Officials with the Rolling Hills Library are asking Andrew and Buchanan County voters to lower the library tax levy from 31 to 28 cents. 

Library Director Michelle Mears says if the April ballot issue is successful, the 20-year sunset on one half of the overall levy would end as well. . . 

"That restricts the number of years we can finance bonds towards construction projects, and so if we have a longer term or we don't have any restriction in terms of a sunset levy, then we can have better options to finance out over a longer term and have more affordable payments and still have funds to operate the library with," Mears tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  

Mears says a benefit of the ballot measure would be a stable source of funding for the library, allowing library officials to make forward-looking management decisions.  

"Because we can't even look at staff salaries and benefits and long-term programs and that sort of thing, when half our current operating budget expires every so often with that sunset," Mears explains.  

The move is also seen as an important step toward building a new Rolling Hills library to move out of the strip mall on North Belt highway. 

The library board plans to use reserve funds for half the costs and issue construction bonds for the other half. Mears says the sunset clause must be repealed to issue bonds.  

Mears says the library successfully asked voters to extend the sunset in 2019, because the library was still in planning stages for what to do next. 

"Since then, of course COVID hit, and a lot of things have changed and we've learned a lot of lessons, and we made the decision that we really need to be in a new building with different features and something that was designed to actually be a library not a commercial strip mall building that's been adapted for library use," Mears says. 

The measure will be on the April 2nd ballot 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708372599147.jpeg" alt="Rolling Hills Library/ File photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Rolling Hills Library/ File photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Officials with the Rolling Hills Library are asking Andrew and Buchanan County voters to lower the library tax levy from 31 to 28 cents. Library Director Michelle Mears says if the April ballot issue is successful, the 20-year sunset on one half of the overall levy would end as well. . . "That restricts the number of years we can finance bonds towards construction projects, and so if we have a longer term or we don't have any restriction in terms of a sunset levy, then we can have better options to finance out over a longer term and have more affordable payments and still have funds to operate the library with," Mears tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Mears says a benefit of the ballot measure would be a stable source of funding for the library, allowing library officials to make forward-looking management decisions. "Because we can't even look at staff salaries and benefits and long-term programs and that sort of thing, when half our current operating budget expires every so often with that sunset," Mears explains. The move is also seen as an important step toward building a new Rolling Hills library to move out of the strip mall on North Belt highway. The library board plans to use reserve funds for half the costs and issue construction bonds for the other half. Mears says the sunset clause must be repealed to issue bonds. Mears says the library successfully asked voters to extend the sunset in 2019, because the library was still in planning stages for what to do next. "Since then, of course COVID hit, and a lot of things have changed and we've learned a lot of lessons, and we made the decision that we really need to be in a new building with different features and something that was designed to actually be a library not a commercial strip mall building that's been adapted for library use," Mears says. The measure will be on the April 2nd ballot

Tax levy measure on April ballot to help Rolling Hills Library in multiple ways

Kameron Freemyer had lived the dream of a lifetime.

A Mound City native and former Missouri Western women's basketball player, she spent this past season as an intern in player development for the Kansas City Chiefs.

After the Chiefs won their third Super Bowl in five years, Freemyer took part in the victory parade three days later. Riding on top of a bus. Beaming. As everyone in downtown Kansas City was. Then, at the end, the unthinkable happened.

"It was a day of celebrating the Chiefs and bringing the Lombardi home to Kansas City again," Freemyer told KFEQ Radio. "It was a surreal moment, seeing all of those fans out there supporting our team.

In those moments (after), they were scary, but our main focus was making sure everyone was safe and made it back, and they did. Our hearts go out to those who were impacted."

Two men have been charged with murder in last week’s shooting that killed one person and injured 22 others after the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade. Both adults are charged with second-degree murder and other charges.

Both men have been hospitalized since the shooting. The new charges come after two juveniles were detained last week on gun-related and resisting arrest charges. Authorities said more charges are possible. Police have said a dispute among several people led to the shooting.

Greg Carbin was there that day as well. Carbin is a 2007 Missouri Western graduate and former defensive back for the Griffon football team. He was head strength coach at Missouri Western for seven years and has been an assistant strength coach with the Chiefs for the last five.

He says the path to healing in the aftermath of Wednesday's tragedy starts from within. Starts with being a little kinder to one another.

"We can make our city better by being good humans," Carbin said. "It really starts with you seeking the Holy Spirit everyday and you just being a good person. There's a lot of good people in the city. Through the works of Trav (Travis Kelce), the Hunts, the Mahomes', I think they're going to do their due diligence in bringing the city together."

The Chiefs have since launched the 'KC Strong' emergency response fund which supports victims impacted by the shooting. The team is accepting donations online.

Jay White, former Missouri Western punter and kicking coach, just finished his ninth season with the Chiefs as an assistant equipment manager. He, like many, struggle to make sense of what happened this past week.

Yet, when White looks to the future, he remains hopeful.

"Tragedies like this are senseless," he said. "But, there's great people around us and it's a great organization. I think we'll be...we'll end up on top."

Despite what has happened, one thing holds true - the Chiefs are on top of the football world for the third time in five years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Leaving no doubt that they are, indeed, a dynasty.

That’s something that Greg Carbin wants all of Chiefs Kingdom to remember and relish as everyone grapples with the tragedy that ensued such a joyous occasion.

"Such a blessing," Carbin said. "All Glory to God for our third Super Bowl championship in the last five years. It starts from the top down in ownership to head coach Andy Reid, my boss (Ryan Reynolds), everyone in the organization and all the different departments."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708316395058.jpeg" alt="From left to right - Jay White, Connor Peters, Neil Huskey, Kameron Freemyer and Greg Carbin. All former Griffon athletes and/or employees now working for the world champion Kansas City Chiefs. These five were honored during the Missouri Western basketball game on Saturday in St. Joseph. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>From left to right - Jay White, Connor Peters, Neil Huskey, Kameron Freemyer and Greg Carbin. All former Griffon athletes and/or employees now working for the world champion Kansas City Chiefs. These five were honored during the Missouri Western basketball game on Saturday in St. Joseph. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKameron Freemyer had lived the dream of a lifetime.A Mound City native and former Missouri Western women's basketball player, she spent this past season as an intern in player development for the Kansas City Chiefs.After the Chiefs won their third Super Bowl in five years, Freemyer took part in the victory parade three days later. Riding on top of a bus. Beaming. As everyone in downtown Kansas City was. Then, at the end, the unthinkable happened."It was a day of celebrating the Chiefs and bringing the Lombardi home to Kansas City again," Freemyer told KFEQ Radio. "It was a surreal moment, seeing all of those fans out there supporting our team.In those moments (after), they were scary, but our main focus was making sure everyone was safe and made it back, and they did. Our hearts go out to those who were impacted."Two men have been charged with murder in last week’s shooting that killed one person and injured 22 others after the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade. Both adults are charged with second-degree murder and other charges.Both men have been hospitalized since the shooting. The new charges come after two juveniles were detained last week on gun-related and resisting arrest charges. Authorities said more charges are possible. Police have said a dispute among several people led to the shooting.Greg Carbin was there that day as well. Carbin is a 2007 Missouri Western graduate and former defensive back for the Griffon football team. He was head strength coach at Missouri Western for seven years and has been an assistant strength coach with the Chiefs for the last five.He says the path to healing in the aftermath of Wednesday's tragedy starts from within. Starts with being a little kinder to one another."We can make our city better by being good humans," Carbin said. "It really starts with you seeking the Holy Spirit everyday and you just being a good person. There's a lot of good people in the city. Through the works of Trav (Travis Kelce), the Hunts, the Mahomes', I think they're going to do their due diligence in bringing the city together."The Chiefs have since launched the 'KC Strong' emergency response fund which supports victims impacted by the shooting. The team is accepting donations online.Jay White, former Missouri Western punter and kicking coach, just finished his ninth season with the Chiefs as an assistant equipment manager. He, like many, struggle to make sense of what happened this past week.Yet, when White looks to the future, he remains hopeful."Tragedies like this are senseless," he said. "But, there's great people around us and it's a great organization. I think we'll be...we'll end up on top."Despite what has happened, one thing holds true - the Chiefs are on top of the football world for the third time in five years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Leaving no doubt that they are, indeed, a dynasty.That’s something that Greg Carbin wants all of Chiefs Kingdom to remember and relish as everyone grapples with the tragedy that ensued such a joyous occasion."Such a blessing," Carbin said. "All Glory to God for our third Super Bowl championship in the last five years. It starts from the top down in ownership to head coach Andy Reid, my boss (Ryan Reynolds), everyone in the organization and all the different departments."Greg Carbin, Jay White interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Greg-Carbin--Jay-White---21724-e2fu21j/a-aavo0ad" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Kameron Freemyer interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Kameron-Freemyer---21724-e2fu27e/a-aavo10n" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708319318237.jpeg" alt="Greg Carbin (left) and Jay White (right). Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Greg Carbin (left) and Jay White (right). Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708319460855.jpeg" alt="Kameron Freemyer. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Kameron Freemyer. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost

Former Griffons turned Chiefs reflect on joys of victory, shock of tragedy, after parade

St. Joseph city officials are waiting for
proposals from design and construction teams interested in the renovation of
Krug Park.

City Manager Bryan Carter says the city has met
with both design and construction teams about improvements at the park, the
largest project proposed when voters approved the half-cent parks sales tax in
2021.

Carter says the city worked hard to get a feel
for what St. Joseph residents want.

“It’s been about a year going through a planning and
community outreach process to figure out what the community wants,” Carter tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Do they want everything patched up with
some ADA elements added or do they want to rethink how some of these things
operate?”

Those concepts have been related to the firms,
which will draft concrete plans within the $12 million budget.

Carter says this is a long, complicated project
to undertake.

“The park’s kind of unique,” Carter says of Krug
Park, located in north St. Joseph. “It’s not one building that you can maybe close
for two months, completely renovate it, and bring it back online. You have to
work to make sure the community still has access to the park. We can’t just
close the doors, lock the gate, and say, wait for us to get done.”

Carter says the traditional Christmas festivities
at the park will continue through renovation.

Carter says the design and construction firms
have been told that special attention must be paid to the amphitheater, the
children’s circus, and the castle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708362590665.jpeg" alt="Krug Park Bowl/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Krug Park Bowl/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph city officials are waiting for
proposals from design and construction teams interested in the renovation of
Krug Park.City Manager Bryan Carter says the city has met
with both design and construction teams about improvements at the park, the
largest project proposed when voters approved the half-cent parks sales tax in
2021.Carter says the city worked hard to get a feel
for what St. Joseph residents want.“It’s been about a year going through a planning and
community outreach process to figure out what the community wants,” Carter tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Do they want everything patched up with
some ADA elements added or do they want to rethink how some of these things
operate?”Those concepts have been related to the firms,
which will draft concrete plans within the $12 million budget.Carter says this is a long, complicated project
to undertake.“The park’s kind of unique,” Carter says of Krug
Park, located in north St. Joseph. “It’s not one building that you can maybe close
for two months, completely renovate it, and bring it back online. You have to
work to make sure the community still has access to the park. We can’t just
close the doors, lock the gate, and say, wait for us to get done.”Carter says the traditional Christmas festivities
at the park will continue through renovation.Carter says the design and construction firms
have been told that special attention must be paid to the amphitheater, the
children’s circus, and the castle.

St. Joseph awaits proposals to renovate Krug Park

Missouri’s social services agency is asking for $4 million for a ‘call center bot’ that officials hope will help alleviate wait times that for food assistance interviews have more than doubled in just four months

By CLARA BATES&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missourians in need of help accessing public benefits saw wait times for the state’s long-overloaded call center increase in the final months of 2023.

The average hold time for the state phone line dealing with food assistance interviews reached 1 hour and 12 minutes in December, more than double what they had been in August, according to records obtained by The Independent under Missouri’s Sunshine Law.&nbsp;

A pending&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/03/federal-lawsuit-over-missouris-dysfunctional-snap-call-center-adds-two-new-plaintiffs/">federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed two years ago, when wait times were up to three hours, argues long hold times for required food assistance interviews constitutes an illegal denial of benefits.&nbsp;

For the state’s phone line dealing with general questions — including about programs such as Medicaid, temporary assistance for needy families and the child care subsidy — wait times exceeded one hour and 45 minutes in December. That number has crept up every month since August.

Many callers give up before they ever get to talk to a person.&nbsp;

Records&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408377-queue-performance-june-23-to-dec-23-xlsm-read-only">show</a>&nbsp;72% of callers hung up before reaching a representative when calling the general line in December, and 35% abandoned calls for the line for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program interviews, previously known as food stamps.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“If you are working, where are you going to wait on hold for an hour and 45 minutes?” state Rep. Deb Lavender, a Manchester Democrat, told The Independent. “If you’re not working, you probably have some reason that’s preventing you from working, including perhaps watching kids. That’s not manageable for any of us these days.”

At several junctures over the last few years, the state has argued it was making progress at lowering wait times or was on the cusp of doing so — pushing to hire and train more staff, grant overtime, move to automate assistance and contract with private call centers.&nbsp;

At a House budget committee hearing for the social services department in early December, Lavender pressed Kim Evans, director of the agency’s Family Support Division, on whether SNAP interviews were being done in a timely manner.

“I was excited this morning,” Evans testified, “when we first came into the hearing, we were at an 11 minute wait time.”&nbsp;

Lavender responded that she was also excited that wait times were down to only 11 minutes, but “I’ve also been in hearings with you before that you told me we’re getting better at wait times,&nbsp; and then in between I keep hearing about hellacious wait times.”

During that December hearing, records show the prior month average was actually one hour and 19 minutes. The average for the month of December ended up being over an hour as well.

The department didn’t respond to several questions attempting to clarify how Evans calculated that day’s wait to reach 11 minutes. Baylee Watts, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, said in an email to The Independent that “times can widely vary throughout the month.”

In another budget committee hearing Tuesday, Lavender again pressed Evans on the wait times.

“Every time we’re in here, you tell me our call times are getting better,” Lavender said, “and every time I step out of this room and talk to anybody else they tell me call times are still terrible.”

Evans said the wait time for those in need of assistance “fluctuates.”

“We’re coming out of open enrollment for the federal marketplace right now, so we are backlogged in applications, so folks are calling us,” she said. “We’re unwinding renewals, people are calling us. We are seeing an influx in SNAP applications, people are calling us. And so, you know, as the economy goes, so does our call center. As the weather goes, so does our call center.”

