We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Children’s Cabinet Recommendations

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

DSS Mission

Effectively and efficiently guiding individuals, children and families toward

independence and safety through integrated quality services and

partnerships in an environment of opportunity and accountability.

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Office of Family Support

OFS continuation budget allows for prevention services:

Improvement in Quality Day Care

TANF supported initiatives

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Anti-Poverty Strategies

Earned Income Tax Credit-Outreach Project OFS Strategic Plan-Inclusion of Poverty Reduction

as Agency Objective– Focus on Collaboration as Strategy

Community Mobilization and Outreach-New Project Focused on Deputy Assistant Secretary and Regional Community Specialists

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Early Learning and Care

Child Care and Development Fund

Head Start

Quality Initiatives

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

DSS has prioritized the Office of Community Services Needs

Mental health servicesResidential treatment Foster Care Board Rate and Adoption

Subsidy equalizationFull funding of OCS T.O.

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Prevention and Early Intervention Services

Legislative Mandate

Focus on Prevention

Need for Early Intervention Services

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Below Average FosterCare Board Payments

USDA average cost for urban south = $570 per month

Current foster care board rate = $374 per month

Adoption subsidy rate is 80% of board rate = $299 per month

A disincentive to adoption

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Residential Treatment

The percent of Louisiana’s foster care population requiring residential care is increasing significantly without the resources to adequately support such treatment

Approximately 1,762 foster children are served annually in OCS residential facilities, most needing mental health services.

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

After Care andTransition Services

Children’s mental health needs continue even after leaving foster care whether they are:– Returning to family– Adopted– Placed in custody of relatives or others– Moving into independent or semi-independent living

situations such as vocational school or college programs

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Reduction in Staff Funding

OCS has lost 255 positions over the last 5 years This impacts:

– Timeliness of investigations– Provision of services necessary to move children into permanent

families in a timely manner– Provision of support services to foster and adoptive families– Loss of prevention services staff

Currently 3 staff positions are dedicated to prevention services

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

Critical Priorities

Increased funding for residential treatment, mental health and substance abuse services

Increased foster care board payments and adoption subsidy

Increased salary dollars for T.O. authority to allow for growth of prevention services and to adequately address current need

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.

OCS Budget Request

Continuation budget allows for expansion of Family Group Decision Making, Infant Mental Health programs, Circle of Security

New and Expanded budget requests funding for new infant mental health program for foster care parents and staff

We will build a stronger Louisiana by helping individuals, children and families to achieve safer and more independent

lives.The test of the morality of a societyis what it does for its children-Dietrich

Bonhoeffer