Missouri State Parks Archives

Missouri social services workers develop plan to help more youth aging out of foster care system

January 1, 2021 By Alisa Nelson

Shasta Miller says a former foster child put it best: a Missouri Department of Social Services unit has helped more in four months than anyone else has in 17 years.

“I want to see more youth get the help that I received because they deserve it,’” the child said.

Missouri social services workers develop plan to help more youth aging out of foster care system

That is exactly what the Southeast Royals Unit wants to do. Miller, along with Rene’ Brinkman, Bobbie Thomas and Nicole Robinson, lead the unit helping older youth prepare for adult life.

“We have a real problem here in Missouri,” says Miller. “Our older youth are leaving our foster care system to higher rates of incarceration, lack of education, unemployment and homelessness.”

They launched the unit about six months ago in southeast Missouri. Robinson says their work has led to most of their foster kids getting a driver’s permit or license, two-thirds have opened a bank account, 63% have a job and 68% of eligible youth have enrolled in college courses.

Now, they want to take the effort statewide. They pitched the idea last month during a state government challenge that brings together workers within Missouri’s 16 executive departments – and they won.

The “Show Me Challenge” – styled after the hit TV show “Shark Tank” – is designed to better serve citizens, cut out bureaucracy, and save the state time and money. The Missouri Office of Administration says the event, which launched in January 2019, is put on twice a year. To date, more than 500 team members have pitched ideas to improve Missouri’s state government processes.

Thomas says an expansion could save Missouri in jail costs and homelessness prevention efforts.

“If we invest in our youth now, we could save up to $2 million each year,” she says. “With increased employment rates we project the state could earn $21,000 in tax revenue each year. Case managers will also benefit from additional Royals units because we would take 300 high-risk youth off of the caseloads,” says Thomas.

Their pitch would add five more units around the state and use existing staff and resources.

“Four-hundred and seven Missouri youth have aged out of foster care since October of 2019,” says Brinkman. “The current Royals unit would only have been able to serve about 1% of that population. However, if we had six Royals units across the state, we could have served 74% of those youth.”

Their winning idea has landed them $500 each, along with senior support and mentorship to translate their proposal into results.

Members from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Office of Administration won second place for their proposal using a statewide campground recycling program to increase convenience of recycling for campers, reducing waste going to landfills.

Third place went to workers from Missouri State Parks, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. They offered a plan creating a centralized website with virtual education materials to better serve educators unable to take their students to visit Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites for in-person learning.

Visitors and campers flock to Missouri State Parks during COVID-19

June 19, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri’s 91 state parks have had a spike in visitor traffic during the coronavirus era. David Kelly, Deputy Director of Missouri State Parks, says workers and volunteers are keeping busy.

A scenic overlook at Ha Ha Tonka State Park near Camdenton, MO at the Lake of the Ozarks.

“What I’ve heard from some staff is like almost every weekend is like a holiday weekend,” he says. “So we’re seeing a lot more people. So far, the staff are holding up real well. We’ve got lots of good volunteers – our campground hosts. We couldn’t do it without our campground hosts and other volunteers.”

Ha Ha Tonka State Park in mid-Missouri’s Camdenton is a heavily-visited place, along with Meramec State Park near eastern Missouri’s Sullivan and the Current River State Park near southern Missouri’s Salem.

Kelly says camping reservations are also climbing as residents stay closer to home. Beginning July 1, all state campgrounds will be fully reopened. During the height of the coronavirus, the state restricted camping use and also closed four state parks.

Kelly says Missouri’s beaches are experiencing high-than-normal traffic.

“There are other swimming pools and other water activities in cities that are not open,” he says. “And so we’re seeing increased traffic at our beaches.”

Popular beaches include Stockton Lake in southwest Missouri, Lake of the Ozarks in mid-Missouri and Mark Twain Lake in northeast Missouri.

Several major reopenings begin today in Missouri

May 18, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Several major reopenings begin today in Missouri

The coronavirus has led to many closures around the state over the past two months to help reduce the spread of the respiratory disease. Some businesses in St. Louis city and St. Louis County reopen today – with some restrictions. Malls, other retailer locations, bars, restaurants, churches and daycares are included in the first wave of places allowed to get back to business today.

State Parks campgrounds begin a phased reopening today. Reservations will be required prior to arrival. Campers will use a new contactless, self-check-in feature. State Park beaches will reopen on Thursday.

The Ford plant near Kansas City also reopens today. The company says a variety of safety measures are being taken.

Missouri’s 2020 Katy Trail Ride cancelled

May 6, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri’s 2020 Katy Trail Ride cancelled

The Missouri State Parks and Missouri State Parks Foundation have cancelled this year’s Katy Trail Ride. The annual event was scheduled to begin Monday, June 22. In a press release, the state says the move was made out of an abundance of caution and to protect participants amid ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

The five-day, 240-mile annual ride, takes travelers through many of Missouri’s rural communities, along open fields and between the Missouri River and its bordering bluffs. The event draws about 350 bicyclists from across the nation and overseas.

