[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6138005,"mediaKeyId","5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb","parentId",5593731,"title","Mother's testimony to task force spotlights alleged failures in DCFS response and ongoing judicial disputes","audioSeconds",621,"startMs",4030000,"endMs",4651000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb&start=4030&end=4651","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb/thumbnail_4030000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6138005/Louisiana/Mothers-testimony-to-task-force-spotlights-alleged-failures-in-DCFS-response-and-ongoing-judicial-disputes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6138005-0baaf759959afea527d3d05fe8821a48/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589409&Signature=T8a7UaO2Cc1f9mmWDlth4eEegqDe7gftD49-XAiFY8BVeqlVwCI5ONn4qPl9pA2hYZTCBBpe6~gLBpnaToY-eLWNmq~fSown1LmGwJgtgSr74J4KN2fHgRFR3Uv~Te09Y1jXHkBDnW4gEvDYxNLDM4xBHIw6smzFCD43VwdOJJQfpjgJ1l-llU-wYs86YHL5ONq54c87SUm7-hq1YHRUu-K5asmRpwQSUeJ6kRibfQWDTeMzwTcnGlErpNXQ9Dd7xzRHCQrJtQQCSoBjOuQq1vdwbAMiknn6m2m3bXwESUhMv2TcnmODr6esY8RQOvrzLxA5n3dw2AXk~Hx4dpnhhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-08-13T00:00:00Z","article","Casey Robrie, who identified herself as a mother of two children, gave a public account of a multi-year family court and child-protection dispute and urged the task force to examine where agencies and courts failed. Robrie said she sought medical care and a forensic exam for her children after disclosures and that subsequent court proceedings resulted in loss of custody. She told the panel she and other professionals have continued to report concerns to DCFS and that, in her view, those reports were not adequately handled. \"We should never be told to not report,\" Robrie told the task force.

Robrie said she filed judicial complaints and that the judge originally assigned to the family court case was recused; a second judge recused himself and the case was reassigned to another division. She said contempt proceedings and other filings remain active. The chair, Senator Barrow, acknowledged the seriousness of Robrie's account and asked staff and agency counsel to identify what follow-up would be appropriate while noting many aspects of the case remain in active litigation. Legislative counsel Christine Peck reminded the panel that children's privacy and pending litigation limit how much graphic detail the committee should publicize, and the chair encouraged Robrie and her counsel to meet with agency staff in a private setting to ensure the department has full documentation.

Why it matters: The testimony highlighted concerns about whether earlier statutory and administrative gaps contributed to mishandled reports and potential court-process failures in individual cases. Task-force members said the committee will pursue follow-up steps, including asking DCFS to review the case file and provide a redacted account of intake and investigative steps to the task force and determining whether the judicial-complaint timeline or process merits legislative attention.

The task force did not make legal findings at the meeting; members urged the mother to provide complete documentation to staff and asked DCFS and task-force counsel to determine what information the panel may review without jeopardizing ongoing proceedings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Task Force on Child Abuse Investigation Processes Aug 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A mother told the task force her family lost custody after seeking a medical forensic exam for alleged abuse, described repeated reports to DCFS and court filings she says sought to silence reporting; she said a judge was recused and that she has filed judicial complaints. Task-force members pledged further review and requested agency follow-up.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6138007,"Education department connects schools to registry checks, launches webinars and plans training collection",692,2712000,3404000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb&start=2712&end=3404","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb/thumbnail_2712000.jpg","/articles/6138007/Louisiana/Education-department-connects-schools-to-registry-checks-launches-webinars-and-plans-training-collection","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6138007-bffebb672d85f3208d9ce9e11f27802c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589409&Signature=OscZBBIq0AjXWxBMyL0AD5VP6UKhf0qN8gBLMk~QIRE0roWHtyfEG-EnUICozLa9LwqzCC~BLboWBUia8B2MpIpYFzBZWjgk~DtkgxN6c45Y8IxPqCsdDU3qn7j4nw46GkXGTQY~6HkshlND3L1ulCasiQGewVB-ZMAeClKPnmMTu2MdwQBgfpD0Re3pzw1siG5dPMCxR6tmkgAQPsFJix0LhNcpdMrsWmDfrimbgacHChGlK0k4TstlB6SPUAiHCTieTD29uAL~pyMmnDpQG9J1jvVnhPB6XGZlgv7ggmjRpJEBPnUpdoXjosq34IKOYTqiPUhQA-s~OY6VIUGW8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ashley Townsend of the Louisiana Department of Education told the task force the department worked with the Office of Technology Services to provide EdLink portal access so school HR staff can request state central-registry checks without a middleman. \"OTS was able to help us create that additional, security access for HR personnel to be able to, to without using us as a middleman, access a system that they already can use to request those DCFS checks,\" Townsend said. The department reported it has been doing outreach to public, charter and nonpublic schools and that roughly 254 sites may need licensing inspections as schools submit applications under the new law.