The state is asking for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY_2025_Department_of_Social_Services_Budget_Request.pdf">$4 million&nbsp;</a>for a “call center bot,” to increase automation and reduce the need for staff on the general call center line.

The goal is to free up 100 staff who are currently answering the general questions calls to transfer them to SNAP interviews instead, by having a virtual agent to “tackle those calls and those long wait times on tier three,” Director Robert Knodell told lawmakers Tuesday, referring to the SNAP interview tier.

Knodell said if implemented it would be a “game changer.”

‘Disappointing for the people in our state’

In a January&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408368-1-26-24-letter-with-production-bates-20240126">letter</a>&nbsp;to The Independent, DSS’ deputy director of operations, Teri Armistead, wrote that Family Support Division “continues to execute on strategies, such as blitzes,” which shift workers between processing applications and answering calls depending on need.

“This has resulted in significant improvement to our call center wait times,” she wrote.&nbsp;

In an interview with The Independent last week, Lavender said she’s “just so disappointed.”

“It feels like we continuously talk about SNAP wait times,” she said, “and why we haven’t been able to solve this is just so disappointing for the people in our state who need to rely on these services…I don’t think we’ve ever gotten accurate information in budget committee about what true wait times are.”&nbsp;

Delayed or missing SNAP benefits born out of the dysfunctional call center&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/02/broken-system-call-center-backlogs-impede-missouri-families-seeking-food-assistance/">looks like&nbsp;</a>families struggling to feed their young children while rearranging their days to wait on hold, Missourians with disabilities who can’t understand the application forms being unable to get help and some subsisting on little food while using up prepaid phone minutes on hold.

It’s not just those seeking SNAP interviews who bear the cost — people on a range of benefits programs encounter issues enrolling in or maintaining their services and then call and can’t get through.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/">Sometimes</a>&nbsp;when they go to in-person resource centers, they are directed back to the same troubled call center for help.&nbsp;

The general questions line — which reached an almost 2 hour wait in December — is where many people with Medicaid issues end up.

Last year, Missouri was one of 16 states the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services flagged,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kbia.org/missouri-news/2023-08-18/feds-raise-concerns-about-long-call-center-wait-times-as-millions-dropped-from-medicaid">writing</a>&nbsp;that long wait times and high abandonment rates for calls “are impeding equitable access to assistance and the ability for people to apply for or renew Medicaid.”

Missouri argued at the time that CMS was misunderstanding state data. Callers to the state who have Medicaid questions can end up in the state’s general questions tier — which generally has long wait times — or one of two contracted-out lines.

The state works with two private companies, Automated Health Services and Wipro, that answer calls for a limited subset of Medicaid queries that don’t require the authority of state staff. They have shorter wait times — 26&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408368-1-26-24-letter-with-production-bates-20240126">minutes</a>&nbsp;for AHS in October and 1 minute for Wipro — but by far the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408368-1-26-24-letter-with-production-bates-20240126">largest volume</a>&nbsp;of Medicaid-related calls ends up in the state’s general questions line.

The contracted lines can handle annual renewals done by phone, order replacement Medicaid cards and handle reported changes, according to Watts.

The state has generally characterized callers as making the wrong choices, which lead to them being in the general questions line rather than the more-efficient contracted lines — though callers have told The Independent the contracted lines often aren’t equipped to answer their questions, including about the status of an application submitted months prior.

“…We strongly encourage Medicaid participants to utilize the Medicaid lines to free up resources for SNAP and [temporary assistance],” Watts said.

One advocate helping with a Medicaid application that hadn’t been processed for months, directed to Medicaid from the federal Marketplace Exchange, sent The Independent a screenshot of her call Feb. 1 to the agency that lasted 6 hours. She said she was speaking to the representative for just 30 minutes of that time.

This was the fourth call this year, with the previous ones also involving hours-long waits.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In addition to increasing call-center wait times, the state’s processing time for Medicaid applications has been rising, exceeding the federal limit in December.

It took a median time — the metric DSS is required to report to the federal government — of 49 days in December to process a Medicaid application for the group that includes most low-income Missourians, Watts said.

Federal rules limit processing time for those applications to 45 days.&nbsp;

One pregnant applicant previously&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/">told</a>&nbsp;The Independent she had to postpone getting prenatal care because her Medicaid application was taking months to be processed.

In a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.medicaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/medicaid-chip-unwinding-oper-snap-october2023.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;published by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in January, Missouri’s percent of applications in October processed outside the federal limit was 34%. Only three states&nbsp;were worse. The abandonment rate for Missouri in October, referring to calls abandoned before reaching a representative, was 47%, second only to Nevada.

“It is always the goal of the Family Support Division to provide excellent customer service while working as efficiently as possible,” Armistead said. “There are, however, very real limitations related to capacity that they must navigate,” citing limited staff call centers, processing and working in person, along with limits on hours those staff can work in the system.

The confluence of Medicaid renewals beginning again, an increase in SNAP applications and the opening of federal enrollment “can and does impact processing times,” she said.

Now that open enrollment is over, Armistead said, applications should start to “slow down and we will start to work through the backlog. This will happen every year from November through January.”

Evans said Tuesday, about the call wait times increasing in recent months, that “this is going to be a cycle, you’re going to see with (Family Support Division), that’s going to happen.”

Lavender responded: “I hope there’s an end of this.”

