News
CTF Board Member Cindy O’Laughlin, first woman elected President Pro Tem in Missouri Senate
Cindy O’Laughlin sworn in as Senate President Pro Tem, highlights support for Missouri children and families —
The Missouri General Assembly convened on January 8, 2025 to mark the beginning of a hopeful legislative session for Missouri kids and families. On January 13, Missouri swore in Governor Mike Kehoe, who served as lieutenant governor under Mike Parson since 2018.
Senator Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) is also making history this session:
“I stand before you today as the first woman to ever be elected president pro tem of the Missouri Senate,” O’Laughlin said during her inaugural speech on Wednesday’s Senate floor.
O’Laughlin outlined lofty goals for the 2025 Legislative Session with a focus on children and families, including an effective child welfare system and high-quality education, and upholding the family values of hard work, responsibility, and dedication, which she says make Missouri great.
“We must support strong, healthy families; maintain access to quality education; ensure safe neighborhoods and set high expectations for the next generation,” O’Laughlin said. “We must remind the next generation of mothers and fathers that they are special, that their goals matter…”
In addition to her role as a Missouri Senator, Cindy O’Laughlin serves on the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund’s Board of
Directors. The Children’s Trust Fund, established in 1983, is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse and neglect prevention. It is a quasi-governmental agency that reaps the benefits and security of being a state agency while holding 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
The Children’s Trust Fund works with state partners and community-based organizations to prevent child abuse. One of those partners is Missouri’s Children’s Division, housed within the larger Department of Social Services. Both Children’s Division and the Department of Social Services will face leadership and appointment changes in 2025.
“Our system must become more compassionate, more hands-on and more local,” O’Laughlin said. “And, more purposeful! Removing children [from their homes] cannot remain our default response to family crisis.”
According to its caseload counter, the Department of Social Services reports that Missouri currently has about 11,300 children in foster care today, a slow but steady decline from its peak of 14,265 in 2021. Of the substantiated abuse reports in 2023, more than 50% of incidents were determined to involve neglect, followed by sexual abuse in 29% of reports and physical abuse in 25% (Child Abuse and Neglect Annual Report Fiscal Year 2023).
“Too often, instead of addressing the root causes of poverty and addiction, we criminalize them,” O’Laughlin said. “As a result, [children] are seized from their families, almost guaranteeing additional trauma and harm… families in turmoil do not need to be raided, they need to be supported…”
The Children’s Trust Fund is excited to work with its Board of Directors, the General Assembly and Children’s Division in 2025 to improve the lives and outcomes of our children.
“These children deserve secure, loving homes whether with foster families, relatives or other kinship support,” O’Laughlin said. “We must not subject innocent children to cycles of harm.”
CTF Family Fun Day
At the end of July, CTF had a day of family fun at the office with a few very special guests — Bashie, Rosie and Baby Rowan.
Bashie, 8, is the youngest son of CTF Program Director, Jeni Sommerfeld.
Bashie is a creative, ingenuitive kid who has been known to enjoy video games, building circuits, and learning magic tricks.
Elisabeth “Rosie,” 11, is the youngest daughter of CTF Executive Director, Emily van Schenkhof.
Rosie is a talented artist with an active imagination. She enjoys drawing and creating art, exploring new places, and baking.
The pair were quick friends. They warmed up to each other with a few activities, including watching Lego Batman, making (and testing out) paper airplanes, and coloring.
A bit later, the pair went on a tour of the Harry S Truman State Office Building. Rosie was full of great ideas for photos and Bashie’s silly side started coming out.
After lunch, the re-energized pair spent some more time in the conference room watching Minions 2, building a fort, and coloring some more. They also put their energy to use by practicing their office etiquette skills.
Later in the afternoon, another small guest stopped by the office to say, “hi” — Baby Rowan!
Baby Rowan is the firstborn son of CTF Administrative Assistant, Nicole Dunmire.
Baby Rowan is the newest member of the CTF family! He enjoys dancing and playing all night, filling his belly all day, and fussing as soon as he gets home from an adventure.
Baby Rowan helped us get some work done and stay on task!
He’s a great colleague and a huge helper!
In fact, Baby Rowan was such a big help that we wanted to return the favor. So, we all helped him out with one of his important daily tasks — TUMMY TIME!
A very special ‘Thank You’ to Rosie, Bashie, and Rowan for such a special, joyful day at CTF!
The Green Bear Project in Southeast Missouri
In early 2024, CTF staff members Bryanna Barber and Jennifer Sommerfeld visited the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMO-NASV) to see the Green Bear Project in action! The Green Bear Project and its companion SAFE Program is a preK-12 school-based sexual abuse prevention program that helps students as early as pre-kindergarten learn what is safe and what to do if something unsafe happens to them. Older youth and high schoolers will learn more about safe dating, dating & domestic violence and what to do if they want to seek help for themselves, a friend or a family member.
Who is Leasa Stone?
Leasa Stone is a nurse, child advocate, and former foster parent. During her time as a foster parent, Leasa cared for about 24 children. She was inspired to start the Green Bear Project in Southeast Missouri around 2000. She says, “There was nothing out there” at that time. “SEMO-NASV had just started in our area, and I didn’t even know about it until I started researching child sexual abuse.”
“So many of my foster children were sexually abused, but not one perpetrator was convicted of the crime. Almost all of those children blamed themselves for being sexually abused, even the younger ones.”
Green Bear’s Inspiration — Baby Tylen
While in Leasa’s care, Tylen required surgery for inner ear issues. Before surgery, Leasa took him to pick out a toy from the store. Among an isle full of stuffed animals, Tylen picked out a plain, light green bear with a big, green bow. He named his new friend Green Bear.
When Tylen and his siblings were re-unified with their biological parents, Green Bear was accidentally left behind. Although his parents promised to return to pick up the rest of the belongings, including Green Bear, it was never done.
In September 2000, 2-year-old Tylen Haneline was tragically killed by his biological parents soon after arriving home from his foster home with Leasa. It wasn’t long after Tylen’s death that Leasa found Green Bear in the back of a closet. She knew something needed to be done.
Why sexual abuse prevention?
“Although Tylen died due to physical abuse, I saw how sexual abuse affected most of my foster children. I was a foster parent for many years before I started The Green Bear Project. During that time, I had approximately 24 foster children. Of those foster children, 20 of them were sexually abused. Only one of the children was placed in care due to sexual abuse; the others were placed in my home for various other abusive situations.”
SEMO-NASV and Green Bear have collaborated with CTF to construct billboards informing parents there is something we agree on and guiding them to our website. I truly believe collaboration is key.
It is not a competition. We should all be working together to help children.
“When adults in our area think of sexual abuse/assault prevention education, they think of SEMO-NASV and The Green Bear Project and feel the topic can be discussed openly, rather than behind closed doors. . . The Green Bear Program was created to teach kids who have been sexually abused that the abuse was not their fault.”
CTF, Board of Directors approve 5 programs for Responsive Funding Opportunity
In Fiscal Year 2024, CTF began a new strategic plan, which acknowledges that we had, perhaps, become too targeted in how we award funding. While we still believe in a targeted funding approach, we realized and received feedback that this approach does not allow us to support innovative ideas or approaches that show promise outside of our targeted areas.
