1) to (14) of this subsection submit to the department of social services a modified funding formula for all approved child assessment centers, which would require no additional state funding.

­­--------

(L. 1987 S.B. 244 § 1, A.L. 1999 S.B. 387, et al., A.L. 2000 H.B. 1677 merged with S.B. 757 & 602, A.L. 2001 S.B. 48, A.L. 2002 S.B. 923, et al., A.L. 2003 H.B. 575, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)