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Save The Date!
CFAN
members meeting has been rescheduled to
August 14, 2007
from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Sensational Creations
located at 314 Broad Street.
Please RSVP by calling Susan at 337-436-9533 or emailing
Susan@fyca.org
2007 Session Wrap-Up
From Ann Williamson, Secretary for the Department of Social
Services
Dear
DSS Stakeholders:
I want to acknowledge and thank you for your
committed efforts to advance social services for individuals,
children and families during the 2007 Session of the Louisiana
Legislature. It is truly because of such a valuable team of devoted
partners that DSS is able to accomplish its mission to the degree it
has.
Here is a wrap-up of the 2007 Session regarding
Department of Social Services’ bills and budget matters for state
Fiscal Year 2008 (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2007).
DSS BUDGET OVERVIEW
HB1, approved but not yet been signed by Gov.
Blanco, will provide funds to support a $1.2 billion DSS budget
(state and federal funds).
Service programs and administrative operations
are funded at continuation level, including the addition of:
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Eleven more TO for child-care licensing.
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Additional funds for SES to avoid cuts and
to provide for District Attorney contracts.
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Additional money for foster/adoptive parent
board rates and for residential providers. This was funded at 50
percent of our request, so specifics of implementation will have
to be worked out by the Office of Community Services.
It is also noteworthy to highlight that the
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services appropriation will allow us to
continue to serve consumers across all five orders of selection
without a waiting list.
HB953, supplemental appropriations for FY2007,
has been signed and includes $8.3 million for OCS to recover from
the federal Deficit Reduction Act; $600,000 to pay for attorney
bills resulting from OCS cases; and $650,000 for emergency
preparedness to cover orders of materials ready to be processed.
PROGRAMMATIC LEGISLATION:
The Legislature approved all four bills
advanced on behalf of DSS, and all four have been signed by the
Governor.
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SB91 (Sen. Nevers), now Act 122, primarily
clarifies the rights of foster parents regarding information to
which they are entitled and allows DSS to decide against
co-location when two DSS offices are within 2 miles of each
other.
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SB72 (Sen. Broome), now Act 119, amends the
definition of “caretaker” in the Children’s Code relative to
registered Family Day Homes (FDHs) for child care, allowing DSS
to notify parents of children of a valid abuse finding as was
already allowed for public or private child-care centers. It
also lets DSS sharing such findings with the Department of
Education, which also registers FDHs.
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HB393 (Rep. Winston), now Act 95, provides
legal representation for indigent parents in child abuse and
neglect cases in CINC proceedings.
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SB102 (Sen. Jackson), now Act 166,
transfers child-care licensing function within DSS to the Office
of Family Support from the Office of the Secretary. Creating a
dedicated child-care licensing unit will align the regulatory
process with efforts under way to build a quality early
childhood system in Louisiana.
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Two other bills advanced with the full
support of DSS are awaiting the Governor’s signature:
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SB361 (Sen. Duplessis), the School
Readiness Tax Credit, grants tax credits to individuals for
child-care expenses for children age 5 and under as well as to
child-care providers, child-care directors and staff and to
businesses providing child care based on center rankings in the
new Quality Rating System.
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HB669 (Rep. Curtis) amends the Interstate
Compact on Placement of Children to comply with the Federal Safe
and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2006.
Other legislation related to DSS included:
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SB136 (Sen. Jackson) increases the maximum
contract DSS may procure without a Request for Proposal to
$249,999, up from $149,999. The bill, awaiting the Governor’s
signature, will allow more contracting authority in recognition
of increasing costs.
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HB178 (Rep. Doerge) defines a “newborn” as
being not more than 30 days old; adds alcohol exposure to the
definition of prenatal neglect; and provides for a report from
doctors in certain instances. The bill is awaiting the
Governor’s signature.
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HB516 (Rep. Dorsey), now Act 154,
designates the property on which the former A.Z. Young Building
sat to be named A.Z. Young Park and orders appropriate markers.
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HCR165 (Rep. McVea) requests that a
Louisiana State Law Institute committee study the extension of
child support past the age of majority.
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HB120 and HB740 (Reps. McVea and Dorsey)
sought, respectively, to prohibit sex- offender shelters
unless local government approves and to prohibit such shelters
from being within a six-mile radius of a child-care facility.
Both bills were deferred. Instead, Study Resolution 128
(Sen. Broome) requests that DSS house paroled sex offenders at
the Gillis Long Center in Carville. And Senate Concurrent
Resolution (SCR) 126 (Sen. Broome) requests a study on the
appropriate way to house sex offenders.
Both the budget and program legislation enacted
during the session support DSS’ ability to continue its push for
maximum service delivery and efficiency. We look forward to the new
fiscal year and the opportunities it brings. Thank you again for
your support.
Sincerely,
Ann Silverberg Williamson
Secretary
Louisiana Department of Social Services
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Office Location
The Family Foundation of
Southwest Louisiana
220 Louie Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601
Susan H.
Poston, Program Coordinator
Family Foundation of Southwest Louisiana
337-436-9533
337-439-9941 fax
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Newsletter Archives
April 2007
May 1, 2007
May 21, 2007
May 23, 3007
Call to Action
June 12, 2007
E-Alert
June 2007
June 22, 2007 |
