Missouri Children's Division

The head of the agency that oversees the Missouri Children’s Division says he wants investigators to treat evidence of fentanyl as an imminent danger to kids.

“The subcommittee identified issues like inadequate case assessments and families declining services, leading to case closures,” a state report states.

The Senate still could include the increase when considering its version of the budget.

An Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigator receives a starting salary as high as $72,000, compared to just $43,000 for an equivalent position in Missouri.

Some lawmakers remain worried that low salaries could make retaining child abuse investigators difficult.

The starting salary for an child abuse investigator is around $43,000 a year.

The GOP official was appointed to his post in 2022 and is seeking a full four-year term this year.

In Missouri, the state’s Children’s Division is responsible for investigating abuse and neglect claims made through the state’s hotline.

The Independence Democrat pointed to the death of a Kansas City boy to show the urgency of supporting state workers who investigate child abuse.

The Lee’s Summit Democrat has served in the Missouri House since 2019, representing a portion of Jackson County.