Page 1 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 467
BY SENATOR LONG
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
rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during18
investigation through treatment.19
(3) Treatment of abused and neglected children.20
(4) Treatment of abusive and neglectful parents.21
(5) Permanency planning for children.22
(6) Training to ensure that workers are knowledgeable in best practices for23
promoting collaboration with families and that they are fully aware of the extent and24
the limits of their legal authority and the legal rights of parents in carrying out such25
investigations. Training shall include legal duties of workers to protect the26
constitutional and statutory rights of children and families from the initial time of27 SB NO. 467 ENROLLED
Page 2 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
contact during investigation through treatment.1
(7) B. All representatives or employees of the Department of Social Services2
shall, at the initial time of contact with the individual subject to a child abuse and3
neglect investigation, advise the individual of the specific complaints or allegations4
made against the individual in a manner that is consistent with laws protecting the5
rights of the informant.6
C. Any employee hired on or after July 1, 2010, who has graduated from7
a Council on Social Work Education accredited program of social work8
certifying that the employee has completed course work and demonstrated9
competency in the core areas of effective child welfare practice, including10
successful completion of a child welfare specific internship, shall be deemed to11
have met the thirty-two hour training requirement specified in Subsection A of12
this Section and may begin exercising responsibility for cases under agency13
supervision. The Department of Social Services in partnership with the14
Louisiana University Child Welfare Workforce Alliance shall define the core15
competencies, which shall include but not be limited to the competencies set16
forth in Subsection A of this Section, of effective child welfare practice. The17
Department of Social Services shall be specifically authorized to promulgate18
rules and regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, which19
may be necessary to effect the provisions of this Section.20
B. D. Within six months following the commencement of responsibility for21
cases, each such employee designated in Subsection A of this Section shall complete22
a training program consisting of thirty-two hours of job related instruction in23
addition to the training required in Subsection A.24
C. E. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections A and B D of this25
Section, employees of the office of community services shall be permitted to26
exercise responsibility for cases on an emergency basis prior to the completion of27
required training if the unavailability of these employees pending such training28
would result in the agency's inability to meet the needs of abused or neglected29
children or to satisfy legal mandates, provided that appropriate training may not be30 SB NO. 467 ENROLLED
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
delayed beyond sixty days.1
D. F. Within the second and third full year of employment, each child2
protection caseworker and supervisor or foster care caseworker or supervisor as3
designated in Subsection A of this Section, shall receive thirty-two hours of in-4
service training annually, relevant to providing child welfare services.5
E. G. Following completion of three full years of child welfare casework6
experience, each employee as designated in Subsection A of this Section, shall7
receive at least twenty hours of in-service training annually, relevant to providing8
child welfare services.9
F. H. The Department of Social Services shall provide such training through10
its own personnel, partnerships with universities, or by contracting with outside11
persons or agencies.12
G. I. The Department of Social Services may continue incentive pay13
schedules established by the Department of State Civil Service to compensate social14
work personnel with selected graduate degrees at a higher rate than other persons15
without such specialized advanced degrees as provided by the Department of State16
Civil Service and the State Civil Service Commission.17
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not18
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature19
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If20
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become21
effective on the day following such approval.22
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: