Child Abuse

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children)

CASA volunteers help a child’s voice be heard in court. They are lay volunteers who act as advocates on behalf of the best interest of abused and neglected children.

CASA volunteers help nearly 700 children served each year under the jurisdiction of the Jackson County Family Court who are protected from further abuse and neglect. CASA volunteers also help Judges make difficult decisions, including determining the child’s immediate living situation, planned permanent placement and services needed. The entire community benefits in the long term as children who are given a better life will grow into happier, healthier and more productive adults who provide positive care and support for their children, rather than continue the cycle of abuse.

Kansas City Metropolitan CASA
8:30am to 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday
625 E. 26th St.
Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-842-CASA (842-2272)
http://www.standkc.org/

Child Abuse Hotline

The Children’s Division Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline Unit accepts confidential reports of suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Members of certain occupational groups, such as teachers, social workers, and physicians, are mandated by law to make reports to the Hotline. Any person may report, and anonymous reports are accepted from individuals who are not mandated by occupation to report. Effective August 28, 2004, Missouri law requires Mandated Reporters to identify themselves when making a report in Missouri.

Missouri: 1-800-392-3738
Kansas: 1-800-922-5330
National: 1-800-422-4453

Child Abuse Prevention Association

Programs&Services
The Child Abuse Prevention Association – CAPA offers three levels of programming designed to prevent child abuse. Our programming is based on a continuum and provides a variety of services.

Level 1 – Education
Primary prevention programs directed toward the community to stop child abuse before it occurs.

Level 2 – Family Support Services
Secondary prevention programs for families with significant needs designed to alleviate conditions associated with child abuse.

Level 3 – Counseling
Tertiary prevention programs for adults and children who have experienced child abuse designed to decrease consequences and prevent its recurrence.

Child Abuse Prevention Association – CAPA
503 E. 23rd Street
Independence, M0 64055
816-252-8388
http://www.childabuseprevention.org

Missouri Children’s Division (DFS)

Missouri’s Children’s Division aims to partner with families, communities and government to protect children from abuse and neglect, while assuring safety, permanency and well-being for Missouri’s children. The Children’s Division offers several levels of foster care.

Traditional Foster Care
A foster family agrees to accept children into their home specific to their licensing preferences.

Medical Foster Care
Foster parents are required to obtain all necessary medical training required to care for these children. They are required to schedule medical appointments and make arrangements to transport the children to and from all medical appointments. Medical foster parents are also expected to participate in periodic reviews of the Child’s need for this level of care.

Emergency Home
Agree to accept children at any hour of the day, 7 days a week and maintain space within their licensed capacity.

Respite Care
Foster parent provides a 24-hour period of care, not to exceed 12 per year.

Individualized Care
Therapeutic family-based foster home. One parent will be available 24 hours a day and cannot be employed outside the home. Designed to divert children from psychiatric hospitals and residential placements. Children will be SED (severely emotionally disturbed).

Missouri Children’s Division (DFS)
816-889-2595
http://www.kcchildren.com

MOCSA

The Metropolitan Organization to Combat Sexual Abuse has been an advocate for better treatment of sexual assault victims as they move through the medical, law enforcement, judicial, and social service systems. MOCSA serves the Kansas City metropolitan area including Jackson, Clay, Cass and Platte Counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas.

MOCSA Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program
Spanish services available
For child victims, adult survivors of child sexual abuse, family members and adolescent and adult offenders, MOCSA offers hope and help. Whole families can be evaluated, and individual, group, and family therapy are provided to assist victims and family members recover from the abuse. Families are aided in the process of working with other community agencies, such as Division of Family Services and the Family Courts, to achieve the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

For more information on this program, please call
(816) 931-4527.

MOCSA 24-Hour Crisis Line
A bi-state 24-hour anonymous hotline is answered by MOCSA staff and trained volunteers to provide crisis intervention, information and referral services to victims of sexual assault and abuse, as well as their significant others. Callers in need of immediate medical attention can arrange to have an advocate meet them at a hospital in the metropolitan area. Trained advocates provide support and assistance during the ensuing medical evidence collection and reporting process 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more information on MOCSA’s crisis line, please call
816-531-0233 or 913-642-0233.

MOCSA Advocacy Services
MOCSA provides hospital, police and court advocacy free of charge to victims of sexual assault.

For more information on this service, please call our support line at
816-531-0233 or 913-642-0233.

The Metropolitan Organization to Counteract Sexual Assault
3100 Broadway
Suite 400
Kansas City, MO 64111
http://www.mocsa.org

Parents Anonymous of Missouri

The purpose of Parents Anonymous is to prevent child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency by strengthening families through self-help programs. Parents Anonymous provides consultation, training, and technical assistance to agencies, policymakers, and parents. Parents Anonymous supports new programs that use a shared leadership approach and promote parent and professional partnerships in all aspects of family strengthening. Parents Anonymous builds on past program activities to provide services to a range of cultural groups (including American Indian, African American, Asian, Latino, and Appalachian families) and to pilot materials designed to expand and enhance its Children’s Program. Support is available to parents, community-based organizations, State and local child welfare agencies, family support centers, schools, early childhood education programs, and juvenile justice organizations, among others.

