Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 67 - SOCIAL SERVICES › Part III - Economic Stability › Subpart 15 - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Initiatives › Chapter 55 - TANF Initiatives › Section III-5549 - OCS Child Welfare Programs

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. OFS
				  shall enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of Community
				  Services (OCS), the state child welfare agency, for collaboration in
				  identifying and serving needy families where one or more minor children living
				  in the home are at risk of abuse or neglect. The methods of collaboration
				  include:
1.
Child Protection
				  Investigation (CPI)
- comprises services to assess the validity of a
				  report of child abuse or neglect involving a minor child or children residing
				  with a custodial parent, an adult caretaker relative, or a legal guardian, to
				  determine whether an emergency exists, and when deemed necessary, to develop a
				  safety plan which may include coordination of services, emergency removal and
				  placement, referral to OCS Family Services or another appropriate agency, short
				  term counseling, parenting guidance, and/or arrangements for concrete services,
				  such as the Preventive Assistance Fund (PAF) and Reunification Assistance Fund
				  (RAF).
2.
Family
				  Services
- comprises services to needy families including a child or
				  children and their parents or adult caretaker relatives, where one or more
				  minor children living in the home are at risk of abuse or neglect, after an
				  allegation of child neglect or abuse has been validated, to assist in
				  preventing the removal of a child from his care giver or, where temporary
				  emergency removal has already occurred in validated abuse and/or neglect cases,
				  to help reunite the family by returning the child. Services are also provided
				  to a family who requests protective services on its own when it is believed
				  that a child in the family would be at risk of abuse or neglect. Elements of
				  Family Services include problem identification, family assessment, risk
				  assessment, safety planning, case planning, counseling, problem resolution,
				  provision of or arrangements for needed services, and/or concrete aid through
				  the Preventive Assistance Fund.
3.
Services to Parents
- comprises services to needy families,
				  where one or more minor children living in the home are at risk of abuse or
				  neglect, after an allegation of child neglect or abuse has been validated, and
				  where temporary emergency removal has already occurred in validated abuse
				  and/or neglect cases. Reasonable efforts to maintain the child or children in
				  the home without further risk of harm will be assessed, the case will be
				  staffed prior to removal, and an order will be obtained from the judiciary.
				  Elements of Service to Parents are comprised of problem identification, family
				  assessment, risk assessment, safety planning, problem resolution, provision of
				  or arrangement for needed services, and/or concrete aid through the Preventive
				  Assistance Fund. In any temporary emergency placement, priority will be given
				  to relatives. These services can be provided when a child is absent from the
				  home for a period of up to 180 days.