Staff of the Domestic Relations Unit provide up to one hour per week supervised visitation for parents who are ordered by a judge in St. Louis County to participate in the service. Parents are referred for a variety of reasons, including those who have been separated from their child(ren) for long periods and need to be reacquainted in a safe setting, and those for whom the court has concerns about a parent’s ability to visit his or her children safely in the community. Visits take place at the DRS offices in Room 203-S in the courts building. Generally, only the parent and children will participate in the visits, however other relatives are sometimes allowed to participate in the visit, depending on the circumstances. There is no cost for the service, however parents must be available during regular daytime business hours.

DRS staff have the option to transfer selected cases for Supervised Visits at the Exchange Center program, which offers evening and weekend hours and take place at street level in the Courts Building.

• Families may not be referred directly for supervised visits at the Exchange Center, as all such cases must be handled at least initially by DRS staff at their offices who will then determine if the case can be transferred to the Exchange Center.

• Only cases with a signed referral from a judge in the St. Louis County Courts are eligible for services.