By Jason Hancock | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning,
An investigation by Missouri’s Children’s Division can change a family’s life. Miss signs of abuse, and a child may remain in danger. Misread a struggling household, and a family could face unnecessary separation.
That’s why the division’s latest restructuring matters beyond staffing charts and bureaucratic deadlines. Protecting children requires more than showing up at the door. It requires time to understand what’s happening inside.
Steph Quinn reports on whether workers still have that time.
(Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)
by Steph Quinn
Workers describe soaring caseloads, long drives and rushed abuse investigations as internal records show thousands of cases falling behind.
(krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images)
by Jennifer Shutt
The price health insurance companies charge for employer-sponsored plans increased again this year, as did the deductible many people must pay before those plans begin covering most healthcare costs.
(Getty Images)
COMMENTARY
by Author Name
When I was pregnant, my ex-husband pinned me against a wall. I was afraid he would kill me. I survived that violence. I also have a felony conviction. And those two parts of my life cannot be separated.
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