2009 Louisiana Laws TITLE 46 Public welfare and assistance :: RS 46:283 Determination of fitness; award of contract

§283.  Determination of fitness; award of contract

A.  The office of children and family services shall determine the fitness and eligibility of each person who applies for a contract to provide foster care services to which the provisions of this Subpart apply.

B.  The office of children and family services may award a contract for foster care services to any person who is determined to be eligible for such contracts, but no contract shall be awarded prior to such determination.

C.(1)(a)  After January 1, 1984, no new contract for foster care services shall be awarded to any person who has not completed a training program approved by the department, including but not limited to the following areas:

(i)  Obtaining needed services for foster children.

(ii)  Discipline and foster children.

(iii)  Legal aspects of foster care.

(iv)  Working with parents and the agency.

(b)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall provide such training through its own personnel or by contracting with outside persons or agencies.

(2)(a)  Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, in emergency situations, relatives and friends of the foster child who have applied to be foster parents and who appear to meet eligibility criteria for such foster homes may be certified by the department for one ninety-day period without such training.

(b)  All other foster parent applicants may be certified in emergency situations by the department for one ninety-day period provided that such applicants have:

(i)  Participated in a home visit by the department.

(ii)  Met requirements for a criminal record clearance.

(iii)  Completed at least one-half of the preservice training.

(c)  One ninety-day extension may be granted by the department in emergency situations when it judges such extension to be in the best interests of the foster child.  There shall be no more than one ninety-day extension granted under the provisions of this Section.

(d)  The department may establish separate minimum training requirements for relatives of a foster child or foster parents certified to care only for a specific child or children in those homes not open to placement of other children.  These minimum requirements shall include ten hours of preservice training as specified in Paragraph C(1), requirements for a criminal records clearance as specified in Item C(2)(b)(ii), participation with the department in periodic home visits and legally mandated status reviews, and annual training as prescribed in the child's service plan at the status review.

(3)  The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to persons acting as foster parents prior to the effective date of this Subsection.

Added by Acts 1978, No. 741, §1.  Acts 1983, No. 710, §1; Acts 1987, No. 595, §1, eff. July 9, 1987; Acts 1995, No. 696, §1, eff. June 21, 1995; H.C.R. 115, 2001 R.S.