Community Report
Mississippi County Interagency Council/
Caring Communities
The community partnership in Mississippi County has been in operation for the last four years with the state partnership formation in February 1998. At that time, Caring Communities Steering Committee operated under the governance of the Interagency Council, two distinct Councils. In 1999, the incorporation process created one Council entitled the Interagency/Caring Communities Council of Mississippi County. The federal status of 501 c3 was approved the later part of 1999 and following the approval also received state tax-exempt status.
The partnership structure began with the Interagency Council as the governing body to the Caring Communities Steering Committee. After the reformation, The Interagency Council consisted of one general council with one Executive Board of Directors making all final decisions. The general council elects the Executive Board of Directors each year. The Executive Board consists of the following: Chair, 1st Vice-Chair, 2nd Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, two elected Charleston Representatives and two elected East Prairie Representatives. Both Community-School Linked Coordinators have operational site councils that have a President that sets on the Board. The chair appoints 5 task force standing chairs to the Board once in office. The total Board of Directors consists of 16 individuals. The Executive Board of Directors consists of only 9 elected members.
The staff hired by the council consists of an Executive Director and two Community Site Coordinators. In 2000 the partnership obtained the Caring Communities Center, which will serve as a resource center for the community. With ample room to grow, the partnership is in the process of providing early childhood services for the community along with office space for various organizations and agencies to utilize. The Center is made available to the community.
The partnership serves Mississippi County, which is a conglomerate of seven rural towns, two larger communities that have the two school districts in the county and five smaller more rural townships and villages. The county’s population is 13,427 with more people located in Charleston and East Prairie, the two large communities. The other communities involved are Anniston, Bertrand, Pinhook, Wilson City and Wyatt with population less than 250.
Mississippi County is located off the intersection of Interstate 55 and 57. The county is a grassroots farming community.
- Parents Working
- Children ready to enter school
- Children succeeding in school
- Healthy Children and Families
- Children and Families safe in their homes and communities
- Youth ready to enter productive adulthood
Caring Communities in Mississippi County strives to help produce stronger more solid programs that benefit the communities involved.
The core results that MCCIC/CC has chosen are Parents Working, Children succeeding in School, Children and Families safe, and Youth ready to enter productive adulthood. Last year’s Asset Mapping generated a large concern about teen pregnancy in the area along with substance abuse. Besides the asset mapping results, the Partnership focused on the data from Missouri’s Kid Count. Mississippi County ranked high in all but three areas.
The partnership networks in the county and beyond to help the communities. All programs and projects are a collaborative effort with mostly in-kind or local dollars. By working together, the partnership has generated several no cost programs and projects. The Caring Communities dollars are used to support outreach staff only.
Without the help of local and neighboring county agencies, organizations, schools and the private sector, the partnership would have not been as successful. One positive example of a community working together to help the youth is our CAAAP Coalition and the Sexual Awareness Training. More than 21 partners help to support the two. Without collaboration from people in the county and neighboring counties the partnership would have not been able to afford the training for the area students.
