By: Laura Ginsberg

The 25th Judicial Circuit's Transportation Assistance Grant (TAG) is providing parents with the means to reach appointments important to the reunification of their families.

TAG, part of the circuit's unified family court program, provides gas vouchers and gas cards to parents who need to travel in order to meet the requirements of their court-ordered service agreements. These service agreements outline the obligations parents need to fulfill in order to regain custody of their children, such as completion of a drug-treatment program, mental health evaluation and visits with their children.

"In these tough economic times, the cost of travel can place an additional burden on families," said Robyn Wolfe, director of the Caring Communities program for the Community Partnership, which administers TAG funds. "When that burden is removed, it can speed along the reunification process."

Referrals for gas vouchers and gas cards are made by the Children's Division, Division of Youth Services, the court, a guardian ad litem, juvenile officer or Pathways counselor. TAG funds are primarily used to fund out-of-town trips.

"I think this program is working very well," said Bill Ricker, coordinator of community relations for the Community Partnership. "Since the beginning of the year, TAG has funded 245 trips involving 65 different families. People who used to see their children once or twice a year are now seeing them on a monthly basis."

Already, at least two families have been reunified through help from TAG, and the Community Partnership has received positive feedback from parents who have used the program.

Paul Adair, a service coordinator with the Division of Youth Services, said his agency often refers parents to TAG. Children committed to the Division of Youth Services through the court have committed an offense or violated probation. Many of these children are placed in the W.E. Sears Youth Center in Poplar Bluff, which is located nearly 150 miles from counties within the 25th Judicial Circuit.

"There is a great distance involved for parents who want to visit children who have been committed to the Division of Youth Services," Adair said. "Many of the parents would not be able to visit their children if this grant were not in place. We hope that more frequent visits will result in these children being able to transition back into the community, the family and the household once they are released."

Since TAG began in January, $15,000 has been used to fund nearly 46,000 miles of travel, with an average of 30 trips funded per month. Overall, Ricker said this amounts to savings for the state of Missouri. According to Ricker, it costs the state about $3,000 per month to care for each child in its custody.

"If we can help reunite these families two or three months sooner, it saves the state a tremendous amount of money," he said. "We are spending an average of $60 per trip. If we can provide 10 trips at a cost of $600 and the family gets reunited a month earlier as a result, the state saves $2,400. But, most importantly, we have helped the family get back together more quickly."

For more information on TAG and other services provided by the 25th Judicial Circuit's family court program, please visit www.familycourt.us. Information also can be found at the county clerks' offices in Phelps, Pulaski, Texas and Maries counties.