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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE BILL NO. 467
BY SENATOR LONG
CHILDREN. Provides for training requirements for child-protection and foster-care
workers. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 46:285, relative to required training for child protection and2
foster care workers; to provide for deemed status for certain training; and to provide3
for related matters.4
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:5
Section 1. R.S. 46:285 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 6
ยง285. Required training for child protection and foster care workers7
A. No employee of the Department of Social Services, office of community8
services, hired for the position of child protection caseworker or supervisor or foster9
care caseworker or supervisor with direct responsibility for cases dealing with10
families and children after January 1, 1984, shall exercise responsibility for any11
cases until that employee has completed a training program consisting of at least12
thirty-two hours of instruction, addressing such appropriate topics as:13
(1) Causes and effects of child abuse and neglect.14
(2) Legal aspects of child protection and foster care including the legal duties15
of the representatives, which may consist of various methods of informing such16
representatives of such duties, in order to protect the constitutional and statutory17 SB NO. 467
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rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during1
investigation through treatment.2
(3) Treatment of abused and neglected children.3
(4) Treatment of abusive and neglectful parents.4
(5) Permanency planning for children.5
(6) Training to ensure that workers are knowledgeable in best practices for6
promoting collaboration with families and that they are fully aware of the extent and7
the limits of their legal authority and the legal rights of parents in carrying out such8
investigations. Training shall include legal duties of workers to protect the9
constitutional and statutory rights of children and families from the initial time of10
contact during investigation through treatment.11
(7) B. All representatives or employees of the Department of Social Services12
shall, at the initial time of contact with the individual subject to a child abuse and13
neglect investigation, advise the individual of the specific complaints or allegations14
made against the individual in a manner that is consistent with laws protecting the15
rights of the informant.16
C. Any employee hired on or after July 1, 2010, who has graduated from17
a Council on Social Work accredited program of social work certifying that the18
employee has completed course work and demonstrated competency in the core19
areas of effective child welfare practice, including successful completion of a20
child welfare specific internship, shall be deemed to have met the thirty-two21
hour training requirement specified in Subsection A of this Section and may22
begin exercising responsibility for cases under agency supervision. The23
Department of Social Services in partnership with the Louisiana University24
Child Welfare Workforce Alliance shall define the core competencies of25
effective child welfare practice. The Department of Social Services shall be26
specifically authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the27
Administrative Procedure Act, which may be necessary to effect the provisions28
of this Section.29 SB NO. 467
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B. D. Within six months following the commencement of responsibility for1
cases, each such employee designated in Subsection A of this Section shall complete2
a training program consisting of thirty-two hours of job related instruction in3
addition to the training required in Subsection A.4
C. E. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections A and B D of this5
Section, employees of the office of community services shall be permitted to6
exercise responsibility for cases on an emergency basis prior to the completion of7
required training if the unavailability of these employees pending such training8
would result in the agency's inability to meet the needs of abused or neglected9
children or to satisfy legal mandates, provided that appropriate training may not be10
delayed beyond sixty days.11
D. F. Within the second and third full year of employment, each child12
protection caseworker and supervisor or foster care caseworker or supervisor as13
designated in Subsection A of this Section, shall receive thirty-two hours of in-14
service training annually, relevant to providing child welfare services.15
E. G. Following completion of three full years of child welfare casework16
experience, each employee as designated in Subsection A of this Section, shall17
receive at least twenty hours of in-service training annually, relevant to providing18
child welfare services.19
F. H. The Department of Social Services shall provide such training through20
its own personnel or by contracting with outside persons or agencies.21
G. I, The Department of Social Services may continue incentive pay22
schedules established by the Department of State Civil Service to compensate social23
work personnel with selected graduate degrees at a higher rate than other persons24
without such specialized advanced degrees as provided by the Department of State25
Civil Service and the State Civil Service Commission.26
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not27
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature28
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If29 SB NO. 467
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vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become1
effective on the day following such approval.2
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Greg Waddell.
DIGEST
Present law provides that no employee of DSS with direct responsibility for cases dealing
with families and children, shall exercise responsibility for any cases until that employee has
completed a training program consisting of at least 32 hours of instruction.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law provides that any employee hired on or after July 1, 2010, who has graduated
from a Council on Social Work accredited program of social work certifying that the student
has completed course work and demonstrated competency in the core areas of effective child
welfare practice, including successful completion of a child welfare specific internship, shall
be deemed to have met the 32 hour training requirement specified in present law and may
begin exercising responsibility for cases under agency supervision. DSS in partnership with
the Louisiana University Child Welfare Workforce Alliance shall define the core
competencies of effective child welfare practice.
Proposed law provides that DSS shall be specifically authorized to promulgate rules and
regulations, pursuant to the APA, which may be necessary to effect the provisions of present
law.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 46:285)