Missouri Children’s Director Darrell Missey will retire on November 1.

Missy is a former Jefferson County Judge who has been serving as Chief of the Children’s Services Division since 2021. The Division of Children’s Services is responsible for overseeing state investigations into child abuse and neglect and the foster care system.

Missey spent much of his time during his tenure emphasizing a more proactive approach to child welfare issues, advocating that giving families access to social service programs could prevent children from being placed in foster care.

Missy inherited an agency facing significant staffing challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Personnel problems prevented the implementation of the program which sends parents to drug rehabilitation programs while their children stay with relatives from uniform distribution throughout the state.

Staffing shortages have also led to a huge backlog of cases in St. Louis and St. Louis County. which has alarmed state policymakers and child welfare advocates.

Earlier this year, the Children’s Department there were more than 7000 cases of alleged abuse and neglect that remained open for more than 45 days. As of Aug. 30, St. Louis Children’s had just 14 backlogged cases, meeting Missy’s goal of nearly clearing the backlog by summer 2024.

Kayla Weligger will serve as interim director of children’s services. She currently serves as the Director of Operational Excellence for the Department of Human Services. Before taking this position, Uligger worked in the children’s department in various positions, including as a frontline investigator.

Missouri’s next governor will take office in January and will have the opportunity to name Missy’s permanent successor. Both candidates, Republican Mike Kehoe and Democrat Crystal Quaid, promised pay raises for child abuse investigators in Missouriwho have a starting salary of about $44,000.

Copyright 2024 St. Louis Public Radio.