RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 117 (HB 482) 2016 Regular Session Jefferson
New law creates the Foster Care and Permanence Task Force, referred to hereafter as the
"task force". Provides that the task force shall be composed of the following eight members:
(1)Two members representing the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
appointed by the secretary of the department, one of whom shall be a representative
of the foster care program.
(2)The dean of the Southern University Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy or his
designee.
(3)The director of the Louisiana State University School of Social Work or his designee.
(4)The executive director of the National Association of Social Workers, Louisiana
Chapter, or his designee.
(5)The president of LouisianaChildren.org or his designee.
(6)The executive director of the Louisiana Foster and Adoptive Parent Association or
his designee.
(7)A person who has served as a relative caretaker for a child in foster care appointed
by the secretary of DCFS.
New law requires the DCFS secretary to take such actions as are necessary to ensure that the
initial convening of the task force occurs no later than October 1, 2016.
New law provides that the task force members shall select a chairman annually who shall
serve as chairman without salary; and that the members shall serve without compensation,
except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be individually entitled by
their respective employer organizations.
New law requires the task force to hold at least two public meetings each year at a place
designated by the chairman.
New law provides that the functions of the task force shall include all of the following:
(1)Examination of means and best practices to ensure that foster children and adoptive
children are placed in homes that can become permanent placements when
reunification is not possible, thereby reducing the number of children who are moved
repeatedly among different homes.
(2)Identification of means by which to assess persons applying to be foster parents,
adoptive parents, and relative caretakers.
(3)Examination of means and best practices to encourage recruitment and retention of
foster parents who practice foster care for reasons that are good for children.
(4)Examination of means to facilitate provision to foster parents and adoptive parents
of all available information about a foster child's behavior before the child is placed
with the foster or adoptive parents.
(5)Recommendation of means by which to ensure that adoption subsidies remain
sufficient to meet the needs of an adoptive child and his adoptive parents as the child
grows older.
(6)Recommendation of means by which to improve the rate of permanency among
young people who are 14 years of age or older and are in the state foster care system
or in residential placement. (7)Recommendations for a process to mediate conflicts between foster or adoptive
parents and child placement agencies or biological parents.
(8)Identification of laws and agency policies that unduly serve as barriers to
permanency.
(9)Identification of barriers with respect to recruitment of a competent workforce and
substitute caretaker network.
(10)Examination of barriers with respect to placement resources.
New law requires that on or before Dec. 31, 2017, and semiannually thereafter, the task force
shall prepare and submit to the governor and the legislature a report on the status and
well-being of children in foster care, with a particular focus on any policies and practices
which are facilitating or could likely facilitate a greater degree of permanency for foster
children.
New law terminates on January 1, 2018.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Adds R.S. 46:2431-2434)