Press Releases

DCFS, the Pelican Center and Public Universities Announce New Child Welfare Training Academy

May 05, 2014

05.05.14 - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), in collaboration with the Pelican Center and public university schools of social work, today announced that DCFS Child Welfare Director, Dr. Rhenda Hodnett, will lead the newly created Child Welfare Training Academy.

DCFS Child Welfare Launches Family-Centered Approach to Safely Keep More Children with Families, Reduce Instances of Abuse

April 04, 2014

04.04.14 - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is kicking off Child Abuse Prevention Month by announcing a new family-centered approach to taking reports of child abuse or neglect. The new approach is aimed at safely maintaining children in their own homes.

DCFS Implements New Rule and Pursues Legislation to Clarify Authorized Uses of Cash Assistance Benefits

March 20, 2014

03.20.14 - Today, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) implemented an emergency rule to further prohibit the use of Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) and Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) benefits at certain types of retailers that include lingerie stores, tattoo shops, nail salons and jewelry stores. FITAP and KCSP provide cash assistance to help pay only for a family's ongoing basic needs, such as food, shelter and clothing.

DCFS Announces Initial Disqualifications Stemming from SNAP EBT Outage

February 24, 2014

02.24.14 - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has disqualified six Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who attempted to intentionally and grossly misuse taxpayer dollars by using their EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards to make purchases that exceeded the available balance during a multi-state system failure. DCFS has started the process to disqualify an additional 25 SNAP recipients.

DCFS-LWC partnership matches SNAP recipients with employers, job assistance

January 17, 2014

01.17.13 - The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) are partnering to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients develop high-demand job skills and move toward self-sufficiency.

DCFS Recognized for National Best Practice Standards in Child Welfare

December 27, 2013

12.27.13 - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has again been recognized by an international, independent human services accrediting organization for delivering quality child and family services that comply with national best practice standards. The Council on Accreditation (COA) informed DCFS this week that the agency's Child Welfare program is in compliance with the Interim Public Agency Accreditation Standards.

DCFS Celebrates Fourth Year of Record Number of Adoptions

November 21, 2013

11.21.13 – For a fourth consecutive year, more families have adopted Louisiana foster children than in the previous year. Between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013, more than 500 families adopted 733 foster children through the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Louisiana's "Most Wanted" Features 18 Who Owe Nearly $866,000 in Child Support

November 13, 2013

11.13.13 -- The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) today released the names of 18 non-custodial parents who owe nearly $866,000 in past due child support and are considered to be Louisiana's "Most Wanted" delinquent payors.

DCFS Celebrates November as Adoption Awareness Month

November 08, 2013

11.08.13 - The Louisiana Department of Children and Families Services (DCFS) will host events across the state during November to celebrate adoptive families and honor the 506 families who adopted 733 children from Louisiana's foster care system in the past year.

DCFS Pursues Disqualification of SNAP Recipients Who Misused Benefits During Outage

November 06, 2013

11.06.13 - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) announced today it will seek to disqualify Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who are suspected of intentionally using their EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards to make purchases that exceeded the available balance during a multi-state Xerox EBT system failure on October 12. DCFS will pursue these suspected recipients through the administrative hearing process.