Parents Anonymous of Kansas City, Missouri
10918 Elm Avenue
Kansas City, Missouri 64134
816-765-6600

Prevent Child Abuse America (Kansas)

Kansas Children’s Service League

Kansas Children’s Service League is a private, not-for-profit agency serving children and families with offices and affiliates throughout Kansas. Founded in 1893, the League provides a continuum of programs and services, advocates for children, and collaborates with other public and private agencies to increase effectiveness and promote efficiency and quality. The League’s services and advocacy efforts focus on keeping children safe, families strong, and communities involved. Kansas Children’s Service League is affiliated with the Kansas Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, which allows for continuation of education and prevention as well as helping kids who need a home. Kansas Children’s Service League is the statewide contractor for adoption services and sponsor for a network of resource family foster homes delivering care and support to some of Kansas’ most vulnerable children.

Kansas Children’s Service League
Main Number: 1-877-530-5275
24 Hr Parent Helpline: 1-800-332-6378

Infant Adoption:
Birth Parents: 1-877-581-5437
Adoptive Parents: 1-877-530-5275

Kansas City, Kansas location:
1220 Troup Ave
Kansas City, KS 66104
913-371-2220

Locations are found throughout the state of Kansas. For locations outside of Kansas City, please call the above number or visit the website:
https://www.kcsl.org

Prevent Child Abuse America (Missouri)

Missouri KidsFirst

Missouri KidsFirst is a statewide network of individuals, programs and organizations committed to protecting Missouri’s Children by improving the response to child victims and ending the cycle of child abuse in our communities. We are dedicated to providing resources, training, support and the public awareness necessary to end child abuse in Missouri.

Services
Each center in Missouri is in compliance with full-membership standards of the National Children’s Alliance, the national organization for Child Advocacy Centers. Missouri’s Child Advocacy Centers meet each of those standards set by the National Children’s Alliance to varying degrees depending on the services available in the communities where the centers are located. Every effort is made by the Center directors to avoid duplication of services in their communities in order to better utilize communityresources and better serve children and families. Standards include:

Forensic Interviews
Videotaped forensic interviews are a key component of the Child Advocacy Center model. The advantages of videotaping the interview include demonstrating the manner in which the child was questioned, capturing the child’s disclosure, capturing the child’s body language and emotion, and reducing the number of times a child has to be interviewed.

Multidisciplinary Team Approach
It is the role of the Child Advocacy Center to facilitate the multidisciplinary team approach to child abuse. By doing so, there is an increase in communication and cases are handled more professionally and expediently.

Medical Examinations
Each Missouri Child Advocacy Center makes Sexual Abuse Forensic Examinations (SAFE) available for children who are in need of them. Exams are provided either onsite at the Center or through referral to a partnering SAFE trained medical provider.

Therapeutic Intervention
Through Child Advocacy Centers, every child victim and their family are ensured that therapeutic services are available to begin the healing process. This is accomplished either through onsite services or referrals to partnering mental health providers in the community.

Victim Advocacy
Every Missouri Child Advocacy Center has a victim advocate on staff to provide support to children and their families throughout the entire criminal justice process and to ensure services are in place.

Case Review and Tracking
Child Advocacy Centers keep cases from “falling through the cracks.”

Child Protection Center
3100 Main Street, Suite 202
Kansas City, Missouri 64111
816-881-1800

Missouri KidsFirst
312 Monroe Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
573-632-4600

Synergy Services

Synergy Services is committed to creating a “safe today” and a “strong tomorrow” for women, children and families by providing child advocacy services, lifelines for families in crisis, outreach to homeless youth, and more.

Children’s Advocacy Center
A child-friendly environment for children to disclose sexual abuse or severe physical abuse. Trained therapists conduct one forensic interview in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies. Therapeutic counseling is also available.

SafePlace
A national program for youth and/or families in crisis situations. Affiliated with area Quik Trip stores, Kansas City Metro buses and business sites displaying the Safe Place sign, the program assists young people needing emergency help, hotline counseling and transportation to shelter. At each SafePlace location trained personnel and volunteers assist youth needing emergency help.

Synergy Services, Inc.
400 East Sixth Street
Parkville, MO 64152
816-587-4100

Brochures are available for download on their website.
http://www.synergyservices.org

The Children’s Mercy Care Clinic

The Children’s Mercy Care Clinic provides medical and psychosocial care for children (infants to young adults) who may have been abused or neglected. Children and their caregivers are provided with objective, holistic care where each individual’s dignity is repected. Our multidisciplinary team includes specialists in Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Psychology, Nursing and Social Work.

The Children’s Mercy Care Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm.

The Children’s Mercy Care Clinic
2401 Gillham Rd.
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
816-234-3424