Missouri Department of Social Services

The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) is a state agency of Missouri. It has its headquarters in the Broadway State Office Building in Jefferson City. The department operates the state's social services.

Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan established the Family Investment Trust (FIT) in November 1993, which was changed to Family and Community Trust (FACT) by Governor Bob Holden in April 2001. FACT, which is housed within the Missouri Department of Social Services, is designed to lead a collaborative effort to improve the conditions of Missouri’s families and communities. It is also to encourage a collaborative effort among both private and public community entities to build local support systems.

The Department of Social Services partners with families and communities to protect children, rehabilitate youth and move families to self sufficiency so that Missourians can lead safe, healthy and productive lives. Administrative responsibility for agency activities rests with a department director appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the state Senate.

Agency programs are managed through its functional divisions. The department maintains field offices in each Missouri county and in the City of St. Louis.

Twenty-one Caring Community organizations were established around Missouri to implement this approach with six core results: parents working, children safe, children ready for school, children and families health, children and youth succeeding in school, and youth ready to enter the work force. FACT is the nonprofit corporation that governs the 21 partnerships. Funding to support this work comes from the state legislature through the Department of Social Services and is a combination of general revenue and a federal match.

There are currently 20 community partnerships across Missouri, including Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS) in St. Louis, Local Investment Commission (LINC) in Kansas City, and more.

The Family Support Division (FSD) exists to provide a continuum of support for families. FSD’s goal is to assist families in maintaining or improving their quality of life. FSD accomplishes this goal for the children and families of Missouri by providing the best possible services to the public.

FSD services include: Income Maintenance programs, including the Food Stamp, Temporary Assistance and Medicaid programs; Rehabilitation Services for the Blind; and the Child Support program. Other programs include: Community Services Block Grant Programs; Low Income Home Energy Assistance; Refugee Resettlement; and Supplemental Nursing Care.

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