Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.183 (2026)

Order to include determination of efforts of division

✓ current as of May 2026

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211.183. Order to include determination of efforts of division — definition of reasonable efforts by division — modification of the permanency plan, when — reasonable efforts not required, when — permanency hearing, when. — 1. In juvenile court proceedings regarding the removal of a child from his or her home, the court's order shall include a determination of whether the children's division has made reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child and, after removal, to make it possible for the child to return home. If the first contact with the family occurred during an emergency in which the child could not safely remain at home even with reasonable in-home services, the division shall be deemed to have made reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for removal.

2. "Reasonable efforts" means the exercise of reasonable diligence and care by the division to utilize all available services related to meeting the needs of the juvenile and the family. In determining reasonable efforts to be made and in making such reasonable efforts, the child's present and ongoing health and safety shall be the paramount consideration.

3. In support of its determination of whether reasonable efforts have been made, the court shall enter findings, including a brief description of what preventive or reunification efforts were made and why further efforts could or could not have prevented or shortened the separation of the family. The division shall have the burden of demonstrating reasonable efforts.

4. The juvenile court may authorize the removal of the child even if the preventive and reunification efforts of the division have not been reasonable, but further efforts could not permit the child to remain at home.

5. Before a child may be removed from the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child by order of a juvenile court, excluding commitments to the division of youth services, the court shall in its orders:

(1) State whether removal of the child is necessary to protect the child and the reasons therefor;

(2) Describe the services available to the family before removal of the child, including in-home services;

(3) Describe the efforts made to provide those services relevant to the needs of the family before the removal of the child;

(4) State why efforts made to provide family services described did not prevent removal of the child; and

(5) State whether efforts made to prevent removal of the child were reasonable, based upon the needs of the family and child.

6. If continuation of reasonable efforts, as described in this section, is determined by the division to be inconsistent with establishing a permanent placement for the child, the division shall take such steps as are deemed necessary by the division, including seeking modification of any court order to modify the permanency plan for the child.

7. The division shall not be required to make reasonable efforts, as defined in this section, but has the discretion to make reasonable efforts if a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that:

(1) The parent has subjected the child to a severe act or recurrent acts of physical, emotional or sexual abuse toward the child, including an act of incest; or

(2) The parent has:

(a) Committed murder of another child of the parent;

(b) Committed voluntary manslaughter of another child of the parent;

(d) Committed a felony assault that resulted in serious bodily injury to the child or to another child of the parent; or

(3) The parent's parental rights to a sibling have been involuntarily terminated.

8. If the court determines that reasonable efforts, as described in this section, are not required to be made by the division, the court shall hold a permanency hearing within thirty days after the court has made such determination. The division shall complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child.

9. The division may concurrently engage in reasonable efforts, as described in this section, while engaging in such other measures as are deemed appropriate by the division to establish a permanent placement for the child.

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(L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al. § 4, A.L. 1987 S.B. 244, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1822 merged with S.B. 674, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 53 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1989–2021 · leading case: In Interest of TB, 936 S.W.2d 913 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997).

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In Interest of TB, 936 S.W.2d 913 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 22× “; (2) it failed to make specific findings of reasonable efforts to eliminate the need for removal of the child from the home as mandated by section 211.183, RSMo 1994; and (3) no evidence was presented to the trial court.”

In Re the Interest of L.J.M.S., 844 S.W.2d 86 (Mo. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 16× “Section 211.183, RSMo.Cum.Supp.1990, provides: Order of disposition to include determination of efforts of division of family services — definition of reasonable efforts by division.”

In Interest of ALW, 773 S.W.2d 129 (Mo. Ct. App. 1989). · cites it 10× “On this appeal the mother contends that the allegations of the petition were not proven by clear and convincing evidence, and hence the assumption of jurisdiction of the children was without lawful ground. The mother contends also that the order of disposition, which undertakes…”

In the Interest of A.H., 45 S.W.3d 899 (Mo. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 13× “, pursuant to section 211.183 RSMo (Supp.) 1998. 1 We affirm.”

Juv. Officer v. R.O. (In re Z.N.O.), 566 S.W.3d 609 (Mo. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 8× “Point III - Reasonable Efforts Findings In Father's third point on appeal, he contends the circuit court erred in finding reasonable efforts were made to prevent Child from being removed based on the needs of the family and Child pursuant to Section 211.183. He argues that the…”

Dent Cnty. Juv. Officer v. C.L.P., 898 S.W.2d 696 (Mo. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 12× “The first two of Appellant’s five points relied on implicate § 211.183. That statute provides: 1. In juvenile court proceedings regarding the removal of a child from his home, the order of disposition shall include a determination of whether the division of family services has…”

K.C. v. Platte Cnty. Juv. Off., 920 S.W.2d 173 (Mo. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 8× “That reasonable efforts have been made by the Missouri Division of Family Services pursuant to Section 211.183, RSMo, and the court hereby adopts as its findings the matters set forth in the Affidavit signed by Tracy Webb on April 17, 1995, which was admitted into evidence.”

In the Interest of: D.A.B. & B.M.S., 570 S.W.3d 606 (Mo. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 3× “2007); (3) the Children’s Division failed to make reasonable efforts to eliminate the need for removal of the Children from their parents, as required by Section 211.183 RSMo (Non-Cum. Supp. 2014) and Section 211.”

In the Interest of Hill, 937 S.W.2d 384 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 5× “In his final point, Garrett complains that the trial court did not determine whether removal of Julian was necessary to protect him as required by § 211.183, RSMo 1994. This point is meritless.”

Juv. Officer v. R.A., 913 S.W.2d 142 (Mo. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 6× “1 “The emphatic direction of § 211.183, that only after reasonable effort to avoid the need for removal of a child from the home may the order for removal issue, expresses the legislative concern for the integrity of the family consonant with the welfare of the child.”

Jones ex rel. Williams v. Missouri Dep't of Soc. Servs., 966 S.W.2d 324 (Mo. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 6× “Section 211.183 RSMo 1994, concerning removal of a child from the home in a juvenile proceeding, differs in that it requires the court to make and enter specific findings.”

In the Interest of G.C., 50 S.W.3d 408 (Mo. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 6× “Fourth, the juvenile court’s judgment, as required by section 211.183 stated that among the reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of Infant, that various services had been provided to Mother “pursuant to [an] active and ongoing protective services case.”

Show all 53 citing cases →

— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.183(1) — 1 case

In Interest of TB, 936 S.W.2d 913 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997). “; (2) it failed to make specific findings of reasonable efforts to eliminate the need for removal of the child from the home as mandated by section 211.183, RSMo 1994; and (3) no evidence was presented to the trial court.”

— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.183(3) — 1 case

Johnson v. M.H., 829 S.W.2d 674 (Mo. Ct. App. 1992).

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