As a result of feedback and discussions, CTF and its Board of Directors are excited to announce the following FY25 Responsive Funding Opportunity Grantees:
- St. Louis Crisis Nursery
- Fathers & Families Support Center
- Community Partnership of Rolla
- Patch of Chillicothe
- Mattie Rhodes Center
Learn more about CTF’s strategic plan in the Fiscal Year 2024 State Plan Letter.
Wins for kids despite a uniquely challenging legislative session
Despite record-breaking filibusters, a record-low number of bills being passed, and zero conference committees (Kids Win Missouri) during the 2024 Legislative Session, there were still wins for kids and families when the session adjourned on May 17. In the FY 2025 budget, the legislature increased the child care subsidy rate from the 58th percentile of the current market rate survey to the 100th percentile for infants and toddlers and the 65th percentile for preschool and school-age children.
This means child care providers will get state reimbursement for providing child care to low-income families, which gives more low-income families access to workforce opportunities and child care they may be otherwise unable to afford.
Despite this win, it remains unclear whether decreased funding in the approved fiscal-year 2025 budget— a $23.4 million reduction from current funding — is sufficient to cover these obligations and how funds will be distributed across an expansive network of counties and child care providers. Some in child advocacy anticipate state departments requesting more money later in the year to fund the demand.
Despite concerns, CTF maintains that this is a move in the right direction for the state’s child care landscape and indicates there is a desire to make child care more accessible and affordable in Missouri.
Collective Impact Partners, CTF launches Missouri Home Visiting Referral System
CTF is excited to announce the availability of the Missouri Home Visiting Referral System’s CRIS Link. The CRIS Link is a one-stop shop for anyone to make a referral for early childhood home visiting services within Missouri. All early childhood (prenatal to five) home visiting programs can contact their Regional CRIS Network to learn more or join their region’s CRIS Network.
Each CRIS network is led by a collective impact site that manages participating home visiting programs and models within its region. Collectively, this statewide system is called the Missouri Home Visiting Referral System.
Why Join?
Join your network of providers to receive and manage early childhood home visiting referrals. There are many benefits to joining your Regional CRIS Network:
· Manage capacity by turning referrals on and off as needed.
· CRIS can supplement other referral sources.
· Training & Technical Assistance is available as needed.
· No more trying to remember coverage, eligibility, and capacity — the CRIS can do that for you!
· Families are matched with a program that meets their needs and location — no more falling through the cracks.
· It’s FREE & EASY TO USE!
Questions?
To learn more or ask questions, please contact:
· tara.goins@oa.mo.gov or;
· Find your region’s CRIS Coordinator on the CRIS Map or with the CRIS Link.
TWO NEW Funding Opportunities Available Now: Responsive Funding & Home Visiting Outcomes Rate Card Enrollment
Child Physical Abuse and Neglect Prevention Responsive Funding Opportunity
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund Board of Directors is pleased to announce the availability of up to $500,000 per year for community-based child physical abuse and neglect prevention programming outside of CTF’s priority programming areas of home visiting, childhood sexual abuse prevention and infant safe sleep.
Individual applicants will be able to apply for up to $100,000 per year, renewable for up to three additional years (4-year grant cycle). The initial contract period will be July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025.
- Letters of Intent (“LOI”) are due March 22, 2024
- Full Applications (Invitation Only) are due May 3, 2024
For more details about the grant opportunity and Informational Meeting to be held on Friday, March 8 from 1-2 p.m. CST, please download the full Request for Proposals (“RFP”). You can also download the Action Plan and Budget Form referenced in the RFP.
Please contact Jennifer.Sommerfeld@oa.mo.gov if you have any additional questions.
State Fiscal Year 2025 Outcomes Rate Card (“ORC”) Enrollment
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking Home Visiting Agencies (HVAs) who are interested in participating in a statewide home visiting (HV) outcomes rate card (ORC) that provides incentive funding to high-performing HVAs who are providing year-round services to low-income Missouri families.
The statewide ORC will distribute up to $4.35 million to HVAs for the achievement of high-priority outcome metrics over 4.5 years. Beginning as a pilot in January 2023, the statewide ORC entered full implementation in July 2023 and will remain through June 2027.
*Currently enrolled ORC participants do not need to re-enroll for FY 2025 participation.
An Informational Meeting about this grant opportunity will be held on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 at 10:00 am.
CTF has developed an application form to be completed and submitted to ctf@oa.mo.gov no later than midnight on April 15th, 2024, to be eligible for FY25 ORC participation. HVAs will be contacted by April 30, 2024, to begin the contracting process.
Please contact Tara.Goins@oa.mo.gov for additional questions related to this enrollment opportunity.
Missouri Children’s Trust Fund launches updated social norms marketing campaign and related marketing mini-grant to 7 Missouri agencies
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) relaunched its’ social norms campaign, called Something We Agree On, which aims to prevent childhood sexual abuse and corporal punishment. The relaunch dives deeper into specific strategies and examples, resources for parents and caregivers, and topics for discussion. With a foundation of creating positive community norms that protect children from abuse, the campaign encourages Missouri parents and caregivers to engage in conversations with kids that prevent child sexual abuse and corporal punishment.
Social norms survey results of 1,000 Missouri adults concluded 86% of parents have had conversations with their children about body autonomy and personal boundaries.
Having short, frequent, age-appropriate conversations with children can help protect children from sexual abuse. They can teach children signs to look for and boundaries to uphold. Perhaps, most importantly, they help establish you as the trusted adult in your child’s life. Although some may find these conversations to be uncomfortable at first, they are extremely normal, and they prevent abuse from occurring or going unreported.
Similarly, having conversations with kids can help prevent the use of physical punishment. 94% of Missouri adults agree there are better ways to discipline a child than physical punishment.
When parents and caregivers talk to their child, understand their child’s (and their own) emotional responses, and learn about their child’s developmental stages, it is easier to have empathy for kids and respond to behaviors in a more supportive and nurturing way.
In tandem with the release of the updated campaign materials, CTF is excited to announce the selection of seven Missouri-based agencies to help creatively spread messaging and awareness in various parts of the state. These agencies will help spread awareness in a variety of ways, including billboards and traditional marketing, local partnerships, professional and community events, training and more.
CTF is excited to collaborate with the following agencies in 2024 for this marketing campaign:
- Butler County Community Resource Council
- Easterseals Midwest
- Isabel’s House
- Lewis County Health Department
- Mattie Rhodes Center
- Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA)
- SEMO-NASV
To find materials and resources, or to learn strategies that could help you and your family, visit SomethingWeAgreeOn.org.
MARCH 1st: CTF will release $2 Million in Responsive Funding Opportunity (FY25-FY29)
CTF is excited to announce the CTF Board of Directors has approved the release of $2M in responsive funding over four years, starting in state fiscal year 2025. This responsive funding opportunity will support community-based child abuse and neglect prevention efforts outside of CTF’s priority programming areas of home visiting, childhood sexual abuse prevention and infant safe sleep.
In recent years, CTF has taken a strategic approach to grantmaking to maximize our impact in the areas of early childhood home visiting, child sexual abuse prevention, and infant safe sleep. While we are proud of the strides being made in these areas, we acknowledge that resources are needed for other valuable projects and programming.
