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STLCANN

Stepping Up for Kids

2026 Nominations

All nominations must be submitted by Friday, September 4, 2026.

Do you know a family or a staff person who has made an outstanding difference for children in foster, adoptive, or kinship care? Help give them the recognition they deserve by nominating them for the St. Louis Child Abuse & Neglect Network’s 2026 Stepping Up for Kids Award. Awards will be presented at the luncheon on Friday, October 23rd, at Orlando’s Event Center in Maryland Heights.

Eligibility:

  • Foster, adoptive, and kinship families caring for children at youth for at least three years.
  • Case Managers, licensing staff, supervisors from public and private agencies, community service providers, and court personnel who have been in their position at least one year.

Stepping Up for Kids Nomination Form

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Nominee's Name(Required)
Nominee's Address
Name of Person Submitting this Form(Required)
1,000 character limit (approximately 150 words)
1,000 character limit (approximately 150 words)
Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, Max. file size: 300 MB.
If you have a photo available of your nominee, we invite you to upload it here. You can also choose to email it separately to Bree Schubert at bschubert@visionforchildren.org.

2025

Program & Awardee Bios

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2024
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2019
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2018
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Upcoming Events

virtual
virtual
Jun
5
Legislative Wrap-Up

A recap from the 2026 Legislative Session and it’s impact on families. Join us!

virtual
virtual
virtual
JUN
10
System of Care
Council

Collaborating on issues concerning families and mental health.

virtual
Jun
12
Quarterly Training

Improve your professional skills for working with children and families.

Full Event Calendar

Children’s Data

Children of Metropolitan St. Louis
A Report to the Community

Vision for Children at Risk informs the community with data and information on child well-being in the St. Louis area, builds and drives collaboration and strategic action for children, and advocates for policies and investment in children that support child well-being.

See the Current CMSL Data Book
Ernest Gauss
Project Director:
System of Care
Biography

Ernest has been connected with VCR since 2018 serving in multiple roles – always a dedicated advocate fostering meaningful change for families navigating complex challenges. He is currently the Project Director of System of Care focused on strengthening peer-to-peer connections and helping families access crucial resources. His work centers on empowering parents and caregivers by providing a supportive space for voice and choice and by validating their expertise regarding their own family’s needs.

Ernest’s commitment to the community is rooted in the belief that supportive relationships are fundamental to building a better future for children and families.

Outside of VCR Ernest enjoys being a devoted husband and loving father.

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Connie Rigas
Family Support Partner: System of Care
Biography

Connie joined VCR in 2020 as a Family Support Partner for the System of Care (SOC). She brings professional training to her work, as well as personal experiences from raising her daughter. She walks alongside families in their journey navigating behavioral health and social emotional supports for their child(ren).

Outside of VCR Connie enjoys reading, planting flowers and herbs, and spending time with her family and friends.

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vcr@visionforchildren.org
(314) 534-6015

Anita Blagajcevic, MSW
Compliance Coordinator
Biography

Anita first connected with VCR by utilizing the CMSL Data Book, finding the data impactful and helpful. Anita later joined the VCR team in 2018 to focus on improving access to and coordination of early childhood screenings. She now serves as VCR’s Compliance Coordinator, helping manage the applications, data, and reporting for our federal and local grants.

Outside of VCR Anita enjoys spending time with her husband and family. If she’s not doing that, you can find her watching reality TV and pretending she’s viewing it through an anthropological lens.

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Liz Hoester
Data & Research Coordinator
Biography

Liz, a VCR team member since 2007, coordinates the overall data and research functions for the agency. This includes production of the Children of Metropolitan St. Louis Data Book (CMSL) as well as community assessments and special reports on key policy issues for community organizations and collaborative groups. She also provides customized child well-being focused data to various entities including local foundations, legislators, and numerous community initiatives and organizations. These data are used in everything from securing grants to informing funding and policy decisions. 

Outside of VCR Liz enjoys exploring her neighborhood by foot and the city by bike.

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Breann (Bree) Schubert, MSW
Communications Coordinator
Biography

Bree joined VCR in 2015 as the Project LAUNCH Activities Coordinator. Since that time, Bree’s role has shifted, but she remains dedicated and motivated by the mission of VCR. She now serves as VCR’s Communication Coordinator and loves being able to help share the story of VCR (alongside all of our awesome partners and families) working toward child well-being.

Outside of VCR Bree and her family can be found playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, and learning and advocating alongside their church family.

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Sam Blue
Family Support Partner: Family Support Services
Biography

Sam first connected with VCR when he attended a Project LAUNCH council meeting as a dedicated parent. Very soon after this, in 2013, he fully joined the Project LAUNCH and VCR family as a team member. He was one of our first Parent Café hosts and is now a certified Parent Café trainer. His support for parents and families has been unwavering, and he is always seeking new ways to engage parents while working to remove the barriers that stand in the way.

Sam has served on the National FRIENDS Council and helped dream up the Missouri statewide Parent Advisory Council that continues to amplify family voice today. Currently, he serves as a Family Support Partner with our Family Support Services through which he helps connect families to resources and opportunities, and to think strategically about how they can strengthen their family.

Outside of VCR Sam enjoys being in nature, gardening, building connections with others, and spending time with his family.

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Mia Daugherty
Resource Advocate: LIFT-MO
Biography

Mia was first introduced to VCR when a friend invited her to a Community Café. She had heard the cafés were impactful and looks back now to say that it truly was life changing! She sees a real opportunity for positive change by the way these cafés center the conversations of change around community voice.

