This week, SB 973 was heard in committee. The bill seeks to give the Office of Child Advocacy (OCA) more influence on the fate of children facing relocation into safer homes. The OCA serves as a watchdog for the Children’s Division of Family Services.

It has recently been brought to our understanding that proper procedures aren’t always followed when it comes to the decision of removal of a child from a home due to abuse, neglect or endangerment. Currently, the OCA may investigate incidents, but may only make recommendations. This sometimes results in a child being removed from a home unnecessarily, or children remaining in a home when they may be in imminent danger.

SB 973 will give the OCA a legal voice in court over at-risk child custody cases, which will serve both to protect innocent parents from having their children removed due to false or inaccurate claims, as well as to protect the children who truly need to be removed from a home.

The Children’s Division of Family Services is faced with very difficult tasks each day, and a second set of eyes can make a huge difference on assisting a family’s case.

Always feel free to contact me throughout the year with any comments, questions, or issues by calling my office at (573) 751-5713 or by visiting my website at www.senate.mo.gov/brown.

Thank you for reading this and for your participation in state government.