Basic eligibility will consist of projects and/or programs whose primary purpose is to prevent child abuse/neglect, using a primary/secondary prevention framework, in impact areas other than early childhood home visiting, child sexual abuse prevention, and infant safe sleep. Proposals indirectly affecting CTF priority areas will be considered, and proposals to leverage programming in CTF priority areas to maximize impact in other areas will receive priority consideration.
Individual applicants will be able to apply for 1-4 years of funding at a maximum of $100,000 per year. There will be a two-step application process, which will begin with a request for Letters of Intent that will be released on May 1, 2024:
- Interested agencies will first submit a letter of intent (LOI) to apply.
- Deadline: March 22, 2024
- Select candidates will then be invited to submit a full application beginning April 5, 2024.
- Deadline for invited applicants will be May 3, 2024
Additional information about this funding opportunity will be released through a request for proposals in the coming months.
CTF marketing-based funding opportunity for Something We Agree On
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is pleased to announce the availability of up to $150,000 for Missouri-based partners to develop and implement community-based marketing plans for a childhood sexual abuse prevention and/or corporal punishment prevention campaign(s). The maximum funding amount per agency will be $30,000.
CTF seeks partners to develop and implement a marketing plan using Something We Agree On graphic, video and audio assets; website; resources and other materials that:
• Prioritizes reaching parents/caregivers and/or communities in the most need;
• Is catered to the specific needs, gathering/community centers, cultures and communication styles of your community, and;
• Leans on partnerships and networks of wider community-based support for the most impact in the community, including (but not limited to) health care systems, religious institutions, public schools, libraries, resource centers, mail services, and more.
To learn more about the campaign and available resources, visit SomethingWeAgreeOn.org.
To learn more about this opportunity, check out our Funding Opportunities page.
CTF partners with Managed Care Organizations to provide prenatal care to expecting mothers receiving Missouri Medicaid
CTF is excited to partner with Healthy Blue and Show Me Healthy Kids to connect pregnant foster youth and women receiving Missouri Medicaid to necessary home visiting services.
We believe this can be achieved with a single point of entry to a statewide coordinated referral system. You can find that Coordinated Referral and Intake System at the QR code below.
Connecting Missouri’s most vulnerable mothers and babies to home visiting services will improve outcomes in health, safety, education and economic mobility.
Providers can make a referral through the Coordinated Referral & Intake System (CRIS).
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
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Sister Anne Francioni and Whole Kids Outreach, Inc.
HERO HIGHLIGHTS:
A conversation with Sister Anne Francioni
Traveling the winding, two-lane highways of Southeast, Missouri toward Ellington, you’ll find Whole Kids Outreach: a non-profit that’s tucked so far into the Mark Twain National Forest that it feels almost like traveling back through time. You can feel the timelessness in the old farmhouse-style buildings, vast forest and rolling hills, and surprisingly welcomed lack of cell phone service. At Whole Kids Outreach, we were disconnected from our constant streams of electronic communication, but I felt more connected than ever.
Sister Anne Francioni, the Executive Director of Whole Kids Outreach, welcomed CTF staff with a warm hug, fajitas for lunch, and a delicious chocolate cake we couldn’t possibly resist. Throughout her career, Sister Anne has mastered the delicate balance between progress and tradition.
She started her career as a nurse in her home state of New Orleans before coming to St. Louis and eventually joining the Sisterhood through the Catholic Church. Sister Anne will tell you that once upon a time, nursing and nunnery were one in the same. Through the Church, she was sent on what was intended to be a short, yearlong mission helping women in Southeast, Missouri who have experienced domestic violence.
Twenty-five years later, she is still there. Over the years, she has expanded her reach beyond the scope of domestic violence and into the realm of home visiting and supports that strengthen families. Through her mission to help children, youth, pregnant women, and young families, she successfully serves 11 rural, southeast, Missouri counties.
Sister Anne says the needs are much different in that part of the state than they are in the cities and suburbs, or even in the northern rural areas. From these needs, Whole Kids Outreach was born. Since 1999, WKO has served more than 15,000 families and 35,000 children in the 11-county region.
During the course of our lunchtime visit, I had the privilege of asking Sister Anne a few thought-provoking questions.
This conversation has been significantly edited and reorganized for brevity, clarity, and structure.
Q: Do you think a bachelor’s degree in social work would set someone up well to be a home visitor?
A: I think you could do nursing, social work, or education – a trifecta, if you will. Three different fields have to come together to create a single, unified field. It’s hard to know the dynamics in a family and there are pieces of all three of these career paths that can apply to home visiting. I have a former educator on my staff and former health care providers, and their transitions to parent-child home visiting is more seamless. So, we can collaborate and figure out what works and what doesn’t for the populations we serve. But, largely… on that larger scale, we need that trifecta for home visiting or, even better, a degree program in Parent-Child Home Visiting.
Q: What are some key differences between serving rural communities versus serving urban communities?
A: Well, first, you also have to consider that not all rural communities are the same or have the same cultures and levels of access. Aside from a few cities, Missouri is mostly rural. There are differences between more affluent rural communities versus the poorer rural communities we’re serving here. So, the question becomes how do we raise the unheard voices down here?
There are inequities in access to services and resources because of many things. The average yearly income for a family of four we serve is $15,500. The average distance to a health care facility is over 60 miles in a region with no public transportation. There’s a lack of transportation, both public and personal, and the sheer distance from resources and services. Gas prices aside, it’s expensive to spend two hours driving more than 100 miles round trip to get to an office or appointment.
Q: Do you have any success stories that stand out to you within the realms of home visiting and/or child sexual abuse prevention?
My success at this point in my career lies in the success of the WKO staff. Here’s an example of why.
Our newest RN, Mallory, began her Whole Kids journey at Camp Whole Kids when she was 5 years old. She progressed through the ranks all the way to lead counselor and, this year, joined WKO as a full-time home visiting RN.
Mallory was assigned to help a pregnant woman — let’s call her Joy. Her first thought was, “What exactly am I supposed to do to help a homeless, pregnant woman?” Unsure of herself but feeling supported by her mentors at Whole Kids Outreach, Mallory met Joy for the first time in a Dairy Queen parking lot.
Her story was heartbreaking: Joy was abused by her father and removed from her family. She lived in foster care for five years until she aged out. She re-entered her community with no family or other support and went on to marry another abuser. Fearing her own safety, Joy eventually escaped the abuse and quickly found herself homeless… and pregnant.
As Mallory talked with Joy about prenatal health and her social needs, they agreed that housing and safety would be their priority. Together, they found a trailer for Joy to live in until housing became available. Joy also got a job as an assistant at a nursing home and is completing her training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.
Currently, Mallory is working to ensure that Joy receives adequate prenatal health care. They are building supports for accessing healthcare, buying nutritional groceries, preparing a safe space for her new baby, and planning her upcoming delivery. After the baby is born, Mallory will continue to visit for several months to ensure Joy has the knowledge, skills, and resources to help her infant grow and thrive.
More About Sister Anne Francioni of Whole Kids Outreach, Inc.
After meeting the children and seeing the way of life in this area, I knew I wanted to stay!
Since receiving permission from the School Sisters of Notre Dame to start Whole Kids Outreach in 1999, Sr. Anne has served as WKO’s Executive Director and as an agent of change in the service region helping families work toward better futures for their children.
