[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 7 (Tuesday, February 5, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E93]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF PAMELA McCARTHY

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                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 5, 2002

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor someone 
very dear to my heart and very dear to the people of Missouri: my 
sister Pamela G. McCarthy. After 34 years of dedicated public service, 
she retired from the Missouri Department of Social Services on January 
31, 2002.
  Pamela has been a foot soldier in the evolution of social policy in 
Missouri. She began her service with the State of Missouri as a 
Caseworker II on August 8, 1967 in the Income Maintenance unit of the 
Division of Family Services in the Jackson County office. At this time 
the Department of Social Services had not been established. The 
department did not become a reality until seven years after Pam began 
her fight for adequate social services for Missouri's most needy 
families. Throughout the following 34 years, Pam became an expert in 
many areas serving as: Caseworker Supervisor, Social Services 
Supervisor, Program Development Specialist, Planner, and Assistant Area 
Director.
  Since its establishment in 1974, the Missouri Department of Social 
Services has grown into a comprehensive department encompassing five 
agencies that previously operated social programs under separate 
administrations. The efficient umbrella structure at the organization's 
core innovatively combines the efforts of related agencies and promotes 
a cooperative approach toward delivering social programs to Missourians 
in need. With the efforts of Pamela and her associates, the department 
has developed sound policy initiatives that: provide assistance to 
children and their parents, help the elderly with in-home services and 
institutional services, aid troubled youth and furnish health care for 
the poor. The hallmark of these social services is the fundamental goal 
of helping those in need reach their full potential, a life long dream 
of Pamela's.
  As a result of Pamela's selfless leadership the State of Missouri was 
able to implement many important and far reaching social policy 
programs that have positively impacted the lives of Missouri's working 
families. During her tenure with the Department of Social Services, Pam 
was an integral part of the implementation and evaluation of the Title 
XX Children's Services Block grant for western Missouri. She also 
established the Silver Citizen Discount Program for the Division of 
Aging and developed policy for the Division of Child Support 
Enforcement.
  In 1985, Pam left the Department of Family Services central office in 
Jefferson City and became the Kansas City Assistant Area Director. 
Under her capable and devoted leadership, two new satellite offices 
were built, one in south Kansas City and one in Midtown. She also 
spearheaded the relocation of the East Jackson county office and the 
remodeling of the downtown Department of Family Services office on two 
occasions. Pam's ongoing efforts to streamline the Family Services 
network was demonstrated by her devotion to ensuring that all offices 
had access to the latest technological advancements in order to better 
serve the families and children in the State of Missouri. All of these 
improvements grew out of her desire to facilitate access to the 
services provided by the Department to families.
  Though Pam's retirement on January 31 is official, her service to 
providing adequate family services is never ending. Many colleagues and 
friends do not believe Pam is retiring because she has worked through 
her previous retirements. And Pam's dedication has proven them right 
again. Starting February 3, she will continue her work on behalf of 
children and families in a part time capacity.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating my sister, Pamela G. 
McCarthy, on her 34 outstanding years of service to the State of 
Missouri. Many people speak about dedication, but rarely do you find 
one like Pamela who lives it and breaths it everyday. She has truly 
made our state a better place.

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