“​​I don’t think I’ve sat in a budget meeting yet, and this is the end of my sixth year, that we haven’t talked about long wait times for one reason or another.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708341084849.png" alt=" Kim Evans, director of Family Support Division, and Patrick Luebbering, chief financial officer, of the Department of Social Services at a December 2023 budget hearing (screenshot)." />
 <figcaption> Kim Evans, director of Family Support Division, and Patrick Luebbering, chief financial officer, of the Department of Social Services at a December 2023 budget hearing (screenshot).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri’s social services agency is asking for $4 million for a ‘call center bot’ that officials hope will help alleviate wait times that for food assistance interviews have more than doubled in just four months</h2>By CLARA BATES&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missourians in need of help accessing public benefits saw wait times for the state’s long-overloaded call center increase in the final months of 2023.The average hold time for the state phone line dealing with food assistance interviews reached 1 hour and 12 minutes in December, more than double what they had been in August, according to records obtained by The Independent under Missouri’s Sunshine Law.&nbsp;A pending&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/03/federal-lawsuit-over-missouris-dysfunctional-snap-call-center-adds-two-new-plaintiffs/">federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed two years ago, when wait times were up to three hours, argues long hold times for required food assistance interviews constitutes an illegal denial of benefits.&nbsp;For the state’s phone line dealing with general questions — including about programs such as Medicaid, temporary assistance for needy families and the child care subsidy — wait times exceeded one hour and 45 minutes in December. That number has crept up every month since August.Many callers give up before they ever get to talk to a person.&nbsp;Records&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408377-queue-performance-june-23-to-dec-23-xlsm-read-only">show</a>&nbsp;72% of callers hung up before reaching a representative when calling the general line in December, and 35% abandoned calls for the line for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program interviews, previously known as food stamps.&nbsp;&nbsp;“If you are working, where are you going to wait on hold for an hour and 45 minutes?” state Rep. Deb Lavender, a Manchester Democrat, told The Independent. “If you’re not working, you probably have some reason that’s preventing you from working, including perhaps watching kids. That’s not manageable for any of us these days.”At several junctures over the last few years, the state has argued it was making progress at lowering wait times or was on the cusp of doing so — pushing to hire and train more staff, grant overtime, move to automate assistance and contract with private call centers.&nbsp;At a House budget committee hearing for the social services department in early December, Lavender pressed Kim Evans, director of the agency’s Family Support Division, on whether SNAP interviews were being done in a timely manner.“I was excited this morning,” Evans testified, “when we first came into the hearing, we were at an 11 minute wait time.”&nbsp;Lavender responded that she was also excited that wait times were down to only 11 minutes, but “I’ve also been in hearings with you before that you told me we’re getting better at wait times,&nbsp; and then in between I keep hearing about hellacious wait times.”During that December hearing, records show the prior month average was actually one hour and 19 minutes. The average for the month of December ended up being over an hour as well.The department didn’t respond to several questions attempting to clarify how Evans calculated that day’s wait to reach 11 minutes. Baylee Watts, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, said in an email to The Independent that “times can widely vary throughout the month.”In another budget committee hearing Tuesday, Lavender again pressed Evans on the wait times.“Every time we’re in here, you tell me our call times are getting better,” Lavender said, “and every time I step out of this room and talk to anybody else they tell me call times are still terrible.”Evans said the wait time for those in need of assistance “fluctuates.”“We’re coming out of open enrollment for the federal marketplace right now, so we are backlogged in applications, so folks are calling us,” she said. “We’re unwinding renewals, people are calling us. We are seeing an influx in SNAP applications, people are calling us. And so, you know, as the economy goes, so does our call center. As the weather goes, so does our call center.”The state is asking for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY_2025_Department_of_Social_Services_Budget_Request.pdf">$4 million&nbsp;</a>for a “call center bot,” to increase automation and reduce the need for staff on the general call center line.The goal is to free up 100 staff who are currently answering the general questions calls to transfer them to SNAP interviews instead, by having a virtual agent to “tackle those calls and those long wait times on tier three,” Director Robert Knodell told lawmakers Tuesday, referring to the SNAP interview tier.Knodell said if implemented it would be a “game changer.”<h2>‘Disappointing for the people in our state’</h2>In a January&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408368-1-26-24-letter-with-production-bates-20240126">letter</a>&nbsp;to The Independent, DSS’ deputy director of operations, Teri Armistead, wrote that Family Support Division “continues to execute on strategies, such as blitzes,” which shift workers between processing applications and answering calls depending on need.“This has resulted in significant improvement to our call center wait times,” she wrote.&nbsp;In an interview with The Independent last week, Lavender said she’s “just so disappointed.”“It feels like we continuously talk about SNAP wait times,” she said, “and why we haven’t been able to solve this is just so disappointing for the people in our state who need to rely on these services…I don’t think we’ve ever gotten accurate information in budget committee about what true wait times are.”&nbsp;Delayed or missing SNAP benefits born out of the dysfunctional call center&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/02/broken-system-call-center-backlogs-impede-missouri-families-seeking-food-assistance/">looks like&nbsp;</a>families struggling to feed their young children while rearranging their days to wait on hold, Missourians with disabilities who can’t understand the application forms being unable to get help and some subsisting on little food while using up prepaid phone minutes on hold.It’s not just those seeking SNAP interviews who bear the cost — people on a range of benefits programs encounter issues enrolling in or maintaining their services and then call and can’t get through.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/">Sometimes</a>&nbsp;when they go to in-person resource centers, they are directed back to the same troubled call center for help.&nbsp;The general questions line — which reached an almost 2 hour wait in December — is where many people with Medicaid issues end up.Last year, Missouri was one of 16 states the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services flagged,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kbia.org/missouri-news/2023-08-18/feds-raise-concerns-about-long-call-center-wait-times-as-millions-dropped-from-medicaid">writing</a>&nbsp;that long wait times and high abandonment rates for calls “are impeding equitable access to assistance and the ability for people to apply for or renew Medicaid.”Missouri argued at the time that CMS was misunderstanding state data. Callers to the state who have Medicaid questions can end up in the state’s general questions tier — which generally has long wait times — or one of two contracted-out lines.The state works with two private companies, Automated Health Services and Wipro, that answer calls for a limited subset of Medicaid queries that don’t require the authority of state staff. They have shorter wait times — 26&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408368-1-26-24-letter-with-production-bates-20240126">minutes</a>&nbsp;for AHS in October and 1 minute for Wipro — but by far the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408368-1-26-24-letter-with-production-bates-20240126">largest volume</a>&nbsp;of Medicaid-related calls ends up in the state’s general questions line.The contracted lines can handle annual renewals done by phone, order replacement Medicaid cards and handle reported changes, according to Watts.The state has generally characterized callers as making the wrong choices, which lead to them being in the general questions line rather than the more-efficient contracted lines — though callers have told The Independent the contracted lines often aren’t equipped to answer their questions, including about the status of an application submitted months prior.“…We strongly encourage Medicaid participants to utilize the Medicaid lines to free up resources for SNAP and [temporary assistance],” Watts said.One advocate helping with a Medicaid application that hadn’t been processed for months, directed to Medicaid from the federal Marketplace Exchange, sent The Independent a screenshot of her call Feb. 1 to the agency that lasted 6 hours. She said she was speaking to the representative for just 30 minutes of that time.This was the fourth call this year, with the previous ones also involving hours-long waits.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708341005704.png" alt=" A letter from the Missouri Department of Social Services (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> A letter from the Missouri Department of Social Services (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘This is going to be a cycle’</h2>In addition to increasing call-center wait times, the state’s processing time for Medicaid applications has been rising, exceeding the federal limit in December.It took a median time — the metric DSS is required to report to the federal government — of 49 days in December to process a Medicaid application for the group that includes most low-income Missourians, Watts said.Federal rules limit processing time for those applications to 45 days.&nbsp;One pregnant applicant previously&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/">told</a>&nbsp;The Independent she had to postpone getting prenatal care because her Medicaid application was taking months to be processed.In a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.medicaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/medicaid-chip-unwinding-oper-snap-october2023.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;published by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in January, Missouri’s percent of applications in October processed outside the federal limit was 34%. Only three states&nbsp;were worse. The abandonment rate for Missouri in October, referring to calls abandoned before reaching a representative, was 47%, second only to Nevada.“It is always the goal of the Family Support Division to provide excellent customer service while working as efficiently as possible,” Armistead said. “There are, however, very real limitations related to capacity that they must navigate,” citing limited staff call centers, processing and working in person, along with limits on hours those staff can work in the system.The confluence of Medicaid renewals beginning again, an increase in SNAP applications and the opening of federal enrollment “can and does impact processing times,” she said.Now that open enrollment is over, Armistead said, applications should start to “slow down and we will start to work through the backlog. This will happen every year from November through January.”Evans said Tuesday, about the call wait times increasing in recent months, that “this is going to be a cycle, you’re going to see with (Family Support Division), that’s going to happen.”Lavender responded: “I hope there’s an end of this.”“​​I don’t think I’ve sat in a budget meeting yet, and this is the end of my sixth year, that we haven’t talked about long wait times for one reason or another.”