The department said it has curated a set of webinars aimed at nonpublic schools and early-childhood providers; the webinars will be repeated periodically through December to walk schools through licensing, EdLink access and bulletin requirements. Townsend said participation in early sessions was low but expected to increase once the school year settled in. The department also said it is updating policy bulletins (including the early-childhood bulletin, the handbook for school administrators and charter guidance) and will present those revisions to the state boards that oversee school certification and early childhood licensing for consideration.

On mandated-reporter training, the Department of Education said DCFS administers the training and that the department will collect school-level reporting on who completed the training beginning in the 2026-27 school year, with required data due Sept. 30 each year; the department said it can provide soft metrics and qualitative feedback earlier on request. Task-force members asked whether in-person, locally tailored training could be approved; the department said it is coordinating with DCFS to determine whether locally provided trainings could be recognized while maintaining a single standard for curriculum content and reporting.

Why it matters: Schools are a primary setting affected by the law's changes, including expanded registry checks and licensing for some nonpublic preschools. The department's EdLink connection and on-site visits aim to reduce uncertainty for schools, but the department acknowledged capacity questions from licensing and from local providers for trauma and behavioral-health services remained an implementation challenge. The task force requested updates on training-completion numbers and the results of planned site visits at its next meeting.","The Louisiana Department of Education described steps taken to connect school HR systems to DCFS registry checks, to provide guidance and site visits for nonpublic schools, and to collect mandatory-reporter training completion data starting in the 2026-27 school year.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6138009,"DCFS outlines reorganization and new second shift staffing to speed child-safety responses",0,1200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb&start=1200&end=1200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb/thumbnail_1200000.jpg","/articles/6138009/Louisiana/DCFS-outlines-reorganization-and-new-second-shift-staffing-to-speed-child-safety-responses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6138009-2261acdbc122c7832e78e9d92fe9f55a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589409&Signature=HUiYqAb3-ydoj2kJspxaOvwg13LJbyzmRK0R9z3XBee33e2QzmxVd9Ahhb8RZNlgT4AzuWLJ7RVLLTUE~hJMBPfFOJs-gQ3kLUcyWMr1H37vXBL4WRKCKKSvq70Kq9ksG9OpPIYPvE~uvBXB5Lu0HsfEoUH-pwDT~QmrdEJG3OJ53CKpYFm~DQZu~R0lMVdgXGNAkftpv9JxB8UWHmgD10q3rQIyGeO0YUS-Q~HiKoTS8~2qrIRwo0XOGy~Ic4ZHyckeTlC-Fq9t10CoLrt1SVpAAAFRas8DOVPTre3T3IlKuU95oPhgOWNxvvHL7uthVEGN0xm9ATtvEt5bIUF-Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brett Haneman, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare at the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, told the task force the agency is reorganizing \"to become a truly child centered agency\" and is adding staff and process changes intended to shorten response times for reports accepted for investigation. \"Yes, ma'am. So we are starting a second shift,\" Haneman said, adding the plan is to start the shift Sept. 15 and onboard 53 workers to cover afternoons through midnight. The department said it added a financial incentive of $4 per hour for second-shift hires to attract more experienced candidates.

DCFS said its intake changes and new alternative-response model are intended to address reports of child-on-child incidents and to clarify when DCFS or law enforcement should lead investigations. Agency staff told the task force that, in the first 10 days after the law took effect, 10 reports were accepted for alleged child-on-child incidents among children who reside in the same home; the department said there were no accepted reports from school settings in that initial window. The department told the panel it will make initial face-to-face contact for alternative-response cases within five days, and that a standard assessment window for alternative response will be 60 days; cases with parental culpability will be re-assigned to investigators for formal investigation.

Haneman said DCFS has begun updating public materials, training staff statewide and working with the state Office of Technology Services (OTS) to create the IT and workflow links needed for the new notification and registry checks. He said about 42% of DCFS staff will transition to the Louisiana Department of Health and Louisiana Workforce Commission under the state's \"one door\" initiative on Oct. 1 and that technology and payroll transitions are underway. Task-force members asked for monthly intake-volume reports and regional breakdowns; DCFS staff committed to provide region-level data and to present system dashboards and implementation progress at the next meeting.