To learn more, visit wholekidsoutreach.org.
CTF will release $1.5 million in unobligated funding for Facility Improvements and Infrastructure
CTF to release $1.5 million in unobligated Facilities Improvement & Infrastructure Funding
This year, CTF will be partnering with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, YouthBridge Community Foundation and the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation to release $1.5 million in unobligated funding from the Facilities Improvement and Infrastructure grant program. Counties and communities not covered by these three foundation will be able to apply for funding directly from CTF. To apply for funds through CTF, please visit our Funding Opportunities page. Applications are due September 1.
The available funds are unobligated funding from our $20 million in Facility Improvement and Infrastructure Funding from Fiscal Year 2023. The funds available through this bid are considerably smaller than the previous cycle; therefore, projects selected and amounts awarded will be smaller, as well.
Stay tuned for more information or announcements from the Community Foundations in your service area. For questions about this funding opportunity, the application process or to submit your completed application, please reach out to Laura.Malzner@oa.mo.gov.
If you have questions regarding our partnership the Community Foundations, please reach out to Emily.VanSchenkhof@oa.mo.gov.
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
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CTF, Kids Win Missouri release new blueprint for early childhood in Missouri
A Bold Vision for Missouri’s Early Childhood Landscape
CTF, Kids Win Missouri, and our partners in the Early Childhood Steering Committee are thrilled to release this report, which provides a blueprint for the early childhood landscape in Missouri. More and more, decisionmakers understand we will never solve our workforce challenges or address the problems facing our state without supporting children in their earliest years.
In Missouri, the investments approved during the 2023 legislative session represented the biggest win for early childhood in our state’s history. Led by Governor Mike Parson, our state is investing $78 million to support families with low incomes in accessing child care and $82 million in making high-quality pre-K available to 4-year-olds.
We are excited about this momentum and the leadership of Governor Parson. Yet, we are cognizant that meeting the full scope of families’ needs cannot be achieved in just one year. Strategic investments in home visiting, child care, and early education will ensure:
- Children get the best start
- Businesses can attract and retain a skilled workforce
- Families have the supports they need to raise happy and healthy kids.
This report lays out a vision for what is needed to have a high-functioning early childhood system. Providing high-quality child care and early education and evidence-based home visiting for all eligible, interested families would cost an estimated $1.2 billion annually. In 2023, our state made a $160 million historic down payment. We must finish the job, and to do so, it will take a combination of public and private investment to close the remaining gap.
Missouri has an opportunity to be a national leader at the forefront of addressing this issue. We urge the state to do what is right for businesses and workers who depend on stable child care—and for children and families who are the foundation of everything we are now and hope to become in the future.
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
About Kids Win Missouri
Kids Win Missouri advocates for policies that support the health, education, safety and development of children and their families, especially those who are at risk because of poverty, abuse, neglect, racial inequities or other risk factors. For more information, visit kidswinmissouri.org.
2023 Legislative Outcomes: Good News for Kids!
The 2023 Legislative Session closed last week with numerous budgetary advancements for early childhood education, child care, home visiting & more!
2023 was a historic session for Missouri children, with substantial increases in funding for core early childhood services. Some of the funding increases CTF advocated for included:
- $78 million for child care subsidy increases
- $55 million for Pre-K expansion
- $117 million increase for Children’s Division, including 110 additional FTEs
- $1 million for home visiting Collective Impact
- $2 million for evidence-based home visiting
Much credit goes to Governor Mike Parson for proposing many of these increases in his budget and advocating for this historic investment. CTF is also very grateful for the leadership of KidsWin Missouri and the early childhood coalition they have formed to support Missouri’s youngest children.
In addition to these budgetary increases, a bill to expand Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a year postpartum passed. This bill, which has been long-sought and proposed for many years, is vitally important to promoting the health and wellness of moms and their babies. The Children’s Trust Fund is thrilled with the outcomes from the 2023 legislative session and the many family-friendly policies passed by the Missouri General Assembly.
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
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CTF announces availability of Federal Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) funds to support direct home visiting services in Missouri
Up to $500k in available new CBCAP funds to support direct home visiting services in Missouri through Fiscal Year 2027.
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is pleased to announce the availability of up to $500,000 in Federal Community
Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) funds to support direct home visiting services in Missouri. Funding will run from
Fiscal Year 2024 through Fiscal Year 2027. This funding is intended to support direct home visiting services with an emphasis on serving high-poverty areas.
Home visiting is an evidence-based approach to promoting positive outcomes for parents and young children with key outcomes including:
- Preventing of child maltreatment
- Improving child & maternal health
- Improving child development & school readiness
- Teaching positive parent/child interactions
- Developing family economic self-sufficiency
With this funding and our approach to home visiting, CTF seeks to emphasize serving families in high-poverty areas and reach families in the greatest need of community support. In tandem with the expansion of home visiting services, CTF seeks to compliment the current Collective Impact (CI) structure in Missouri by coordinating services at the state and local levels in order to provide families and stakeholders with easy accessibility to available resources and to ensure families are connected with services best suited to meet their needs.
To learn more about this funding opportunity, eligibility, requirements & more, visiting our Funding Opportunities page or download and review the Request for Applications, which will be available through April 23, 2023.
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
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CTF announces NEW Funding for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Projects and Initiatives in Missouri
Up to $500k in available new funds for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Projects in Missouri.
The Children’s Trust Fund is pleased to announce the availability of new funding for projects designed to prevent child sexual abuse in Missouri. This 4-year funding program will begin July 1, 2023 and will award up to $500,000 annually through June 30, 2027. Two types of proposals will receive consideration for funding:
- New, collaborative community initiatives that emphasize primary prevention and include both victimization and perpetration prevention strategies;
- Statewide/systems initiatives designed to create broad impact related to primary child sexual abuse prevention.
Child sexual abuse is a prevalent social problem with serious social, emotional, health and economic consequences. Currently, there are no proven strategies or models for prevention. Much of the effort around child sexual abuse is reactionary, as opposed to preventing the abuse in the first place.
To prevent childhood sexual abuse, CTF believes we must:
- Address factors that lead to problematic sexual behavior among youth
- Use both victimization and perpetration prevention strategies with an emphasis on upstream strategies to prevent first-time abuse
- Direct victimization prevention efforts toward adults, particularly caregivers of young children and youth-serving organizations
- Direct perpetration prevention efforts toward children and youth
In FY21, CTF released a first round of community-based child sexual abuse prevention funding for innovative projects using community collaboration; varied, complementary strategies; and a public health framework. This new funding opportunity will similarly prioritize such funding with additional emphasis on primary perpetration prevention strategies targeted at children/youth and their caregivers, and primary victimization prevention strategies targeted at caregivers of young children and adults within youth-serving organizations. Statewide/systems initiatives will also be considered for funding, as CTF acknowledges communities are affected by the systems that exist within the broader context of the state.
To learn more about this funding opportunity, eligibility, requirements, guidance, education and more, visit our Funding Opportunities page. To apply, you can download and complete the RFP Application by April 23, 2023.
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
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CTF, Kids Win Missouri partners with Missouri leaders to develop solutions to support working families and young children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Friday, October 28, community leaders from across Missouri, including Kids Win Missouri and the Children’s Trust Fund, met for the first time to develop solutions to the challenges families face in accessing early care and education programs.