Records show rising call center wait times for Missouri Medicaid, food assistance

By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The $405 million contract is part of a planned $2.8 billion project that will add a lane of traffic in both directions from Wentzville in St. Charles County to Blue Springs in Jackson County. The work awarded Wednesday to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.millstoneweber.com/">Millstone Weber</a>&nbsp;for construction and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.jacobs.com/">Jacobs for engineering</a>&nbsp;is expected to be finished by the end of 2027.

The entire I-70 project is expected to be completed by the end of 2030. The next sections to be contracted will be from Blue Springs to Odessa in western Missouri and from Wentzville to Warrenton on the eastern side of the state.

At a news conference after the commission vote, Missouri Department of Transportation officials and the contractors said there will be two lanes open for traffic in both directions across the state throughout the project, which should minimize delays for motorists.

“We promise we are not going to do anything to make people’s lives miserable,” said Thom Kuhn, president of Millstone Weber.

Lawmakers last year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/missouri-budget-negotiations-conclude-with-i-70-expansion-child-care-funding-intact/">appropriated $2.8 billion</a>, half from surplus general revenue and half from bonds to be issued as needed, for the biggest interstate construction program since the highways were first built in the 1950s and early 1960s. Widening and rebuilding I-70, the first interstate highway to be built in the nation, has been on MoDOT’s unfunded agenda for almost 20 years.

“We’ve been studying this corridor for decades,” MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said.

The section from U.S. Highway 63 in Columbia to U.S. Highway 54 at Kingdom City was chosen because other work has already been planned to rebuild both intersections.&nbsp;

“That section really made sense for us to get a quick start and begin construction later this spring or early summer,” said Eric Kopinski, director of the Improve I-70 Program. “Had we looked at a larger section or incorporated a larger contract, our start would have been much delayed.”

The Columbia intersection of Highway 63 and I-70 is notorious for congestion, and the reconstruction plan anticipates redirecting as much of 60% of local traffic away from the rebuilt interchange.

There will be four roundabouts, a new bridge and a new collector road, project director Jeff Gander said.

“I know some of you may not understand a lot of that terminology, but it’s really cool and it’s going to work really really well because it’s going to be like nothing you’ve ever seen, but it is going to function very well,” he said.

The appropriation to rebuild I-70 is one side of a tumultuous relationship between lawmakers and MoDOT. Over the past several years, the legislature has approved an increased fuel tax to fund road work and delivered large general revenue appropriations for work that is outside the 5-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.modot.org/statewide-transportation-improvement-program-stip">Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan</a>, or STIP, to maintain low-volume rural roads.

The difficult side of the relationship includes efforts to put MoDOT under more direct control of the General Assembly or governor.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">biggest point of conflict</a>&nbsp;between lawmakers and MoDOT is over a lawsuit filed by the commission seeking clarity about its authority to spend Road Fund money as it sees fit. The commission wants to implement a market-based pay plan to raise salaries so 65% of MoDOT employees are at or above the midpoint in the pay range for their job. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, 89.4% were below the midpoint, according to state budget documents.

On Oct. 31,Cole County&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">Circuit Judge Cotton Walker ruled</a>&nbsp;that a provision in the Missouri Constitution that states money deposited in the fund shall “<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=IV++++30(b)&amp;bid=31847&amp;constit=y">stand appropriated without legislative action</a>” gives the commission the authority to implement the pay plan. Walker’s ruling&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/appeal-delays-raises-under-missouri-highways-commission-pay-plan/">is being appealed</a>&nbsp;and the pay plan, first authorized in 2021, remains on hold.

Legislation introduced this year includes a proposal to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HJR127&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">repeal the “stand appropriated” language</a>&nbsp;and limit MoDOT spending to amounts approved by the legislature. Other proposals would give lawmakers power to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR98&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">veto the STIP</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR109&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">eliminate the commission</a>&nbsp;and allow the governor to appoint the department director.

During the commission meeting, member W. Dustin Boatwright of Cape Girardeau warned that passage of any of the bills would mean major disruptions to department operations.

“These proposed changes could result in upheaval of the project selection process by shifting funds from one area of the state to another without public input and allowing partisan politics to enter a nonpartisan commission structure,” Boatwright said.

At the news conference after the meeting, Commission Chairman Terry Ecker of Elmo said he is confident that none of the proposals will win passage.

“I’m just gonna say it’s not gonna happen,” Ecker said.

The present structure isolates the commission from politics and any changes would have to be approved by voters, he noted.

“And I just don’t foresee that happening,” Ecker said. “So I don’t know that we spend much time worrying about it.”

Another issue that has some lawmakers questioning how road funds are used involves the money for the I-70 project. The $1.4 billion set aside from general revenue has earned $16.4 million in interest so far this fiscal year, money Gov. Mike Parson wants to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/24/gov-mike-parson-proposes-record-52-7-billion-missouri-state-budget/">earmark for a study</a>&nbsp;of which portions of Interstate 44 should be improved.

During a budget hearing, lawmakers questioned Treasurer Vivek Malek on how&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/01/missouri-lawmakers-grill-treasurer-over-interest-earned-on-i-70-funds/">interest earned on the fund</a>&nbsp;is being credited in state accounts. They contend the interest earnings should be returned to the general revenue fund instead of remaining in the earmarked account.

The project awarded Wednesday is a design-build contract that specifies any risk of cost overruns will be borne by the contractors.&nbsp;

