Melissa Buckman Young is bringing more than a decade of experience working in juvenile court to a new statewide role.

She was appointed to the Missouri Child Welfare Task Force by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Sept. 10. In her role, she will assist in the development of a foundational safety definition and standards with clear criteria for determining whether a child is safe or not.

Young, who currently serves as associate circuit judge for Audrain County in Missouri’s 12th Judicial Circuit, was appointed by Gov. Mike Parson in February 2024. Prior to her appointment, Young served as the Audrain County guardian ad litem representing the best interests of children in cases where abuse is alleged. 

“I served in that capacity for over a decade so I have a lot of experience working in juvenile court and family systems,” she said. 

The goal of Executive Order 26-17, Young said, is to establish quality assurance measures and metrics to monitor statewide consistency and keep kids safe.

“We’ll be looking at statutory changes to propose as well as reviewing current laws, regulations, children’s division policy and the court rules,” Young said. “I will also recommend, to his office, protocols to integrate that policy into the daily child welfare practice for practitioners across the state.” 

Task force members are also asked to develop cross-disciplinary training for caseworkers, supervisors, attorneys, juvenile officers, judges, law enforcement and other partners. 

“That’s something that we do locally anyway and have for years,” Young said.

Young handles the juvenile docket in both Audrain and Montgomery countries as well as a conflict docket in Warren County. She has been judging in those counties since she became an associate judge and is no stranger to serving on task forces and boards.

“I have a history of being involved in trainings for other agencies for the profession, trying to make sure that the child welfare practices are uniformly practiced throughout the state and also that best practices are used,” Young said.

She also serves as the chair of the Fostering Court Improvement initiative in the 12th Circuit. 

“The purpose of that team is to improve outcomes for families in juvenile court,” Young said.

Task force members represent the Missouri Department of Social Services, judicial branch administrative offices, state legislature, juvenile officers and juvenile court administration, law enforcement agencies, private child welfare agencies and foster care case management providers, guardians ad litem and juvenile court attorneys and child welfare advocacy organizations. 

Task force members include:

• Teri Armistead, director of the Division of Legal Services for DSS

• Sara Smith, Children’s Division director for DSS

• Kathy Lloyd, State Courts Administrator

• Sen. Jill Carter, District 32

• Rep. Ken Jamison, District 15

• Rep. Melissa Schmidt, District 141

• Rick Gaines, chief juvenile officer for the St. Louis County 21st Judicial Circuit

• Bill Prince, chief juvenile officer and family court administrator for the 31st Judicial Circuit in Greene County

• Matthew Stewart, sheriff of Newton County

• Jeannette Koster, director of psychosocial and foster care at Crittenton Children’s Center – St. Luke’s Hospital

• Justin Horton, chief programs and innovation officer for Cornerstones of Care

• Judge Melissa Buckman Young, associate circuit judge for Audrain County in Missouri’s 12th Judicial Circuit

• Tamara Veit, attorney with McElligott, Ewan & Hall, PC, and serves as a guardian ad litem

• Jessica Seitz, executive director of the Missouri Network Against Child Abuse

• Emily van Schenkhof, executive director of the Children’s Trust Fund of Missouri

• Judge Joseph Hensley, Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District.

• Judge Jessica Kruse circuit judge for the 38th Judicial Circuit in Christian County.

• Shelby Trimble, school counselor and at‑risk coordinator in the Joplin School District