KANSAS CITY, MO, September 18, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Justin Horton, CNP, has been recognized for achievement in social services leadership and program innovation.

Mr. Horton has established himself as an expert in child welfare, building a distinguished career over 23 years marked by progressive leadership and innovation. Since 2022, he has served as the chief programs and innovation officer at Cornerstones of Care, where he leads the organization through strategic planning and engages with funders, donors, community partners and government stakeholders. In this capacity, Mr. Horton ensures that internal teams operate at peak capacity across 27 programs, helping others understand the critical work being done to support children and families. He was recently appointed by the Governor of Missouri as 1 of 18 task force members for Missouri Child Welfare.

Previously, from 2019 to 2022, Mr. Horton was the executive director of Missouri programs and services at Cornerstones of Care. During this period, he oversaw statewide initiatives and played a pivotal role in maintaining the organization's status as a certified trauma-informed provider through the Sanctuary Institute. His earlier tenure as director of customer access from 2018 to 2019 focused on improving service delivery and accessibility for clients. From 2014 to 2019, he also held the position of director of electronic health records and technology to practice, where he managed the development and implementation of electronic health records for nearly 1,000 employees.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Horton's roles included quality improvement specialist, systems coordinator and information security officer. During this time, he also served as a federal Child and Family Services Reviewer and contributed to the State Automated Child Welfare Information System as a tester, trainer, implementation coach and change management board member. From 2011 to 2014, he served as program administrator and deputy director for Jackson County operations within the Children's Division, overseeing all aspects of child welfare services.

Mr. Horton's career began in public service with the State of Missouri's Children's Division in 2003. He started as a children's service worker and family drug court case manager, supporting mothers with drug-exposed infants. In 2004, he became a performance analyst in the quality assurance unit, auditing casework for compliance and improvement opportunities until 2006.

Among Mr. Horton's most notable achievements is his instrumental role in preparing Jackson County for its successful inaugural Council on Accreditation site visit. As part of the quality improvement team and later as deputy director, he facilitated both the first accreditation and subsequent reaccreditation processes every three years. This work established a robust framework for best practice services statewide. At Cornerstones of Care, he continued this commitment by guiding the organization through multiple accreditation cycles and reinforcing its trauma-informed practices.

In addition to his professional roles, Mr. Horton has cultivated a strong national reputation through active membership in several industry organizations. He is president-elect of the Children's Alliance of Kansas beginning in 2025 and has been involved with the Association of Children's Residential & Community Services since 2019, Social Current since 2015, Functional Family Treatment Association since 2014 and Missouri Coalition for Children since 2014.

Mr. Horton's academic background includes graduate work towards a Master of Arts in sociology (ABT) from Kansas State University in 2011, a Bachelor of Science in sociology with a minor in justice studies from Pittsburg State University in 2002 and an Associate of Arts from Coffeyville Community College in 2000. He further enhanced his expertise by earning a certified nonprofit professional graduate certificate from Rockhurst University in 2021.

Throughout his career, Mr. Horton's approach to leadership has been shaped by a commitment to lifelong learning and a valuing of diverse perspectives from colleagues at all stages of their careers. By saying yes to new opportunities, task forces and projects — despite their challenges — Mr. Horton has become a well-rounded professional who contributes meaningfully to his field. While he may not have a large Internet footprint, Mr. Horton's daily focus is on supporting professionals who assist traumatized citizens, centering every interaction and decision on the safety and health of everyone involved.

Civic engagement is central to Mr. Horton's life beyond his primary career responsibilities. In January 2027, he takes over as board president at the Children's Alliance of Kansas, and he serves as secretary for the Atrium on the Plaza Homeowners Association beginning in 2025.

Mr. Horton's previous roles include board chair from 2017 to 2018 and board member between 2015 and 2016 at Collaborative Response, where he partnered with schools around Kansas City to provide tutoring, mentoring and educational activities aimed at elevating low-performing students' success. He has also contributed as a technology standards advisory panel member for the Council on Accreditation from 2015 to 2016 and participated in planning councils for national conferences hosted by Social Current.

Notably, Mr. Horton is recognized for authoring or co-authoring numerous conference presentations that highlight innovative practices in child welfare. His works include "Prevention in Practice — Real Results From a Family Preservation Therapeutic Family Foster Home Model" presented at the FFTA National Conference in Chicago in 2026, as well as "Bridging the Gap: Leveraging Technology to Empower Staff and Improve Outcomes in Child and Family Services" at the FFTA National Conference in New Orleans in 2025. He has participated as an author or panelist at various conferences between 2016 and 2025.

Born in Wichita, Mr. Horton values time spent supporting his wife, caring for his pets, enjoying sports, relaxing and taking walks with his family. Looking ahead, he envisions Cornerstones of Care emerging stronger while navigating sector challenges under his guidance. His focus remains on stabilizing operations so that vital services continue reaching vulnerable populations while preserving foundational values for future generations of leadership within the agency.

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