State Technical Assistance Team

Mission: The importance of multidisciplinary intervention in dealing with dysfunctional families, child maltreatment, and child fatality issues cannot be overemphasized. To encourage agencies to work together, the State Technical Assistance Team (STAT) facilitates cooperation and coordination among professional organizations with shared responsibilities and mandates. These agencies include the Department of Social Services, law enforcement, prosecutors, health offices, juvenile offices, coroners/medical examiners, medical facilities, and private organizations. Because some of these agencies have multiple and dissimilar roles and responsibilities (investigative/enforcement, protection, services, etc.), STAT acts as an intermediary to coordinate activities by bringing these groups together. By introducing these principles, STAT encourages communities to identify and address problems often avoided by those who lack the confidence to become involved.

To build and maintain that confidence, STAT trains and supports the field-level intervention/investigative community to help realistically convert policy into practice. When requested, STAT assists in the evaluation/investigation of serious child physical abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse, child exploitation and child fatalities. As an integral part of the process, STAT forms meaningful partnerships with other community agencies to help identify predictable and preventative risks to children. To establish these partnerships, STAT promotes this attitude of enhanced cooperation and coordination. STAT also promotes aggressive prosecution as a deterrent to child maltreatment, child exploitation and child homicide.

April is designated as Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Month nationally and ithroughout our state. It is a time to bring awareness to the very important issue of child maltreatment, as well as a time to educate citizens about the impact of abuse and neglect on children. In an effort to prevent child injury and death, as well as child abuse and neglect, STAT has created both Presentations and informational sheets. These were created to be used to educate parents, professionals, and other community members as to how they can prevent child injuries. April is a great month in which to utilize these presentations with various community groups and associations.

STAT is committed to the support and institutionalization of the following programs and systems:

• Missouri Child Fatality Review Program
• Multidisciplinary child maltreatment investigation teams (child homicides, serious child maltreatment, and child exploitation/pornography)
• "Omni-source" of information for the entire multidisciplinary community of professionals dealing with child maltreatment, child exploitation and child fatality events.

Missouri Department of Social Services
State Technical Assistance Team
PO Box 208
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0208

Telephone:
(573) 751-5980
(800) 487-1626
(8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST, Monday - Friday,
continental US only)

Email dls.stat@dss.mo.gov