§477. Office; purposes and functions

A. The purposes for which the office of children and family services of the Department of Children and Family Services is created shall be set forth in this Section.

B.(1) The office of children and family services shall perform the services of the state relating to public assistance programs to provide aid to dependent children and to adults, who due to age, disability, or infirmity, are unable to adequately meet their basic needs. It shall also administer the food stamp program or its successor, child support programs, establishment of paternity programs, disaster relief grant programs for individuals and families, and such other programs as assigned by the secretary. It shall also conduct disability and other client eligibility determinations, and may conduct medical assistance client eligibility determinations. The office is authorized to enter into interagency agreements with other state agencies to conduct eligibility determinations. The office shall provide for the public child welfare functions of the state including but not limited to prevention services that promote, facilitate, and support activities to prevent child abuse and neglect; child protective services; voluntary family strengthening and support services; making permanent plans for foster children and meeting their daily maintenance needs of food, shelter, clothing, necessary physical medical services, school supplies, and incidental personal needs; and adoption placement services for foster children freed for adoption. It shall also perform the functions of the state relating to the licensing of facilities regulated under Chapter 14 of Title 46 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. The office shall issue and monitor domestic violence services contracts.

(2) After July 1, 1999, the office shall not provide for the administration of any programs related to Aid to Families with Dependent Children, public assistance, or the food stamp program except as provided under the welfare reform program required in R.S. 36:474(G) if such program is adopted by the legislature.

Acts 1988, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §2, eff. Mar. 28, 1988; Acts 1988, No. 858, §2, eff. July 18, 1988; Acts 1989, No. 141, §1, eff. June 22, 1989; Acts 1990, No. 219, §1; Acts 1990, No. 744, §1, eff. July 24, 1990; Acts 1995, No. 1219, §2, eff. June 29, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 390, §1, eff. June 20, 1997; Acts 2001, No. 702, §1, eff. June 25, 2001; Acts 2005, No. 110, §1, eff. June 21, 2005; Acts 2007, No. 166, §1, eff. June 27, 2007; Acts 2009, No. 400, §1, eff. July 7, 2009; Acts 2009, No. 409, §3, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 877, §1, eff. July 1, 2010; Acts 2014, No. 868, §4, eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Acts 2018, No. 206, §2.

NOTE: See Acts 1990, No. 744, §4.