Information for Separating/Divorcing Parents

Suggested Reading List

These books are available on the internet, in major book stores or in local libraries.

101 Ways to be a Long-Distance Super Dad or Mom, George Newman, Blossom Valley Press, 1996. A book of ideas and suggestions for parents who live away from their children.

Co-Parenting Survival Guide: Letting Go of Conflict After a Difficult Divorce, Elizabeth Thayer & Jeffrey Zimmerman, New Harbinger Publications, 2001.

Custody Chaos, Personal Peace: Sharing Custody with an Ex who Drives You Crazy by Jeffrey Wittman. A common-sense guide to reclaiming your life and relating to a difficult co-parent while raising children from separate homes.

Divorce Book for Parents: Helping your Children Cope with Divorce and its Aftermath, Vicki Lansky, Book Peddlers, 2000. Using humor and common sense, this book offers sound advice to parents on helping children cope with divorce and its aftermath.

Joint Custody with a Jerk: Raising a Child with an Uncooperative Ex, Julie Ross & Judy Corcoran, St. Martin’s Press, 1996. This book offers communication techniques that help deal with a difficult co-parent by describing common problems and examining ways to effectively deal with these sticky situations.

Mom’s House, Dad’s House: Making Two Homes for Your Child by Isolina Ricci, Simon & Schuster 2nd ed., 1997. This book contains a roadmap for developing a cooperative parenting arrangement for your child.

Making Divorce Easier on Your Child: 50 Effective Ways to Help Children Adjust, Dr. Nicholas Long, Dr. Rex Forehand, McGraw-Hill (2002).

Parenting Plan Books

Kids First Parenting Plan: A Child-care Planning Guide for Separating & Divorcing Parents by Chet Muklewicz & Doreen Graziano. This guide will help separating and divorcing parents make child-centered decisions as they develop a plan on how they will raise their children together after they have parted.

Child Custody - Building Parenting Agreements That Work, Mimi E. Lyster, Nolo Press, 5th ed (2005).

On-Line Resources

www.mobar.org - Family Law pamphlets, Parenting Plan Guidelines & Forms

www.courts.mo.gov - Case information on Case.net, Parenting Plan Guidelines & Forms, Form 14

www.teamlex.com/areas - Form 14 Child Support Calculation Worksheet

www.fatherhood.org - Articles on fathering, answers to Frequently Asked Questions

www.marchmediation.org - Mediation resources, Form 14 link

www.uptoparents.org - Free tool for parent planning

www.divorcesupport.com - State laws, parenting advice, explanation of divorce procedure, download forms

www.daads.com - Advice for distance parenting

www.missourifamilies.org - Age specific effects of divorce, divorce & domestic violence, parenting advice

www.divorcecentral.com - State laws, answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding parenting and legal matters

www.dss.mo.gov/cse/ - Child Support Agency

www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes/statutesAna.html - Missouri law

www.dhss.mo.gov - Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Vital Records

www.outreach.missouri.edu/parentlink - Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about parenting

Important Phone Numbers

Basic Needs

United Way211 or 816-472-4289

Clay County Services

Information816-407-3600
Circuit Clerk (Child Support)816-407-3905
Circuit Clerk (Civil)816-407-3850
Children's Division816-781-8900
Family Support Center816-736-8350
Health Center816-781-1600
Mediation Programs816-736-8400
On-site Exchange and Visitation Services816-736-8400

Child Well-being

Clay County Birth Certificate816-781-1600
(MOSCA) Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Information816-931-4527
MC+ Children’s Health Insurance888-275-5908
Medicaid Information800-392-2161
Missouri Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline800-392-3738
Missouri Vital Records573-751-6400
National Child Abuse Hotline800-422-4453
National Center for Missing/Exploited Children800-843-5678
National Runaway Hotline800-621-4000

Domestic Violence Services

Metro Shelter Hotline (Rose Brooks Center)816-861-6100
Clay County Safe Haven Shelter816-452-8535

Family Counseling Services & Support Groups

Anger Management for Teens816-736-8400
Catholic Charities816-333-2040, x107
Pleasant Valley Baptist Church816-781-5959
Synergy Services, Inc.816-587-4100
The Family Conservancy816-436-0486
Tri-County Mental Health Services816-468-0400

Legal Help

Lawyers Referral Service816-221-9472
Legal Aid of Western Missouri816-474-1413
Missouri Bar Association573-635-4128

Parenting

BraveHearts Program for Dads816-468-6336, x228
National Center for Fathering800593
Parent Link800-552-8522
Parenting with Love & Limits Program816-736-8400

School Information

Excelsior Springs816-630-9200
Kearney816-628-4116
Liberty816-736-5300
Lawson816-580-7277
Missouri City816-750-4391
North Kansas City816-413-5000
Smithville816-532-0406

Substance Abuse Services

AA Hotline816-471-7229
Al-Anon (adults)816-373-8566
Al-Ateen, Al-tot816-373-8566
Narcotics Anonymous816-531-2250