2020 First Extraordinary Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 52
BY SENATORS MIZELL, ABRAHAM, ALLAIN, BARROW, BERNARD,
BOUDREAUX, BOUIE, CARTER, CATHEY, CLOUD, CORTEZ,
FESI, FIELDS, FOIL, HARRIS, HENRY, HENSGENS, HEWITT,
JACKSON, JOHNS, LAMBERT, LUNEAU, MCMATH, MILLIGAN,
FRED MILLS, MORRIS, PEACOCK, POPE, PRICE, REESE, SMITH,
TALBOT, TARVER, WARD, WHITE AND WOMACK
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Department of Children and Family Services to report to the Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare on the impact and success of the department's
guidelines on care setting decision making for children under age six.
WHEREAS, the Department of Children and Family Services is responsible for the
development and providing of social services and the improvement of social conditions for
the citizens of Louisiana and has a stated mission to keep children safe, help individuals and
families become self-sufficient, and provide safe refuge during disasters; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Children's Code Article 672, the department has the
responsibility for the safe and appropriate placement of children judicially committed to its
custody; and
WHEREAS, the department adopted Document 6-305, entitled Guidelines for Care
Setting Decision Making for Children under Age Six, with an effective date of March 15,
2019; and
WHEREAS, the guidelines state that it is the policy of the Department of Children
and Family Services to place children under age six in a setting with relatives or family
connections immediately upon or as soon as possible after foster care entry with an
appropriate and safe relative or family connection once identified; and
WHEREAS, the guidelines also provide that due to the essential bonding which
occurs for very young children in the child's care setting, the department prioritizes all
efforts to minimize moves for these very young children.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request the Department of Children and Family Services to report to
the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare on the impact and success of the department's
guidelines on care setting decision making for children under age six.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall address all of the following
with regard to Document 6-305, entitled Guidelines for Care Setting Decision Making for
Children under Age Six, with an effective date of March 15, 2019, in the report requested
by this Resolution:
(1)(a)How many children under the age of six years were moved after a minimum
of six to eight months in placement since March 15, 2019, and for what
reason?
(b)In how many of those cases were mental health professionals consulted and
what did they recommend?
(c)What evidence can the department provide about the proportion of cases in
which the stability of placement was weighed more than biological
relationships and the proportion of cases in which biological relationships
were weighed more than the stability of placement?
(2)How does the department train its employees with regard to application of
the guidelines?
(3)How many families and children have been impacted by the implementation
of the guidelines and what were the outcomes?
(4)Does the department universally support and operate pursuant to the
guidelines and in what circumstances will the department vary from the
guidelines?
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall not be required to provide
any confidential, personally identifiable, or otherwise sensitive information in the report
submitted pursuant to this Resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall submit the report requested
by this Resolution no later than October 1, 2020.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
to the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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