“When we talk about risk,” McKenna said, “this is a risk that’s being factored in by the industry.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708284665340.png" alt=" Jeff Gander, project director for the contract to widen Interstate 70 from Columbia to Kingdom City, explains what the $405 million plan will do during Wednesday’s meeting of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Jeff Gander, project director for the contract to widen Interstate 70 from Columbia to Kingdom City, explains what the $405 million plan will do during Wednesday’s meeting of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The $405 million contract is part of a planned $2.8 billion project that will add a lane of traffic in both directions from Wentzville in St. Charles County to Blue Springs in Jackson County. The work awarded Wednesday to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.millstoneweber.com/">Millstone Weber</a>&nbsp;for construction and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.jacobs.com/">Jacobs for engineering</a>&nbsp;is expected to be finished by the end of 2027.The entire I-70 project is expected to be completed by the end of 2030. The next sections to be contracted will be from Blue Springs to Odessa in western Missouri and from Wentzville to Warrenton on the eastern side of the state.At a news conference after the commission vote, Missouri Department of Transportation officials and the contractors said there will be two lanes open for traffic in both directions across the state throughout the project, which should minimize delays for motorists.“We promise we are not going to do anything to make people’s lives miserable,” said Thom Kuhn, president of Millstone Weber.Lawmakers last year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/missouri-budget-negotiations-conclude-with-i-70-expansion-child-care-funding-intact/">appropriated $2.8 billion</a>, half from surplus general revenue and half from bonds to be issued as needed, for the biggest interstate construction program since the highways were first built in the 1950s and early 1960s. Widening and rebuilding I-70, the first interstate highway to be built in the nation, has been on MoDOT’s unfunded agenda for almost 20 years.“We’ve been studying this corridor for decades,” MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said.The section from U.S. Highway 63 in Columbia to U.S. Highway 54 at Kingdom City was chosen because other work has already been planned to rebuild both intersections.&nbsp;“That section really made sense for us to get a quick start and begin construction later this spring or early summer,” said Eric Kopinski, director of the Improve I-70 Program. “Had we looked at a larger section or incorporated a larger contract, our start would have been much delayed.”The Columbia intersection of Highway 63 and I-70 is notorious for congestion, and the reconstruction plan anticipates redirecting as much of 60% of local traffic away from the rebuilt interchange.There will be four roundabouts, a new bridge and a new collector road, project director Jeff Gander said.“I know some of you may not understand a lot of that terminology, but it’s really cool and it’s going to work really really well because it’s going to be like nothing you’ve ever seen, but it is going to function very well,” he said.The appropriation to rebuild I-70 is one side of a tumultuous relationship between lawmakers and MoDOT. Over the past several years, the legislature has approved an increased fuel tax to fund road work and delivered large general revenue appropriations for work that is outside the 5-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.modot.org/statewide-transportation-improvement-program-stip">Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan</a>, or STIP, to maintain low-volume rural roads.The difficult side of the relationship includes efforts to put MoDOT under more direct control of the General Assembly or governor.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">biggest point of conflict</a>&nbsp;between lawmakers and MoDOT is over a lawsuit filed by the commission seeking clarity about its authority to spend Road Fund money as it sees fit. The commission wants to implement a market-based pay plan to raise salaries so 65% of MoDOT employees are at or above the midpoint in the pay range for their job. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, 89.4% were below the midpoint, according to state budget documents.On Oct. 31,Cole County&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">Circuit Judge Cotton Walker ruled</a>&nbsp;that a provision in the Missouri Constitution that states money deposited in the fund shall “<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=IV++++30(b)&amp;bid=31847&amp;constit=y">stand appropriated without legislative action</a>” gives the commission the authority to implement the pay plan. Walker’s ruling&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/appeal-delays-raises-under-missouri-highways-commission-pay-plan/">is being appealed</a>&nbsp;and the pay plan, first authorized in 2021, remains on hold.Legislation introduced this year includes a proposal to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HJR127&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">repeal the “stand appropriated” language</a>&nbsp;and limit MoDOT spending to amounts approved by the legislature. Other proposals would give lawmakers power to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR98&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">veto the STIP</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR109&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">eliminate the commission</a>&nbsp;and allow the governor to appoint the department director.During the commission meeting, member W. Dustin Boatwright of Cape Girardeau warned that passage of any of the bills would mean major disruptions to department operations.“These proposed changes could result in upheaval of the project selection process by shifting funds from one area of the state to another without public input and allowing partisan politics to enter a nonpartisan commission structure,” Boatwright said.At the news conference after the meeting, Commission Chairman Terry Ecker of Elmo said he is confident that none of the proposals will win passage.“I’m just gonna say it’s not gonna happen,” Ecker said.The present structure isolates the commission from politics and any changes would have to be approved by voters, he noted.“And I just don’t foresee that happening,” Ecker said. “So I don’t know that we spend much time worrying about it.”Another issue that has some lawmakers questioning how road funds are used involves the money for the I-70 project. The $1.4 billion set aside from general revenue has earned $16.4 million in interest so far this fiscal year, money Gov. Mike Parson wants to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/24/gov-mike-parson-proposes-record-52-7-billion-missouri-state-budget/">earmark for a study</a>&nbsp;of which portions of Interstate 44 should be improved.During a budget hearing, lawmakers questioned Treasurer Vivek Malek on how&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/01/missouri-lawmakers-grill-treasurer-over-interest-earned-on-i-70-funds/">interest earned on the fund</a>&nbsp;is being credited in state accounts. They contend the interest earnings should be returned to the general revenue fund instead of remaining in the earmarked account.The project awarded Wednesday is a design-build contract that specifies any risk of cost overruns will be borne by the contractors.&nbsp;“When we talk about risk,” McKenna said, “this is a risk that’s being factored in by the industry.”

First contract for widening I-70 approved by Missouri highways commission

Schools canceled classes for what was supposed to be a joyful event. But after the Chiefs parade ended in a shooting, educators are making sure students have support and stability

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/mariabenevento/">MARIA BENEVENTO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/tracesalzbrenner/">TRACE SALZBRENNER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/milimansaray/">MILI MANSARAY</a>

For starters, experts suggest, get the kids back into school. Routines matter in the raw aftermath of trauma.

Child health experts say the shooting that killed a mother and wounded several children at the close of Kansas City’s celebration of the Chiefs’ latest championship likely left kids traumatized. Whether they were near Union Station or, for some, just hearing the news.

Schools quickly made social workers and counselors available Thursday and put out advice to parents on how to help children return to a sense of normalcy and safety.

Some children, the experts say, need to talk about their concerns. That, the experts say, needs to be balanced against dwelling too much on what happened or trying to force conversations that could go wrong.

Wednesday’s violence came after clinicians saw a troubling mental health hangover from the pandemic.

Resources for talking to kids about violence and tragedy after the Super Bowl parade shooting

“Rates of anxiety and depression doubled for young people,” said Dr. Shayla Sullivant, a child and adolescent psychiatrist with Children’s Mercy Hospital. “Now we have more kids that have experienced trauma.”

Multiple school districts told The Beacon that they’re turning to what’s familiar — like going right back to school — to help restore calm after a calamity.

When disaster strikes, “it comes from a place that we didn’t expect, and we don’t know how to deal with that,” said David Smith, a spokesperson for the Shawnee Mission School District. “Being able to connect people, kids, to the familiar, to the routine, can be helpful and give them a comfort that the world is returning to the world that they know and (where) they feel safe.”

Adults matter, too. Parents and teachers, Smith said, need to recognize and seek support for their own distress “in order for us to be there for our kids.”

The shooting marked a “community-level trauma,” said Damon Daniel, president of the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, even in a city that saw a record 182 homicides last year.

“We live in a city where we’re not strangers to violence,” he said.

His group worked with prosecutors and other organizations to offer counseling on Thursday at the Kansas City United Church of Christ in Brookside. He said it’s time to talk with professionals and not to lean on isolation, substance abuse or more violence to cope.

“It’s a very complex problem. It’s not one solution,” Daniel said. “There’s no silver bullet to this.”

For starters, public places might never feel the same to some people after the Union Station shooting. Chris Williams, a counselor with Heartland Therapy Connection, said teenagers and young adults might be particularly damaged by the trauma.

“There are no public places they can look at and be, like, ‘I’m safe here,’” he said. “More and more children are on guard, looking out.”

He said survivors can experience extreme post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, such as paranoia or fear of loud noises, and will look to adults for assurance.

“We’re losing that ability to tell them it’s gonna be OK,” Williams said. “There are no safe spaces.”

Kansas City Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Collier emailed parents urging them to address the trauma directly.

“While our instinct may be to shield them from the harsh realities of the world,” she wrote, “it’s essential to proactively address their concerns, especially with our older students who are more likely to seek information independently.”

The district was still sorting out Thursday how many students were close to the shooting even as it suggested parents limit their children’s exposure to news coverage.

Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools also enlisted counselors and social workers and told parents that their kids need someone to turn to.

“People deal with pain and tragedy differently,” district spokesperson Edwin Birch said. “The main thing is just being available.”

At Wichita’s USD 259, the largest school district in Kansas, administrators strove to return to the routine.

