BATON ROUGE — A report by UWK has prompted a procedural change in how welfare checks on children are handled in Louisiana, though it still stops short of direct intervention by the Department of Children and Family Services.
DCFS is now implementing new technology within its Child Welfare Hotline to help ensure that “no child falls through the gap” when requests come in about a child’s well-being. Secretary Rebecca Harris told UWK the agency is adopting measures to make sure that even when DCFS cannot legally intervene, another agency can.
St. Francisville case sparks changes
The change comes after UWK reached out to DCFS for a story about a young girl in St. Francisville who was allegedly abused by her aunt after the aunt and uncle legally adopted her. A neighbor had raised concerns that the girl, once described as “bright and friendly,” was rarely seen anymore.
An investigative report obtained by UWK stated that, “a welfare call was entered into the Louisiana system in November 2023 after concerns were raised that (the girl) had not been seen for some time. The report was noted but not followed up.”
‘Opportunity to review current practices’
At the time, Harris clarified, “DCFS does not have a call entered into the Louisiana system in November 2023. DCFS does have a report to the hotline, which was received in January 2024. Based on the details reported, the intake disposition was: Did Not Meet Legal Criteria for DCFS to Investigate / No Action Required.”
However, following UWK’s inquiry earlier this month, Harris said the agency took a closer look at its procedures. “After we received a report from UWK related to the recent case in St. Francisville, it gave us the opportunity to review current practices,” she said.
Harris explained that under Louisiana law, “neglect” is defined as the refusal or unreasonable failure of a parent or caretaker to provide proper care, support, or supervision. A request for a wellness check because someone “hasn’t seen the child” does not meet that legal threshold, meaning DCFS typically does not get involved.
‘We should not stop there’
“A wellness call, in and of itself, does not rise to the legal definition of neglect. But that doesn’t mean we should stop there,” Harris said.
She announced that DCFS is now using technology in its Child Welfare Hotline to directly connect with law enforcement agencies statewide, including local police, sheriffs’ offices, and state police.
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This quick connect system allows calls outside DCFS’s jurisdiction to be immediately transferred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for follow-up.
Quick connect to add local law enforcement
“So, as a result of your request, we implemented a change to our procedures that if we receive a call related to a wellness check of a child, we are going to quick connect and add local law enforcement in so that that report can immediately be transferred to someone who can respond,” Harris said.
This procedural change went into effect Nov. 5, one day after UWK‘s report.
“If it’s not something that rises to the level of DCFS being able to respond, if we know that there is another community partner, such as law enforcement who can respond, we have an obligation to reach out to them and bring them to the table to support the child.”
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Harris added that she wants DCFS to remain flexible and collaborative in its mission to protect Louisiana’s children.
“Our goal is that it takes everyone to ensure the safety and protection of children. By bringing law enforcement with us, to make sure that children are protected, the state succeeds and children succeed.”
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