1. How are children placed at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
Children must be referred to Boys & Girls Town of Missouri by the Department of Social Services Children's Division, the Department of Mental Health, the Division of Youth Services, the juvenile court system, private insurance companies, and parents.

2. Who pays for the placement and how much does it cost?
The referring party is essentially responsible for payment. However, each case is handled individually. The per diem cost for residential care is individually contracted with each referring party.

3. If I only have Medicaid what are my options for placing my child at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
Medicaid will cover medical, medication and therapy expenses. Room and board fees must be paid for by the referring parties listed above in question number 1 .

4. Will my private insurance pay for placement at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
Some private health insurance will cover mental health care. To find out if you have “mental health” benefits that cover residential care , contact your medical insurance provider, find out who manages your mental health benefits and ask the representative what benefits you have available and who the providers are in your area.

5. Is your organization licensed or accredited?
Yes. Boys & Girls Town of Missouri is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and is licensed by the Missouri Department of Social Services Children's Division, Department of Mental Health, Division of Youth Services, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

6. How old are the children at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
Boys & Girls Town serves children and youth from newborns to age 21.

7. How is Boys & Girls Town of Missouri funded ?
Boys & Girls Town of Missouri is a private not-for-profit organization, 30 percent of our revenue is generated by individual and corporate donations. The remaining 70 percent is paid to the agency from various referral sources for the services we provide while the children are in our care.

8. Is Boys & Girls Town of Missouri affiliated with any other organizations?
No. Boys & Girls Town of Missouri is an independent agency with four different locations in Missouri: St. James, St. Louis, Springfield and Columbia.

9. Where do these children come from?
Most of the children are residents of the State of Missouri; however, we do treat children from across the United States.

10. How many children do you treat on each campus ?
St. James is our largest campus with 154 beds. Springfield campus has 69 residential treatment center beds, the St. Louis Center serves 12 young men, our Columbia facility treats 12 boys and 12 girls and the Ozarks Family Resource Center can accomodate 16 children.

11. What is the average length of stay at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
Most children stay at with us for an average of 6-9 months; however, length of stay may be determined by many factors including the policies of the referral source, the child's behavior, family circumstances, and agency staff recommendations.

12. When can I visit my child?
The standard weekend visiting schedule is Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., unless otherwise arranged by the child's case manager. During the week all visits must be pre-approved by the child's licensed therapist or case manager. Complete visiting information will be defined in the child's treatment plan.

13. When can my child come home for a visit?
Family reunification visits are arranged by the child's licensed therapist and case manager. Frequency of visits are based upon the child's progress with his/her treatment plan. 

14. Can I write letters to my child?
Boys & Girls Town of Missouri encourages residents to write home at least once per week. Family members are also encouraged to write to their children in order to assist in maintaining essential contact. However, correspondence with someone other than the parent or guardian must be jointly approved by the parents and the agency.

15. When can I call my child?
Phone calls to and from the child are arranged by the child's case manager. The standard phone call procedure allows the child to receive or make two phone calls per week. Outgoing calls are scheduled on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

16. Is Boys & Girls Town of Missouri a detention center, prison, boot camp or orphanage?
 No. We are a residential treatment facility for children and adolescents. Additionally, we provide foster care case management plus counseling and therapy programs for children and families.

17. Where will my child live while at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
Upon acceptance to Boys & Girls Town of Missouri, our staff will determine the most appropriate campus for your child.  The type of housing depends on which campus is chosen for your child.  St. James and Springfield children live in cottages with 11 to 16 other children. Each cottage is equipped with a kitchen, great room, classroom/hobby room, laundry room and individual bedrooms.  Children living at the St. Louis Center reside in dorm-like facilities. Our Columbia campus features two renovated homes in which each child is given their own room.

18. Who supervises the children when they are not in treatment?
Youth care specialists are responsible for supervision of the children in their cottage. Each cottage could have two or three child care workers on duty depending on the number of children in each cottage at that time. 24-hour supervision is provided by child care, nursing, recreation, teachers, therapists and other qualified staff.  In addition, each cottage is equipped with audio and visual monitoring.

19. What type of services will my child receive at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
The services offered at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri are based on individual need but may include the following:

24-hour supervision 
Medical services coordination 
Psychiatric and psychological evaluations and assessments 
Individual, group and family therapy 
Equestrian therapy
Recreation therapy
Individualized education programs
Substance abuse education
Tutoring 
Daily living skills 
Aftercare planning 
Individual living quarters

Additionally, we provide foster care case management plus we offer counseling and therapy programs for children and families.

20. Who will be treating my child?
Boys & Girls Town of Missouri provides outstanding and effective care through a multi-disciplinary team of dedicated and extensively trained staff. The children receive individualized treatment from a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, registered nurses, licensed therapists, master level social workers, specialized treatment therapists, cross-categorically certified teachers and recreation therapists.

21. Will my child lose school credit if he/she is placed at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri?
No. On the St. James campus, we offer a state approved school program that serves both regular and special education students. The school is accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Springfield and Columbia children attend on-campus schools operated through the local public school system or local public schools. In St. Louis, children attend local schools.