“Children are pretty quick to move on to the next thing,” said Stephanie Anderson, who works in the district’s counseling services. “They don’t dwell on stuff like this, unless they hear adults dwelling on it.”

That, she said, needs to be paired with candor.

“(Don’t) sugarcoat it or don’t create fear,” Anderson said.

She and other experts suggest parents look for routines breaking down in the aftermath of the Super Bowl parade. Is your child having trouble sleeping? Has their appetite dwindled? Are they crankier than usual?

An adult’s ear can prove especially helpful, said&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.drtoricordiano.com/">Tori Cordiano</a>, a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adolescents at Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

She said trusted adults — family, mental health professionals, school staff — need to be available. Cordiano said younger children may prefer to process their emotions about the parade shooting through art, and older children will need someone to confide in.

“When they have those places to talk,” Cordiano said, “it can help them cope.”

The more comfortable kids feel to talk, she said, the better to keep them grounded and feeling safe.

“When we shut it down,” she said, “it makes it too big or scary.”

Yet exposure to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2023/06/20/missouri-children-gun-violence-2023/">gun violence</a>&nbsp;leaves some psyches damaged for a lifetime. Starsky Wilson, president of the left-leaning Children’s Defense Fund, said gun violence can heighten children’s risk of abusing drugs and alcohol or weigh them down with depression and anxiety.

“The normalization of gun violence in society can desensitize children to the impact of violence and contribute to a sense of helplessness or resignation about the problem,” he said in an email to The Beacon.

Wilson said, in turn, that can make it harder to feel secure, form relationships or thrive in school.

“When exposed to violence,” he wrote, “school-aged children tend to exhibit lower academic grades and increased absenteeism.”

This story was compiled by Scott Canon based on staff reporting.&nbsp;Suzanne King contributed.

This&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2024/02/15/kansas-city-parade-shooting-child-trauma/">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/">The Beacon</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707945570654.jpeg" alt="A woman is taken to an ambulance after an incident following the Kansas City Chiefs NFL football Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in the Super Bowl 58. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)." />
 <figcaption>A woman is taken to an ambulance after an incident following the Kansas City Chiefs NFL football Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in the Super Bowl 58. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Schools canceled classes for what was supposed to be a joyful event. But after the Chiefs parade ended in a shooting, educators are making sure students have support and stability</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/mariabenevento/">MARIA BENEVENTO</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/tracesalzbrenner/">TRACE SALZBRENNER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/milimansaray/">MILI MANSARAY</a>For starters, experts suggest, get the kids back into school. Routines matter in the raw aftermath of trauma.Child health experts say the shooting that killed a mother and wounded several children at the close of Kansas City’s celebration of the Chiefs’ latest championship likely left kids traumatized. Whether they were near Union Station or, for some, just hearing the news.Schools quickly made social workers and counselors available Thursday and put out advice to parents on how to help children return to a sense of normalcy and safety.Some children, the experts say, need to talk about their concerns. That, the experts say, needs to be balanced against dwelling too much on what happened or trying to force conversations that could go wrong.Wednesday’s violence came after clinicians saw a troubling mental health hangover from the pandemic. Resources for talking to kids about violence and tragedy after the Super Bowl parade shooting<ul>
 <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-families-and-educators">Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Families and Educators</a>&nbsp;from the National Association of School Psychologists</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://mhanational.org/talking-kids-about-fear-and-violence">Talking to Kids About Fear and Violence</a>, from Mental Health America</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.smore.com/c4sdx-feb-15-kcps-message-to-families?ref=email">Message from Kansas City Public Schools</a>&nbsp;superintendent (English and Spanish)</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.childrensmercy.org/health-and-safety-resources/helping-kids-parade-shootings/">Helping Kids Navigate the Tragedy of the Super Bowl Parade Shootings</a>&nbsp;from Children’s Mercy Hospital:</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Talking-To-Children-About-Tragedies-and-Other-News-Events.aspx">How to Talk With Kids About Tragedies &amp; Other Traumatic News Events</a>&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>“Rates of anxiety and depression doubled for young people,” said Dr. Shayla Sullivant, a child and adolescent psychiatrist with Children’s Mercy Hospital. “Now we have more kids that have experienced trauma.”Multiple school districts told The Beacon that they’re turning to what’s familiar — like going right back to school — to help restore calm after a calamity.When disaster strikes, “it comes from a place that we didn’t expect, and we don’t know how to deal with that,” said David Smith, a spokesperson for the Shawnee Mission School District. “Being able to connect people, kids, to the familiar, to the routine, can be helpful and give them a comfort that the world is returning to the world that they know and (where) they feel safe.”Adults matter, too. Parents and teachers, Smith said, need to recognize and seek support for their own distress “in order for us to be there for our kids.”The shooting marked a “community-level trauma,” said Damon Daniel, president of the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, even in a city that saw a record 182 homicides last year.“We live in a city where we’re not strangers to violence,” he said.His group worked with prosecutors and other organizations to offer counseling on Thursday at the Kansas City United Church of Christ in Brookside. He said it’s time to talk with professionals and not to lean on isolation, substance abuse or more violence to cope.“It’s a very complex problem. It’s not one solution,” Daniel said. “There’s no silver bullet to this.”For starters, public places might never feel the same to some people after the Union Station shooting. Chris Williams, a counselor with Heartland Therapy Connection, said teenagers and young adults might be particularly damaged by the trauma.“There are no public places they can look at and be, like, ‘I’m safe here,’” he said. “More and more children are on guard, looking out.”He said survivors can experience extreme post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, such as paranoia or fear of loud noises, and will look to adults for assurance.“We’re losing that ability to tell them it’s gonna be OK,” Williams said. “There are no safe spaces.”Kansas City Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Collier emailed parents urging them to address the trauma directly.“While our instinct may be to shield them from the harsh realities of the world,” she wrote, “it’s essential to proactively address their concerns, especially with our older students who are more likely to seek information independently.”The district was still sorting out Thursday how many students were close to the shooting even as it suggested parents limit their children’s exposure to news coverage.Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools also enlisted counselors and social workers and told parents that their kids need someone to turn to.“People deal with pain and tragedy differently,” district spokesperson Edwin Birch said. “The main thing is just being available.”At Wichita’s USD 259, the largest school district in Kansas, administrators strove to return to the routine.“Children are pretty quick to move on to the next thing,” said Stephanie Anderson, who works in the district’s counseling services. “They don’t dwell on stuff like this, unless they hear adults dwelling on it.”That, she said, needs to be paired with candor.“(Don’t) sugarcoat it or don’t create fear,” Anderson said.She and other experts suggest parents look for routines breaking down in the aftermath of the Super Bowl parade. Is your child having trouble sleeping? Has their appetite dwindled? Are they crankier than usual?An adult’s ear can prove especially helpful, said&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.drtoricordiano.com/">Tori Cordiano</a>, a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adolescents at Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls in Shaker Heights, Ohio.She said trusted adults — family, mental health professionals, school staff — need to be available. Cordiano said younger children may prefer to process their emotions about the parade shooting through art, and older children will need someone to confide in.“When they have those places to talk,” Cordiano said, “it can help them cope.”The more comfortable kids feel to talk, she said, the better to keep them grounded and feeling safe.“When we shut it down,” she said, “it makes it too big or scary.”Yet exposure to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2023/06/20/missouri-children-gun-violence-2023/">gun violence</a>&nbsp;leaves some psyches damaged for a lifetime. Starsky Wilson, president of the left-leaning Children’s Defense Fund, said gun violence can heighten children’s risk of abusing drugs and alcohol or weigh them down with depression and anxiety.“The normalization of gun violence in society can desensitize children to the impact of violence and contribute to a sense of helplessness or resignation about the problem,” he said in an email to The Beacon.Wilson said, in turn, that can make it harder to feel secure, form relationships or thrive in school.“When exposed to violence,” he wrote, “school-aged children tend to exhibit lower academic grades and increased absenteeism.”This story was compiled by Scott Canon based on staff reporting.&nbsp;Suzanne King contributed.This&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/stories/2024/02/15/kansas-city-parade-shooting-child-trauma/">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kcbeacon.org/">The Beacon</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