Why it matters: The second shift and reorganization are intended to address previously identified gaps in response coverage and case follow-up. DCFS officials said they are tracking intake performance and will report both counts and regional patterns to the task force, which delegated follow-up on implementation timelines and staffing metrics to the next meeting.","The Department of Children and Family Services said it is reorganizing around children, adding a second shift of 53 investigators starting Sept. 15, and setting new data and notification workflows after Act 409 took effect on Aug. 1.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6138011,"Task force outlines key provisions of Act 409, 'Charlie's Law', and next steps for statewide implementation",318,403000,721000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb&start=403&end=721","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5593731-497dcaa048b3533f8a0c744cfbafcfcb/thumbnail_403000.jpg","/articles/6138011/Louisiana/Task-force-outlines-key-provisions-of-Act-409-Charlies-Law-and-next-steps-for-statewide-implementation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6138011-aee6117eb958fbcca59788da01a8d873/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589409&Signature=erS3-nqU5X3-n4ve6uHknGw3zLY6kdNH0TEv~3GwKxRP0oL1YEjoO7vKmibDqqnXAP4q7gx7kKL4IuOoomiOHV1noeZEnmY37Gp8mjgX0snFHIlLZidyJAaZ1EQdmVjQNlSO3~LscwttfvMsut35STtp26ODtR4f07wT2K~LBC8Qvw6mybg1r-s4drPUNoBKwcjYU1QffbqNTrDycSBEr9OKC~A73GkktF9GQ2PZtQo9PoczLvR6iM57etrQtTFjwu6Wn~u5FCN4VxFoC20P-vyFu0BGfReSvp5LU-66x8ug9gP1tQQ7nCjUxLe6bBfge0U5cqFiHcpotEuhnFOTNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Katrina Barrow, chair of the task force reviewing Act 409, said the group's work is aimed at one clear goal: ensuring children are safe. \"At the end of the day, there is one goal that I have, and that is ensuring that all our children are safe,\" she said at the start of the meeting. The task force discussed the major statutory changes in Act 409 (\"Charlie's Law\") and early steps agencies are taking to implement them. Amanda Trapp, staff to the task force, summarized the bill's key provisions for the group, saying the legislation expands which school and child-care staff must have state central registry background checks and pulls some previously exempt nonpublic preschool programs into early learning center licensing.

The law replaces the prior \"valid/invalid\" case determination language with the terms \"substantiated\" and \"unsubstantiated,\" aligning state terminology with most other states, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) told the panel. The statute also clarifies investigative authority between DCFS and law enforcement for incidents that occur in schools or licensed settings and requires DCFS to notify the Louisiana Child Ombudsman within three business days when a child fatality is under investigation for alleged abuse or neglect. Task-force staff said the bill includes a provision allowing civil damages for medical and behavioral-health expenses tied to abuse that occurs in a school setting.

Panel members asked for follow-up materials and timelines. DCFS committed to publishing updated public-facing materials and said staff are adjusting training and workflows to reflect the new definitions and responsibilities. The Department of Education described steps to connect school HR systems to DCFS clearances through the EdLink portal and to publish guidance to nonpublic schools on licensing inspections. Task-force members scheduled follow-up meetings to review policy bulletins, licensing inspections and data dashboards.

Why it matters: Task-force members framed Act 409 as a broad package of changes to reporting, licensing and agency responsibilities intended to close gaps that allowed some reports to go uninvestigated under the prior statutory framework. Members repeatedly stressed that implementation details\u0014how agencies coordinate, how schools and parents are notified, and how timely investigations and supports will be provided\u0014will determine whether the law reduces missed investigations in practice. Senator Barrow said the task force will meet through the fall to develop proposals for any further statutory or administrative fixes before the next legislative session.

The task force accepted a brief overview from DCFS and the Department of Education and did not take any formal votes on new legislation at this meeting; it scheduled implementation-focused follow-ups in September, October and November.","Members of the task force reviewing Act 409, known as Charlie's Law, heard a summary of statutory changes on reporting, background checks, licensing and notification requirements and were told work remains on implementation details and interagency coordination.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mother's testimony to task force spotlights alleged failures in DCFS response and ongoing judicial disputes

Education department connects schools to registry checks, launches webinars and plans training collection

DCFS outlines reorganization and new second shift staffing to speed child-safety responses

Task force outlines key provisions of Act 409, 'Charlie's Law', and next steps for statewide implementation