Effective 28 Aug 1986

210.172. Powers and duties of board. — The board shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To meet not less than twice annually at the call of the chairperson to conduct its official business;

(2) To require that at least eight of the board members authorize the disbursement of funds from the children's trust fund;

(3) To, one year after the appointment of the original board and annually thereafter, develop a state plan for the distribution and disbursement of funds in the children's trust fund. The plan developed under this subdivision shall assure that an equal opportunity exists for the establishment of prevention programs and the receipt of moneys from the children's trust fund in all geographic areas of this state. Such plan shall be transmitted to the governor, the president pro tem of the senate, the speaker of the Missouri house of representatives, and the appropriation committees of the Missouri senate and Missouri house of representatives, and shall be made available to the general public. In carrying out a plan developed under this subdivision, the board shall establish procedures to:

(a) Enter into contracts with public or private agencies, schools, or qualified individuals to establish community-based educational and service prevention programs with or without using the procurement procedures of the office of administration. Such prevention programs shall focus on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Community-based service prevention programs shall include programs such as crisis care, parent aides, counseling, and support groups. Participation by individuals in any community-based educational or service prevention program shall be strictly voluntary. In awarding contracts under this paragraph, consideration shall be given by the board to factors such as need, geographic location diversity, coordination with or improvement of existing services, and extensive use of volunteers;

(b) Develop and publicize criteria for the awarding of contracts for programs to be supported with money from the children's trust fund within the limits of appropriations made for that purpose;

(c) Review and monitor expenditures of moneys from the children's trust fund on a periodic basis;

(d) Consult with applicable state agencies, commissions, and boards to help determine probable effectiveness, fiscal soundness, and need for proposed community-based educational and service prevention programs;

(e) Facilitate information exchange between groups concerned with prevention programs;

(f) Provide for statewide educational and public informational conferences and workshops for the purpose of developing appropriate public awareness regarding the problems of families and children, of encouraging professional persons and groups to recognize and deal with problems of families and children, of making information regarding the problems of families and children and their prevention available to the general public in order to encourage citizens to become involved in the prevention of such problems, and of encouraging the development of community prevention programs; and

(g) Establish a procedure for an annual internal evaluation of the functions, responsibilities, and performance of the board, which evaluation shall be coordinated with the annual state plan of the board.

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(L. 1983 H.B. 550 § 3, A.L. 1986 S.B. 688)