The state says many of the communities and facilities used for the event are not able to accommodate the current social distancing guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Overcrowding problems force Missouri to temporarily close some state parks

March 31, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

To address overcrowding problems over the weekend, Missouri is temporarily closing four state parks and partially closing another one. A press release says the state parks closing are Castlewood, Elephant Rocks, Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and Park, and Weston Bend. St. Joe State Park will close the off-road vehicle riding area.

A scenic overlook at Ha Ha Tonka State Park near Camdenton, MO at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The changes take effect at 5 p.m. on Thursday and will continue until April 30.

During a Capitol press conference Monday, Gov. Mike Parson said he was disappointed some state park visitors over the weekend were not following social distancing rules of remaining six feet apart and limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer says gates to individual parking lots may close at all state parks when the lot reaches capacity.

“We’re continuing to evaluate the situation and make adjustments to operations as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves,” says Carol Comer, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “As conditions and recommendations change, we will make additional closures as needed.”

If you want to head outside, park officials say you can still enjoy the many open spaces in your local community while limiting travel.

“We understand the importance of physical activity and getting outside during this unprecedented time,” says Mike Sutherland, director of DNR’s Division of State Parks. “However, we have to make changes to operations at some facilities, due to overcrowding, to ensure public safety.”

Park visitors are encouraged to check mostateparks.com for advisory updates and the latest actions before heading out to a state park.

(VIDEO) Key takeaways from today’s press briefing about COVID-19 in Missouri

March 30, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

The latest state data released today shows at least 1031 people have tested positive in Missouri for the coronavirus – up from 903 positive cases confirmed yesterday. Thirteen coronavirus related deaths have been reported. Western Missouri’s Lafayette County recorded its first death tied to the respiratory disease.

About 15,645 patients have been tested by a public or private lab.

Gov. Mike Parson (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

During a Capitol press briefing today, Gov. Mike Parson says some estimates show Missouri could peak mid-April in its case count of people testing positive for COVID-19.

“I think we’re still 60, 90 days away of getting through this virus and that’s kind of a best case scenario,” says Parson. “But I do look somewhere between the middle of April. I think we’re going to be able to get some new information, new statistics, I hope so to be able to do that and hope we start turning the corner. But the reality of it is, I think we’ve got to all realize that this is going to be a long-term and I don’t want to give false hope to anybody.”

Many Missourians cooped up in their homes got out to a state park over the weekend to get some fresh air and enjoy the weather. But word has gotten out that some were not keeping their social distance. Parson says he is considering whether to close state parks.

“A little disappointing of what happened over the weekend at some of the state parks. We’re trying to leave facilities like that open for the general public, but unfortunately people didn’t abide by the rules. We’re talking about the social distancing,” says Parson. “So, we’re going to make that decision. We’re in discussions about that right now, whether we close those parks down or not.”

The rules the governor is referring to include remaining six feet apart and limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people. Parson says he plans to expand his social distancing order.

“You know I think it’s just a matter of where we move that timeframe to,” says Parson. “Again, you know I’m thinking we’re at least 30-60 days away from any kind of lifting any orders, but we’re evaluating that daily.”

His current order expires April 6.

Jennifer Tidball, acting director of the Missouri Department of Social Services (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

Several announcements were made during today’s press briefing. Many of them were reminders for those who watch the daily briefings but perhaps new to those not following the state’s coronavirus response as closely. Two new announcements deal with daycare providers and doctors.

The state is making a temporary payment to Missouri’s roughly 2,400 childcare centers receiving subsidies. Jennifer Tidball, acting director of the Missouri Department of Social Services, says the decision is in response to many providers being closed during the coronavirus outbreak.

“We will be making a temporary payment through our Department of Social Services childcare subsidy payments to ensure that providers receive no less amount for March services or services through the emergency timeframe than what they received as an average payment for December, January and February,” she says at today’s press briefing.

Tidball wants providers to pass on some of the funding to their workers to help maintain their employment when the businesses reopen.

Department of Commerce and Insurance Director Chlora Lindley-Myers (Photo courtesy of Governor’s Flickr page)

Meanwhile, Missouri is letting doctors and surgeons licensed in other states care for patients here in person or through telehealth options during the pandemic. Department of Commerce and Insurance Director Chlora Lindley-Myers says the decision applies to those who have not had their active licenses disciplined.

“By having this access granted to additional providers, we increase our ability to meet the needs of Missouri patients who are being tested and treated for COVID-19,” she says.

Missouri RNs and LPN’s are already allowed to practice in person or through telehealth in their home state and 32 other states.

Effective immediately, Parson has also temporarily waived the regulation requiring that a collaborating physician and an advanced practice registered nurse be within 75 miles of each other.

You can watch the entire briefing is below.