New research from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, called Untapped Potential, offers Missouri leaders the opportunity to lay out a bold blueprint for strengthening the state’s early childhood system to ensure all families can access high-quality, affordable early childhood care, education, and services.
“We need common sense solutions to the challenges that working families face,” said Brian Schmidt, Executive Director of Kids Win Missouri and an organizer of the initiative. ”Now more than ever, we need to ensure children have the tools to succeed in school and throughout their lives. I am grateful to the members of the steering committee for their leadership and expertise in developing a detailed plan of action that delivers results for children, families, and communities throughout Missouri.”
Untapped Potential reports Missouri is facing a crisis of access to high-quality early childhood care, education and services. Access to such programs and services – including child care, preschool, and home visiting services – can have transformative effects on children, families, and the economy.
Currently, only one in three children from economically disadvantaged households are able to access the state’s early childhood programs. This crisis in early childhood access has profound effects on children’s academic performance and working families’ ability to enter and remain in the workforce.
- Two out every three 4th graders are reading below grade level in Missouri
- Missouri’s economy loses an estimated $1.35 billion annually due to child care issues
- The same report shows nearly one in three Missouri families or households lost job opportunities because of breakdowns in child care in the last year
The members of the steering committee include:
- Mike Kehoe, Lieutenant Governor
- Cindy O’Laughlin, Missouri State Senate
- Brian Schmidt, Kids Win Missouri
- Emily van Schenkhof, Children’s Trust Fund
- Linda Rallo, Aligned
- Jim Anderst, Children’s Mercy in Kansas City
- Charlie Shields, Former President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate
- Maggie Nurrenbern, Missouri House of Representatives
- Paul Williams, Springfield Police Department
- Grenita Lathan, Springfield Public Schools
- Ana Hernandez Kent, St. Louis Federal Reserve*
- Lakesha Robinson, Office of City of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones
- Sly James, Former Mayor of Kansas City
- Wendy Doyle, United WE
- Daryl McCall, Retired Brigadier General
- Kara Corches, Missouri Chamber of Commerce
*Ms. Kent’s role is serving in an advisory capacity and is limited to providing fact-based research to support economic and data analysis for the project.
This effort is building on the work of Governor Mike Parson, who in 2021 signed Executive Order 21-01 to consolidate all state early childhood programs into the new Office of Childhood within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: An important first step in addressing these challenges.
The project is made possible by collaboration between Children’s Trust Fund and Kids Win Missouri. The steering committee aims to release an analysis and plan in January 2023.
About Children’s Trust Fund
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids.org.
About Kids Win Missouri
Kids Win Missouri advocates for policies that support the health, education, safety and development of children and their families, especially those who are at risk because of poverty, abuse, neglect, racial inequities or other risk factors. For more information, visit kidswinmissouri.org.
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CTF Awards $19,042,136.83 million in Facility Improvement and Infrastructure Grant Funding
Breaking News!
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and its Board of Directors is excited to announce the approval of $19,042,136.83 in Facility Improvement and Infrastructure grant funding to 59 community-based organizations throughout Missouri dedicated to preventing, identifying or treating child abuse and neglect.
“Far too many children in Missouri grow up without the safety and security they deserve. These funds are a testament to the commitment of our state to do more to protect children,” said Emily van Schenkhof, Executive Director, Children’s Trust Fund. “We are thrilled to make this historic investment in the non-profit community that works to prevent and address child abuse and neglect.”
CTF was allocated these funds by the Missouri General Assembly for facilities and infrastructure projects for community-based organizations working to prevent and alleviate child abuse. The Children’s Trust Fund is deeply grateful to the General Assembly and Governor Mike Parson for supporting these organizations and Missouri’s most vulnerable children.
“Organizations preventing and addressing child abuse and neglect do some of the most meaningful work in the state,” said House Budget Chairman, Rep. Cody Smith, who added these funds to the state budget. “I’m thrilled to see these investments made in their infrastructure that will support those children and their families for years to come.”
For award amounts by region and organization, visit our Funded Programs page.
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Governor Parson Approves State Budget with $20 million Allocated for Future CTF Facilities and Infrastructure Grants
Breaking News!
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is thrilled to announce that the Missouri General Assembly has allocated $20 million in funds to CTF for Fiscal Year 2023 (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023) to support facilities and infrastructure projects for community-based organizations working to prevent and alleviate child abuse and neglect.
Because these funds were just approved last week when the Governor signed the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, CTF has not yet developed funding guidance or determined allowable uses for these funds. Please know that we will work as quickly as we are able to release a Request for Proposals and hope to do so by early August 2022. We will attempt to make the application process as short and minimally burdensome as possible.
We encourage all of our partners to begin thinking now about what one-time facility or infrastructure projects would be the most helpful and meaningful to your work. Because of our tight turn around and desire to get these funds out as quickly as possible, the application period will likely be short.
CTF is immensely grateful to State Budget Chairman, Rep. Cody Smith, who added these funds to the state budget. Chairman Smith believes that non-profits preventing and addressing child abuse and neglect perform some of the hardest and most meaningful work in the state. These additional funds are a recognition of your work and those that you serve.
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Request for Proposals
Funding for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program Training & Technical Assistance
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is pleased to announce the availability of funding for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program Training and Technical Assistance. CTF is seeking a provider to support the implementation of projects funded by the CTF Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Grant Program.
Completed proposals should be emailed to Jennifer Sommerfeld at Jennifer.Sommerfeld@oa.mo.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 15, 2022. Selection will be based on the best and lowest bid.
CTF Awards Funding for Immediate Needs
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is pleased to announce that funding for immediate needs resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has been awarded to seventeen (17) community-based child abuse prevention agencies, and families receiving their services. Over $300,000 in awards were made available through supplemental Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) funding received under the American Rescue Plan Act. Visit our Funded Programs page for more information.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Funding for Immediate Needs
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund’s (CTF) is pleased to announce the availability of funding for the immediate needs of community-based child abuse prevention agencies, and families receiving their services, resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At least $300,000 total, one-time funding will be awarded for this purpose, which is made available through supplemental Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) funding received under the American Rescue Plan Act. Funding will be awarded to community-based child abuse prevention agencies through an application process that is only open to agencies that received CTF grant funding in state fiscal years 2021 and/or 2022 (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2022). Proposals will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on March 2, 2022. Visit our funding opportunities page for more information.
CTF Position Promotions
Please welcome newly promoted employees within the Children’s Trust Fund! Jeni Sommerfeld has accepted the position of Program Director and Tara Goins joins CTF as the new Program Coordinator. Nicole Dunmire also represents CTF as the office’s new Administrative Assistant.
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Prevention: The Who, What, Why, and How
Learn about child sexual abuse prevalence and how to promote prevention by reviewing the CSA Whitepaper, informed by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This report discusses the who, what, why, and how of child sexual abuse. Stay informed to help prevent.
New Materials Available for Order: Prevention Resource Guide and Abusive Head Trauma DVD
Available for order now through the Children’s Trust Fund is the informational DVD on Abusive Head Trauma, as well as the 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide: Strong & Thriving Families. Check out the following link to order today: Literature Order Form – Children’s Trust Fund (mo-ctf.azurewebsites.net)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking a contractor to evaluate its new Safe Sleep Grant Program, which includes five regional projects designed to prevent child fatalities due to unsafe sleep practices and environments. Proposals will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on August 27, 2021. Visit our funding opportunities page for more information.
