Background and History
Missouri Prevention Partners (MPP) is a collaboration of statewide public and private nonprofit organizations that all have an interest in and statewide perspective of child abuse and its prevention.
The group began organizing in 2006, and through quarterly meetings, established its vision, mission, by-laws and guiding principles. A strategic plan was developed to define the agenda and priorities for child abuse prevention in Missouri. MPP Informational Flier (PDF)
Vision
Missouri places families and children first so they thrive at home and in their community.
Mission
The Missouri Prevention Partners provide leadership to reduce child abuse and neglect by strengthening families and communities.
Guiding Principals
- Every child should be safe, nurtured and supported in their family; every family should be safe, nurtured and supported in their community.
- Diverse family structures, values and cultures shall be honored and respected.
- Children and families benefit most from long-term commitment and investment in outcome-oriented and evidenced-based prevention strategies.
- Every caregiver, family and community should have access to resources to strengthen families.
- All systems at all levels should be accountable to the families, children and communities they serve.
- Everyone should take responsibility and be engaged in efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect.
- Every child and family benefits from collaborative approaches and coordinated services that incorporate partnerships among public and private agencies.
- All families have strengths and benefit from strength-based practices.
- Diverse cultural representation and participation is highly valued and actively sought in all Missouri Prevention Partners efforts and activities.
Goals
- Administration & Leadership – Create an infrastructure to enhance and support child abuse prevention in Missouri.
- Public Education & Outreach – Increase public awareness and involvement in child abuse prevention efforts in Missouri.
- Prevention Programming – Promote the identification and use of evidence-based practices and promising approaches.
- Resource Development -Develop flexible and sustainable funding mechanisms.
- Influencing Policy & Legislation – Advocate for policy and legislative changes to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Members
- ACT Missouri
- Child Care Aware of Missouri
- Children’s Trust Fund (CTF)
- Department of Corrections (DOC)
- Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE)
- Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
- Department of Mental Health (DMH)
- Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Department of Social Services (DSS) – Children’s Division (CD), State Technical Assistance Team (STAT)
- Family & Community Trust (FACT)/Missouri Kids First
- Kansas City Child Abuse Roundtable Coalition
- Missouri After School Network
- Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MO-AAP)
- Missouri Coalition of Children’s Agencies (MCCA)
- Missouri Community Action Network (MO CAN)
- Missouri Head Start – State Collaboration Office
- Missouri Juvenile Justice Association (MJJA)
- Missouri KidsFirst/Prevent Child Abuse Missouri (PCAM)
- Office of Child Advocate (OCA)
- ParentLink
- St. Louis Area Council on Child Abuse/Neglect
- St. Louis Family & Community Partnership