Misty Allen has been with the Missouri Children’s Division for 20 years. Allen is a program development specialist in the Central Office Prevention and Safety Unit. She oversees the newborn crisis assessments and is the critical event central office program specialist. She has experience in all program lines with the Children’s Division. She spent 12 years as a front-line worker in Saline County. Allen was an investigator, subsidy worker, resource worker, service worker and a worker III before transitioning to a regional worker IV for juvenile assessment reports. Prior to becoming a program development specialist, she was a part of the Children’s Division Quality Assurance Unit for five years. Allen is currently working toward her Master of Social Work through the University of Missouri.
Elaine Casteel is a senior program development specialist with the Missouri Children’s Division Prevention Unit. She has a wide range of experience within the Children’s Division and in project management. During her career with the Children’s Division, Casteel has worked as a front-line team member, supervisor and specialist within the circuit before transitioning to her current position in the Central Office. Casteel oversees a variety of prevention programs, contracts and initiatives. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri.
Michelle Dixon is a program development specialist within the Missouri Children’s Division, working specifically in the Prevention Unit. Dixon has been with the Children’s Division for 15 years and has worked in a variety of program lines during her time with the agency. Within the Prevention Unit, she works specifically with front-line staff on the implementation and continued work in communities around prevention and support for families who may be in crisis.
Desiree Gardner is a senior program development specialist in the Permanency Unit for the Missouri Children’s Division. Gardner has been with the Children’s Division for 10 years. She started off her career as an alternative care case manager. Later, she worked for the Circuit Assistance Team first as a children’s service worker, later transitioning to the supervisor for the Circuit Assistance Team. That team assisted all counties in northeast Missouri as requested with urgent needs by helping with alternative care responsibilities, hotline reports, training, and legal guardianship and adoption subsidy contracts. In her current role, she writes policy for a variety of topics regarding children and youth in foster care, serves as the liaison for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and partners with Division leadership and other invested parties to support and ensure the well-being of children and youth in the Children’s Division custody.
Crystal Wenger is a senior program development specialist in the Permanency Unit for the Missouri Children’s Division. Wenger has been with the Children’s Division for 18 years. Through her time with the Division, she has worked as an investigator, Family-Centered Services case manager, Alternative Care case manager, regional specialist and now helps maintain and strengthen the Alternative Care practice in Missouri. She writes Alternative Care policy, leads projects, and provides training to enhance process flow and quality service delivery to children and families.Misty Allen has been with the Missouri Children’s Division for 20 years. Allen is a program development specialist in the Central Office Prevention and Safety Unit. She oversees the newborn crisis assessments and is the critical event central office program specialist. She has experience in all program lines with the Children’s Division. She spent 12 years as a front-line worker in Saline County. Allen was an investigator, subsidy worker, resource worker, service worker and a worker III before transitioning to a regional worker IV for juvenile assessment reports. Prior to becoming a program development specialist, she was a part of the Children’s Division Quality Assurance Unit for five years. Allen is currently working toward her Master of Social Work through the University of Missouri.
Elaine Casteel is a senior program development specialist with the Missouri Children’s Division Prevention Unit. She has a wide range of experience within the Children’s Division and in project management. During her career with the Children’s Division, Casteel has worked as a front-line team member, supervisor and specialist within the circuit before transitioning to her current position in the Central Office. Casteel oversees a variety of prevention programs, contracts and initiatives. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri.
Michelle Dixon is a program development specialist within the Missouri Children’s Division, working specifically in the Prevention Unit. Dixon has been with the Children’s Division for 15 years and has worked in a variety of program lines during her time with the agency. Within the Prevention Unit, she works specifically with front-line staff on the implementation and continued work in communities around prevention and support for families who may be in crisis.
Desiree Gardner is a senior program development specialist in the Permanency Unit for the Missouri Children’s Division. Gardner has been with the Children’s Division for 10 years. She started off her career as an alternative care case manager. Later, she worked for the Circuit Assistance Team first as a children’s service worker, later transitioning to the supervisor for the Circuit Assistance Team. That team assisted all counties in northeast Missouri as requested with urgent needs by helping with alternative care responsibilities, hotline reports, training, and legal guardianship and adoption subsidy contracts. In her current role, she writes policy for a variety of topics regarding children and youth in foster care, serves as the liaison for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and partners with Division leadership and other invested parties to support and ensure the well-being of children and youth in the Children’s Division custody.
Crystal Wenger is a senior program development specialist in the Permanency Unit for the Missouri Children’s Division. Wenger has been with the Children’s Division for 18 years. Through her time with the Division, she has worked as an investigator, Family-Centered Services case manager, Alternative Care case manager, regional specialist and now helps maintain and strengthen the Alternative Care practice in Missouri. She writes Alternative Care policy, leads projects, and provides training to enhance process flow and quality service delivery to children and families.