CTF Hiring Grants Specialist
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is excited to announce a current job posting for a Grants Specialist.
Position Summary
This senior-level position will be an integral part of a team managing all aspects of the CTF’s child abuse and neglect prevention grant programs, and public education and awareness activities. Grants management duties include developing requests for proposals, providing technical assistance to applicants, overseeing competitive bid processes, awarding contracts and supporting grantees in achieving outcomes. The Grants Specialist will take a lead role in overseeing CTF’s public education contracts and public education activities. The Grants Specialist will work with an array of community, state and national organizations, so ability to build relationships is very important.
Remote work is an option for this position with required trips to the CTF Jefferson City office as necessary.
For additional information and/or to submit an application by 5 p.m. Friday, April 9, please visit Missouri Careers.
Thank you!
A FANTASTIC Resource to Use Throughout the Year! Check It Out!
The 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide: Strong & Thriving Families was designed to support service providers as they work with families to promote child well-being & prevent child maltreatment.
It seeks to highlight the innovative ways that communities around the country are doing purposeful prevention work to help children and families thrive. The Resource Guide features chapters such as Creating a More Supportive Society For All Families, Aligning Organizations for Family Resilience and Healing and Protective Factors Conversation Guides for Partnering With Families.
Released in preparation for April–National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the guide provides information that anyone can use & share throughout the year including:
- Information about the protective factors known to prevent child abuse
- Tools to help build community awareness & support
- Understanding child maltreatment
- Partners and resources
- Conversation guides
Invitation for Bids-Advertising/Media Services
Positive Community Norms (PCN) Strategic Advertising/Media Services
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking a Missouri-based, full-service advertising agency to provide services to develop and implement strategic media/social media campaigns using the Positive Community Norms (PCN) approach. The campaigns shall promote social norms that encourage child well-being in Missouri. The selected agency shall work with CTF and The Montana Institute (TMI) to develop campaign messaging.
Application Process/Timeline
Applicants shall complete all sections of the Narrative (instructions beginning on page 5) and Attachment 1. The application process will consist of the following:
- Interested applicants shall obtain and complete all related access and submission processes to this IFB through the MissouriBUYS-Statewide eProcurement System:
- Vendor Registration: Vendor Registration | MissouriBUYS (mo.gov)
- Bid Board: State of Missouri Bid Board – Bid Opportunities | MissouriBUYS (mo.gov)
- MOBUYS direct link to this particular CTF IFB: PCN Strategic Advertising/Media Services IFB
- Word document: PCN Strategic Advertising/Media Services IFB
- Completed proposals shall be submitted by 5:00 pm Tuesday, March 2, 2021 via the MissouriBUYS-Statewide eProcurement System.
- Phone Interview (by invitation only, if deemed appropriate) – Vendor shall present the vendor’s activity plan to CTF via a call interview, which shall be scheduled by CTF as part of the invitation and during the Monday, March 15-Friday, March 19 time period.
- Selection will be based on the best and lowest bid.
For additional information, please contact Paula Cunningham, CTF Public Affairs Coordinator: 573.751.2266 or paula.cunningham@oa.mo.gov. Thank you!
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Missouri Children’s Trust Fund Awards Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Grants
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: February 2021
Contact: Paula Cunningham
Public Education and Awareness Coordinator
573-751-5147/2266
Paula.Cunningham@oa.mo.gov
Facebook – Missouri’s Children’s Trust Fund
Twitter – @missourictf
Missouri Children’s Trust Fund Awards Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Grants
Nearly $1.7 in Funding Obligated Over Four Year Period
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors recently awarded nearly $1.7 million in funding over four years through its Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Grant Program. This is the first time in CTF history that funds have been specifically allocated to child sexual abuse prevention.
“With these grants, CTF intends to create a lasting and replicable model of safety for children, tailored to the communities in which they live,” said Jim Anderst, MD, MSCI, CTF Program Chair. “These grant funded programs aim to create a culture of sexual abuse prevention in high-risk communities using the strengths of the people who make up the communities and agencies that serve those communities. This is one step in the direction of ending child sexual abuse.”
Through a competitive bid and review process, CTF selected four grantees to receive funding to implement their projects in the Lebanon/Max Creek, Kansas City, Rolla and St. Peters areas. CTF prioritized projects that proposed using a public health approach and implementing multiple interventions to reduce child sexual abuse in zip codes with high counts and rates of reported child sexual abuse.
Overall, the program interventions include writing or revising policies and codes of conduct for child and youth serving organizations, providing the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children training for adults, school-based education, and evidence-based therapeutic services for youth with problematic sexual behaviors (YPSB).
“The silence and discomfort that adults face in discussing sexual abuse only protects perpetrators of abuse,” said Emily van Schenkhof, CTF Executive Director. “CTF is determined to help end the silence around sexual abuse and encourage communities and all Missouri citizens to do more to protect our children.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse at some point in childhood. In addition, 91% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child or child’s family knows.
4 Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Grants – $1,677,968.50 (Fiscal Years 2021-2025) https://ctf4kids.org/child-sexual-abuse-prevention-grants/
Kids’ Harbor, Inc. – Osage Beach
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
Region 4 > Camden, Laclede
$392,607.50
Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Violence (MOCSA) – Kansas City
Multilevel Multidisciplinary Team Model for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
Region 3 > Jackson
$721,520
Prevention Consultants of Missouri – Rolla
Phelps County Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Collaborative
Region 4 > Phelps
$276,451
The Child Center – Wentzville
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Prevention Program
Region 5 > St. Charles
$287,390
For a complete list of CTF funded programs, please visit https://ctf4kids.org/program-partners/.
The Children’s Trust Fund is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention and works to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect through grant distribution, awareness, public education and partnerships. For additional information visit ctf4kids.org.
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Prevention $ense January 26, 2021
Available Funding Opportunity-Safe Sleep Program Grants
Request for Proposals
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the availability of funding designed to reduce the risks of sleep-related infant deaths. For more information, please visit the CTF Funding Opportunities webpage. Thank you!
February is National Parent Leadership Month
Governor Parson has signed a proclamation designating February as National Parent Leadership MonthSM (NPLM) in Missouri.
NPLM was initiated by Parents Anonymous® as an opportunity to show appreciation for parents who work to improve the lives of their families, neighbors and communities by lending their voice to local, state and national initiatives and partnering with the staff of programs that they participate in. Parents are a vital resource in family strengthening and child abuse prevention efforts, and acknowledging their wisdom and contributions is important not only in February but all year.
Information on promoting National Parent Leadership Month and ideas/tools for recognizing parent leaders can be found at https://parentsanonymous.org/programs/national-parent-leadership-month/ or https://friendsnrc.org/parent-leadership/national-parent-leadership-month-resources/.
In Missouri, a Parent Advisory Council (PAC) has been implemented with parent leaders from across the state. For more information on the MO PAC, go to https://earlyconnections.mo.gov/get-connected/parent-advisory-council.
REQUEST for BIDS – Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Evaluation Consultation
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking a consultant to assist CTF staff in evaluating projects designed to prevent child sexual abuse. Preference will be given to consultants who have experience evaluating community-based projects with multiple components.
BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the sole purpose to prevent the abuse and neglect of children. Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors.
SCOPE OF WORK
In awarding Child Sexual Abuse Prevention grants, CTF prioritized funding communities with documented high rates and/or high counts of child sexual abuse. To identify communities with high rates and/or high counts of child sexual abuse, CTF considered the most recently available data by county and by zip code. Maps illustrating the thirty highest zip codes by rate and count, as well as average child sexual abuse rates by county can be reviewed at:
> Child Sexual Abuse – 30 Highest Zip Codes by Rate and Count: https://arcg.is/1TS9Db2
> Average Child Sexual Abuse Report Rates by County (2008-2018): https://arcg.is/11j1Ku0
CTF seeks a consultant who will work with CTF to:
- Administer child sexual abuse prevention project assessments to four sites. Sites will be using multiple strategies in their efforts to prevent child sexual abuse. Many of those interventions have prescribed evaluation/data collection tools that will need to be incorporated into the assessments. Approved interventions include:
| Approved Interventions | Evaluation Tools |
| Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children training (https://www.d2l.org/education/stewards-of-children/) | Stewards of Children training post survey |
| Child and Teen Safety Matters Curriculum (https://www.mbfpreventioneducation.org/) | Pre/post surveys |
| Treatment for youth with problematic sexual behaviors | Treatment assessments, treatment plans, case notes, program exit/completion survey, Multi-Disciplinary Team (when applicable) case notes |
| Work with youth-serving organizations to establish child protection policies and codes of conduct for how adults interact with children, including use of the Circles of Safety training (https://www.stopitnow.org/circles-of-safety-training) | Tracking process outcomes such as number of organizations provided policy improvement consultation, and pre/post assessment (when applicable) |
- Provide technical assistance on evaluation to four sites. While some interventions that sites plan to implement have a model-specific evaluation component, CTF is interested in evaluating the overall impact of projects in their respective communities, so developing evaluation plans that incorporate all data is critical;
- Provide feedback on sites’ progress to CTF staff; and
- Write final evaluation report on child sexual abuse prevention program progress of grantees.
TIMELINE
February 16, 2021: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m.)
March 10, 2021: Notice of award will be made on or before this date
GUIDANCE
This contract will be paid based on an all-inclusive hourly rate of actual hours. The evaluation contract will be based on an evaluation period that will begin March 1, 2021 and end December 31, 2024.
Proposals shall not exceed three pages in length and will respond to the following:
- What are the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience in working on evaluating child abuse prevention programs?
- Please identify the primary individual(s) who will work on this project and describe their academic and professional background related to evaluation.
- What is the methodology that the applicant would use to accomplish the scope of work?
- Why is the applicant interested in working with CTF and/or on the issue of child sexual prevention?
- Please include a budget, including all-inclusive hourly rate, and estimate of hours needed to complete tasks outline in scope of work.
Completed proposals must be emailed to Laura Malzner at laura.malzner@oa.mo.gov by 5:00 p.m. on February 16, 2021. Selection will be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Laura by email or by calling 573-751-6511/5147.
NEW: Who do you trust with your child?
Parents all need the ability to have trusted caregivers to help them in caring for their children when they go to work or just need a break. Placing a child with a new caregiver and in a new environment, whether that be a daycare setting, babysitter, or known relative may increase the child’s risk of being abused or neglected.
This new Who Do You Trust With Your Child resource offers tips, important information and various considerations when choosing a trusted and safe caregiver for children.
Get your supply today! Visit our online literature order form to make your request. Thank you!
Available Funding Opportunity
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the availability of funding designed to support initiatives to prevent and reduce incidences of child sexual abuse.
REQUEST for BIDS – Performance Rate Card/Social Impact Financing Development
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking bids for an agency/firm to assist in developing a performance rate card for its home visiting funding. Additionally, CTF seeks to build infrastructure for a larger pay-for-success initiative in the state of Missouri.
BACKGROUND 
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to prevent the abuse and neglect of children. Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a seventeen member Board of Directors.
SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks an experienced social impact financing firm that will work with CTF to pilot a rate card for home visiting services, including the following key activities:
• Selecting and defining outcome metrics for award payments
• Defining measurement methodology and data needs
• Setting the pricing for outcome awards
• Creating an operations plan for launching and implementing the rate card pilot
TIMELINE
Tuesday, June 30, 2020: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m. CST)
Tuesday, July 7, 2020: Notice of award will be made on or before this date
GUIDANCE
Proposals shall not exceed three pages in length and should detail the following:
• Experience of Agency: Please discuss the applicant’s agency experience and past history in developing social impact financing or pay for success projects. Please include concrete examples of past projects with other states or entities.
• Key Personnel: Please identify the key personnel who will be involved in this project and their expertise in developing social impact financing or pay for success projects.
• Methodology: Please discuss the steps and timeline for delivering the scope of work.
• Interest: Please discuss why the agency has an interest in working with CTF.
• Cost: Please identify and detail the cost for performing the scope of work.
Completed proposals must be emailed to Laura Malzner at laura.malzner@oa.mo.gov by 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Selection will be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Laura by email or by calling 573-751-6511/5147.
Stress Resources During COVID-19
The article “Parent’s Have A Right To Be Stressed, but Don’t Take It Out On Your Kids,” co-written by Dr. Bob Sege, states that just as prior generations were deeply affected by the Great Depression, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and the Kennedys and the horrors of 9/11, the Covid-19 pandemic may well be the defining moment in the lives of today’s children. That’s why we owe it to our children to focus on positive experiences during these difficult times, while minimizing adverse experiences that can wound children for a lifetime. We already know that positive experiences, especially close relationships, promote healthy child development and allow us to withstand the ups and downs of life beyond the current pandemic.
With April being Child Abuse Prevention Month, it is a perfect time to raise awareness and take actions to support children and create experiences that will help them understand, grow, and be resilient in this unprecedented time.
#Essential4Kids Resources during COVID-19
Reporting Abuse is #Essential4Kids during the COVID-19 Crisis
A MUST READ! Missouri KidsFirst is kicking off #Essential4Kids, a campaign designed to educate adults on how to recognize and respond to child abuse and neglect in our communities during the COVID-19 crisis.
Unfortunately in times of instability and stress, rates of child abuse and neglect increase. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the state, reports to the Missouri Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline have declined dramatically. Child advocates are concerned that as children stay at home, they are isolated from those places where adults often look out for their safety and well-being, including schools, child care facilities, places of worship and other public areas.
Check out these resources for more information:
#Essential4Kids: Missouri KidsFirst Announces New Resources to Protect Children from Abuse in Response to COVID-19 Crisis News Release
#Essential4Kids: Resources to Protect Kids From Abuse During COVID-Crisis
Balancing ACES with HOPE
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- Establish a spirit of hope and optimism and make the case that positive experiences have lasting impact on human development and functioning, without ignoring well-documented concerns related to toxic environments.
- Demonstrate, through science, the powerful contribution of positive relationships and experiences to the development of healthy children and adults.
- Describe actions related to current social norms regarding parenting practices, particularly those associated with healthy child development. These actions are based on data that suggest that American adults are willing to intervene personally to prevent child abuse and neglect.
