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 9-17-2025
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Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide affects millions of people every year, including foster children.
If you, your foster child, or someone you know is having thoughts of harming themselves, please call 988. By raising awareness and talking openly, we can help prevent suicide and save lives.
Please consider taking trainings (like the one linked below) related to Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM). This training provides education to reduce the risk of suicide.
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Legislation Changes
On August 28, 2025, Missouri Legislature passed 39 bills. The following affected Children’s Division:
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Show Me Healthy Kids (SMHK) knows caring for children who have experienced trauma can be challenging. That’s why they support not only members, but also caregivers. Together, these programs help caregivers stay supported, healthy, and connected—because when caregivers thrive, children thrive. Below are no cost resources available to SMHK families:
Health & Wellness Programs (Kansas City area) – ma4 Network
- Health Promotion Courses – prevent disease or manage chronic conditions
- Social Programs- promote engaging, community-centered cooking, and nutrition classes designed to enhance your lifestyle and overall well-being
Upcoming Workshop – Kansas City Steps to Healthier Living: Diabetes Edition (DSMP) Sept. 30 – Nov. 11
Register: www.marc.org/MSNclasses (Use code MSNHealth-HSH)
Questions: 816-936-8802 | agingacct@marc.org
ATTACH – Trauma & Attachment Caregiver Support
Online support groups for SMHK families. No membership required. Monthly themes focus on parenting children with attachment and trauma challenges.
- Mondays at 8:00 p.m. (1st & 3rd weeks)
- Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. (weekly)
Register: Email familyadvocacy@attach.org or call/text 612-548-1057 (Identify that your child is a member of Home State Health/Show Me Healthy Kids)
Pyx Health – Supporting Caregivers of Teens
Designed to support caregivers of teens by addressing challenges such as loneliness, isolation, stress, and caregiver fatigue:
- No cost, unlimited calls to our staff who understand the challenges of being a guardian
- Stress-reducing tools and resources
- Links to respite care and support groups
Learn more: PyxHealth.com You can sign up by phone: 1-855-288-1651 (TTY:711)
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CD Caregiver Portal Account Change Notifications
The Children’s Division Caregiver Portal assists foster, relative, respite, legal guardianship, and adoptive families in reviewing their contact, placement, and financial information. On August 29, 2025, the citizen portal team sent email notifications to 42 individuals that their account access has been downgraded to a Level 1 from Level 2 due to inactivity.
The email included instructions on how to regain Level 2 access if needed. When your access is downgraded, you will still have an account, but you will need to log in and complete the instructions in order to regain Level 2 access.
If you have or had trouble with this process, please try again after a few days. This announcement is being provided to you because you may receive calls regarding the emails as a result of these notices.
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Season 3, Episode 8: "Get into the arena."
Listen along as Shasta, Jessica, and Ashton chat with Becca Underwood about her experiences as a foster parent. Becca works with an organization called CarePortal, which helps families around the country meet needs that contribute to children entering the state welfare system. Through her work, Becca was prepared to take on the care of a couple of children on a temporary basis through her job; however, the children were brought into care just before her team was able to make it happen. She and her family had never intended to get into foster care, but they stepped up and were able to work with the state to help take care of those children.
Becca also has two children whom she's adopted internationally, and she discusses the differences between that and local adoption through foster care.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a foster parent, learn how to get started on our website.
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13 CSR 35-60 - Missouri Secretary of State: Code of State Regulations
Care of Children Section, Pages 7 and 8
If the foster parent(s) discover that the child is missing, the foster parent(s) shall notify the division immediately. Within two (2) hours of discovering that the child is missing, the foster parent(s) shall also file a missing child compliant with the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction and inform the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that the child is missing.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
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2025 Annual In-Service Psychotropic Medication Training
The new Annual In-Service Psychotropic Medication Training has been released on the DSS Foster Care Training website. Don't forget to complete this required training! This year's topic is "Autism Spectrum Disorder and Psychotropic Medications."
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Overcoming and Preventing Blocked Care
Virtual | October 17 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. & October 18 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Feeling emotionally drained or disconnected as a caregiver? You’re not alone—and there’s help.
Join KVC for an empowering 8-session online class: Overcoming and Preventing Blocked Care—a must for kinship, foster, and adoptive parents who want to reconnect with their children and themselves.
Blocked care happens when the stress of parenting a child with a history of trauma causes a parent’s natural caregiving instincts to shut down. This class gives you tools to recognize it, reverse it, and build secure attachment—even in the hardest moments.
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Family Forward’s Development Trauma Center
Several trainings are available to attend!
In-person trainings are located at 11358 Van Cleve Ave, St. Louis, MO.
For questions, email Intake.dept@familyforwardmo.org.
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KVC Missouri Training
Check out the trainings available through KVC Missouri. There are several available at the link below.
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CD Wants to Hear from You!
If there is information you would like covered in future Foster Parent Connections Newsletters, please email Abigail.J.Smith@dss.mo.gov.
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