How to help kids traumatized by Kansas City parade mass shooting

NODAWAY COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Saturday in Nodaway County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ford Fusion driven by Jaden T. Goodin, 20, Tarkio, was eastbound on U.S. 136 near Rosemary Avenue in Burlington Junction.

The Ford rear-ended a&nbsp;2005 Scion XB driven by Donna M. Owen, 33, Graham who had slowed and was attempting turn left into a parking lot.

Nodaway County ambulance transported Owen and a passenger Michael A. Volner, 46, Graham, for treatment.&nbsp; Goodin was not injured. Both drivers and the passenger were not wearing a seat belts, according to the MSHP.

NODAWAY COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Saturday in Nodaway County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ford Fusion driven by Jaden T. Goodin, 20, Tarkio, was eastbound on U.S. 136 near Rosemary Avenue in Burlington Junction.The Ford rear-ended a&nbsp;2005 Scion XB driven by Donna M. Owen, 33, Graham who had slowed and was attempting turn left into a parking lot.Nodaway County ambulance transported Owen and a passenger Michael A. Volner, 46, Graham, for treatment.&nbsp; Goodin was not injured. Both drivers and the passenger were not wearing a seat belts, according to the MSHP.

2 injured after Nodaway County rear-end crash

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on numerous allegation.

Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 15, sheriff's deputies arrested 46-year-old Brad Donahue of Powhattan on a Richardson County Nebraska Felony Failure to Appear Warrant., according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Donahue also faces requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708189350133.png" alt="Donahue-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Donahue-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on numerous allegation.Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 15, sheriff's deputies arrested 46-year-old Brad Donahue of Powhattan on a Richardson County Nebraska Felony Failure to Appear Warrant., according to Sheriff John Merchant.Donahue also faces requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility.

Kansas man wanted in Nebraska also faces drug allegations

ANDREW COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Saturday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Buick Enclave driven by Melissa C. Roller, 39, Cosby, was northbound on U.S. 169 two miles north of St. Joseph.

The SUV traveled off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned.

Andrew County EMS transported Roller and a passenger Brandon E. Roller, 39, Cosby, to Mosaic Life Care. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Saturday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Buick Enclave driven by Melissa C. Roller, 39, Cosby, was northbound on U.S. 169 two miles north of St. Joseph.The SUV traveled off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned.Andrew County EMS transported Roller and a passenger Brandon E. Roller, 39, Cosby, to Mosaic Life Care. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

2 hospitalized after Andrew Co. SUV crash

CALDWELL COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Case Tractor driven by Gary M. Carman, 56, Hamilton, was southbound on Sunset Road two miles east of Hamilton.&nbsp; The tractor entered the intersection at Washington Drive and struck an eastbound 2018 Chevy 1500 driven by Caitlyn E. Thompson, 23, Hamilton.

Cameron ambulance transported Thompson to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; Carman was not injured. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

CALDWELL COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Case Tractor driven by Gary M. Carman, 56, Hamilton, was southbound on Sunset Road two miles east of Hamilton.&nbsp; The tractor entered the intersection at Washington Drive and struck an eastbound 2018 Chevy 1500 driven by Caitlyn E. Thompson, 23, Hamilton.Cameron ambulance transported Thompson to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; Carman was not injured. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after tractor, pickup crash

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 14, police made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by&nbsp;Robert M. Hundley, 45, Rushville, Missouri, for a defective headlight, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

In addition to the traffic violation, police arrested Hundley on requested charges of driving while suspended and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708011334212.png" alt="Hundley photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Hundley photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 14, police made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by&nbsp;Robert M. Hundley, 45, Rushville, Missouri, for a defective headlight, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.In addition to the traffic violation, police arrested Hundley on requested charges of driving while suspended and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia..

Driving with defective headlight led to Kansas drug arrest

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Friday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford Edge driven by Sarah K. Meservey, 79, Chula, was westbound on LIV 249 at Route K one and one half miles west of Chula.

The driver lost control of the vehicle in the snow. The Ford crossed the center line and struck an eastbound 2002 Kenworth semi driven by&nbsp; Chad N. Keithley, 49, Chillicothe.&nbsp;

Chillicothe Dept. of Emergency Services transported Meservey to Hedrick Medical Center. Keithley was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Friday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford Edge driven by Sarah K. Meservey, 79, Chula, was westbound on LIV 249 at Route K one and one half miles west of Chula.The driver lost control of the vehicle in the snow. The Ford crossed the center line and struck an eastbound 2002 Kenworth semi driven by&nbsp; Chad N. Keithley, 49, Chillicothe.&nbsp;Chillicothe Dept. of Emergency Services transported Meservey to Hedrick Medical Center. Keithley was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Mo. woman hospitalized after SUV, semi crash

A federal grant used to fight homelessness in St. Joseph has been extended. 

The St. Joseph City Council has agreed to extend services with the United Way of Greater St. Joseph to help run the Continuum of Care to tackle the homeless problem.  

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A federal grant used to fight homelessness in St. Joseph has been extended. The St. Joseph City Council has agreed to extend services with the United Way of Greater St. Joseph to help run the Continuum of Care to tackle the homeless problem. United Way President Kylee Strough says the Continuum of Care is designed through a federal grant to help provide a system of resources for those experiencing homelessness "To aid in homelessness prevention and to make someone's experience with homelessness as short as possible," Strough tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post Strough says the United Way came on board with the city in June of 2022, joining a program called Homebase, to help focus on more local issues "To help bring parties together, create space for conversations to happen, to recognize gaps in service delivery, to try to address those, ectera, so that's the role United Way is working on," Strough explains. Homebase helps all across the country in tackling homeless issues, so the United Way helps out in those areas that they cannot. Strough says the partnership between the city and United Way is really a great marriage "Because United Way cares about people in our community and already works with a number of agencies, this seems like a really natural way to extend what we were doing and kind of become the home for the CoC operations locally," Strough points out. Strough says prior to United Way's involvement it was a little more difficult to figure out how to contact someone involved in the Continuum of Care, but now all you have to do is contact United Way. Strough says through the Continuum of Care the city has adopted a blueprint of services to provide for those experiencing homelessness. "Kind of the strategic direction of what services we currently have available, where we'd like as a community to improve, and keeping us focused on how to get there," Strough says. Strough says some services provided through the Continuum of Care include the Community Services cold weather shelters as well as a help line that can be contacted 24-7.

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