At the end of 2019 Mia joined the VCR family. She now serves as a Resource Advocate with LIFT-MO, bringing life experience, a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, energy, and passion to supporting families navigating behavioral health needs.

Outside of VCR you might find Mia and her daughter roller skating and also embracing all the wonderful and exciting events in the St. Louis area.

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Katina (Tina) Johnson
Family Support Partner: Family Support Services
Biography

Katina joined VCR in 2019 excited and motivated to help families, parents, and children by sharing her life experiences, prior work experience, and her education. She serves as a Family Support Partner, bringing lived experience to her role of walking alongside families. She helps connect families to the resources that can help them be their best version of themselves.

Outside of VCR Katina enjoys spending time with her four boys, expressing their spiritual beliefs, and networking and meeting new people from all walks of life.

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Shelnise Ellis, MSW
Project Coordinator:
Family Support Services
Biography

Shelnise joined the VCR family in 2020 and works closely with our System of Care and Family Support Services. She has spent most of her career working with children and adolescents around mental health and is passionate about serving her community, empowering others to live better lives. She works alongside organizations, families and caregivers, and the community committed to strengthening the systems of support. Shelnise also supports the team walking alongside families who are connecting to and navigating mental health services.

Outside of VCR Shelnise enjoys spending time with her family and friends traveling and exploring new journeys.

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System of Care Communications RFQ

The System of Care-St. Louis seeks to engage a communications consultant or firm to provide strategic communications support to reach the population of focus with information about available services. The consultant or firm is asked to audit SOC and partners’ websites and social media accounts and provide a plan that outlines guidance on how to:

  • Promote brand awareness via clear messaging to both families and external community partners
  • Run seasonal promotions for initiatives (such as Children’s Mental Health Day; wellness campaigns, etc.)
  • Create uniform and co-branded messaging for sub-contractors within the SOC Network of Practice.

If you are interested in being considered for this project, please submit a brief description of what you can create with a timeline and cost estimate. Proposals will be considered as they are received. There is no deadline for submission, but we hope to have a finished product before the end of the Fall. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Poli Rijos at prijos(at)stlmhb.org.

Yolanda West, MM
STLCANN Coordinator
Biography

Yolanda first engaged with VCR as a board member of COCAN (now STLCANN) in 2012. She went on to serve as the Board Co-Chair of STLCANN before joining the VCR team in 2021 as the PACT-STL Director where she oversaw the work of Parents and Children Together St. Louis (PACT-STL), a federally funded initiative through the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF). She led this initiative focused on developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies that prevent child maltreatment, reduce entry into the public child welfare system, and enhance overall well-being outcomes of children and families. As this project wrapped up, she shifted roles once again and currently serves as the STLCANN Coordinator. 

Outside of VCR Yolanda enjoys spending time with her family and God, reading, listening to music, and watching TV.  

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Integrated Family Treatment

Integrated Family Treatment is a multi-generational approach to mental health care. The client is the family unit, not only the child or adult separately. The goal is to improve family relationships, functioning, and well-being. Evidence-based mental health services and trauma focused treatment will be provided by Places for People and Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis.

Family Support Partners

Family Support Partners (FSPs) provide peer support to families as they connect to and navigate mental health services. The FSPs have lived experience as a parent or family member of a child with a serious emotional disorder, as well as a deep connection to St. Louis region. FSPs are certified by the Missouri Dept. of Mental Health and employed by Vision for Children at Risk.

A person with a Serious Emotional Disorder (SED)

An individual with a diagnosable mental, behavioral or emotional disorder that interferes with or limits daily functioning.

Alexis Williams
Care Coordinator: System of Care
Biography

Alexis first joined the VCR family in 2022 as a practicum student. She enjoyed working with the team, serving families, and believed in the mission so deeply that she joined the team afterwards. Alexis serves as a Family Support Partner (FSP) for the System of Care (SOC), walking alongside families that have a child or children with a Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), mental health concern, or behavioral health concern.

Outside of VCR Alexis enjoys cooking/baking, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

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Carmenlita (Carmen) Montgomery
Lead Family Support Partner: System of Care
Biography

Carmenlita joined VCR is 2022 as a Family Support Partner (FSP) for the System of Care (SOC) and became the Lead Family Support Partner at the end of 2024. She is passionate about empowering others and giving back to her community, helping families and children navigate their everyday life. She brings her own lived experience, work experience, and educational experience to her role as an FSP where she compassionately walks alongside families, providing peer support as they connect to and navigate mental health services.

Outside of VCR Carmenlita enjoys mentoring and tutoring children, being a mother and a nana. She also enjoys decorating, cooking, and traveling with family and friends.

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Critical Case Staffing Purpose

• The purpose of the Critical Case Staffing Team (CCST) is to support the referring agency in determining what system barriers exists in cases where resources have been exhausted.

• The referring agency should be able to resolve most issues prior to referring to CCST by utilizing community resources.

• However, when system barriers prevent the delivery of services and/or additional needs have been identified for which services do not exist, a referral to the CCST may be appropriate. 

Sanaria Sulaiman, MA
President & CEO
Biography

Sanaria became Executive Director of Vision for Children at Risk in 2018, leading VCR’s efforts to promote the well-being of children, youth, and families. She joined Vision for Children at Risk in 2013 as director of Project LAUNCH, a federally funded program to improve young child wellness in north St. Louis. The success of Project LAUNCH allowed VCR to secure three new federal grants, all aimed at supporting families. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of VCR and overseeing the federal grants, Sanaria also serves on the board of Kids Win Missouri.

Outside of work at VCR, Sanaria loves to travel around the world with her two beautiful children to learn about different cultures, learn different languages, and try new food.

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