- Reflect upon the positive returns on investment that our society can expect as we make changes in policies, practices, and future research to support positive childhood environments that foster the healthy development of children.
Thus, this report contributes to a growing body of work – the Science of Thriving – that encourages us to better understand and support optimal child health and development.
Love in the Time of Coronavirus
How can we reduce ACEs and toxic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic? Many of us are concerned that increased stress might increase the risk for ACEs. For example, most child abuse happens when adults reach their breaking point. However, we are not powerless in the face of these challenges. Using HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) as a guide, this blog series, Love in the Time of Corona Virus, written by Dr. Bob Sege, provides suggestions to help reduce ACES.
Available Funding Opportunity
The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors is pleased to offer funding for Discretionary Grants for Fiscal Year 2021.
CTF Board Members Elected to Leadership Roles
Faulkner; Heskett; Emily van Schenkhof, CTF ED; Beechner-McCarthy
During the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) annual fall board meeting in October 2019 in Jefferson City, the Board elected Amy Beechner-McCarthy, Rolla, as the new Board Chair, and Sharon Faulkner, EA, Springfield, as the new Chair-Elect. Beechner-McCarthy replaces outgoing Board Chair John Heskett, Ed.D, Chesterfield, who has served in the leadership role for the past two years since October 2017.
“As a former foster parent I have experienced the impact of abuse on children and their families. We have an obligation to do better and work harder to prevent the physical and sexual abuse and neglect of children. The hard work of CTF staff and Board members in adopting and implementing a strategic plan is moving us in the right direction. I am grateful to serve in the role of Board Chair. Working together, we will make a lasting, positive change for the children and families in Missouri.’ — Beechner-McCarthy
CTF Board: Beechner-McCarthy; Heskett; Faulkner; Jim Anderst, MD; Rep. Kip Kendrick; van Schenkhof; Megan Price (Sen. Jill Schupp); Cherisse Thibaut; Peggy Krokstrom; Mike Howard
Beechner-McCarthy was appointed by Governor Jay Nixon to the CTF Board in July 2015, and will serve a two-year term as Chair until October 2021. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Russell House, a shelter and service provider for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Faulkner was appointed by Governor Eric Greitens to the CTF Board in November 2017. She is an Accountant and Investment Advisor at Shaw, Faulkner and Werner Investment Group, Inc. She is also an Investment Advisor Representative with Voya Investment Advisors, Inc. Faulkner will serve as Chair-Elect during the same time period ending 2021, and will then assume the Chair position through October 2023.
Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm & Programmatic Activities
Valuable read from the CDC! Child abuse and neglect are complex problems rooted in unhealthy relationships and environments. Preventing child abuse and neglect requires a comprehensive approach that influences all levels of the social ecology, community involvement, relationships among families and neighbors, and individual behaviors.
Effective prevention strategies focus on identifying policies, practice and societal norms to create safe, stable nurturing relationship and environments.
This technical package represents a select group of strategies based on the best available evidence to help prevent child abuse and neglect:
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- strengthen economic supports to families
- change social norms to support parents and positive parenting
- provide quality care and education early in life
- enhance parenting skills to promote healthy child development
- intervene to lesson harms and prevent future risk
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Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) & Prevention:
> https://www.cdc.gov/features/child-abuse-neglect/index.html
> https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/index.html
Available Funding Opportunities
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors is pleased to offer funding for Capacity Building Grants.
Prenatal-to-Three Data Guidebook
Measuring Success: Healthy Development by Age 3
The developmental period extending from prenatal to age three provides the foundation for children’s school readiness, health and well-being.
The National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT) — powered by the Pritzker Children’s Initiative — has identified a set of evidence-based metrics, drawn from research, to track the health and development of children prenatal to age three with data that is comparable and reliable across states, communities and diverse families. The Prenatal-to-Three Outcomes Framework Data Guidebook details the NCIT measurements system, or Outcomes Framework, and contains detailed recommendations for using the right outcomes and indicators, and their data sources, to measure the success of policies and programs in your state or community.
Supporting this framework is the underlying belief that, with a focus on equity, states and communities can build and sustain locally responsive systems, programs and policies that meet the needs of infants, toddlers and their families.
The following are just a few of the important indicators related to child 
well-being that are described within the Guidebook:
>Program & Policy Expansion Indicator: Home Visiting (p19-20)
>Child & Family Indicators:
- Reduced Incidence of Prenatal Exposure to Drugs/Alcohol/Smoking (p27-28)
- Increase in Children who Receive Warm, Attentive & Responsive Caregiving (p33)
- Reduced Incidence of Maternal Depression (p35-36)
- Reduced Incidence of Parenting Stress (p37)
- Reduced Incidence of Abuse & Neglect (p38-39)
- Reduced Incidences of Child Injuries, Death & Health Issues (p42)
After the Cradle Falls Book
What Child Abuse Is, How We Respond To It, And What You Can Do About It
Suggested Reading: CTF recommends this book entitled After the Cradle Falls by Melissa Jonson-Reid & Brett Drake. Melissa presented on the content of her unique book during the 2019 CTF Prevention Conference, where CTF offered a copy to each attendee to foster shared learning about child abuse and neglect prevention. Geared toward the general public, CTF encourages you to read as well! Get your copy!
–There may be no other social problem so common, yet so little understood by the general public, as child abuse and neglect. This book is intended to help remedy that situation. After the Cradle Falls integrates examples from folklore, songs, and news articles with the latest summary of empirical research to create an accessible and engaging work intended to provoke the reader to think about how to address the issue of child abuse and neglect in America. Written in a conversational style, the book engages the reader in thinking through why maltreatment occurs, what it looks like, and what we do and do not know. Most importantly, it asks the reader to become involved in the solution based on their own conclusions and values.
Given the prevailing state of widespread public misunderstanding about child abuse, its causes and effects, and the involved systems, After the Cradle Falls is particularly current, relevant, and useful. It is a must-read for students, professionals in child advocacy or family services agencies, and policymakers.
Recall Alert: Stop Using Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Immediately
Safe Sleep for Babies. #AloneBackCrib
Attention Parents and Caregivers! The Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper has been recalled. Learn about what you can do if you have one by visiting How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained and spread the word to your networks.
It’s important to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Safe Sleep Recommendations to keep babies safe from suffocation. Please use caution when buying products and avoid the use of commercial devices 
that are inconsistent with safe sleep recommendations.
— Reducing dangers for families means holding infant sleep products to the highest standard, says NICHQ President and CEO, Scott D. Berns, MD, MPH, FAAP. “Every year, we lose thousands of babies to preventable deaths, and that means we need to do more to help families understand and follow safe sleep practices—that includes protecting them from purchasing products that could cause harm. We should all be working to make things easier for families, not more confusing. As a 
national children’s health organization, we stand behind the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.”
> Fisher-Price recalls more inclined baby sleeper products following Rock ‘n Play recall – USA TODAY 6-19
> Products that Cause Infant Death should be Recalled – National Institute for Children’s Health Quality 4-19
#AloneBackCrib
Happy Fathers Day!
Happy Fathers Day to all dads & father figures! Thank you for making #GreatChildhoods happen!
Click here for terrific Fatherhood Resources offered by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.
#StrongFamiliesSafeKids
