DCFS Launches SET for Success Workforce Development Website

BATON ROUGE, LA - In keeping with its growing emphasis on expanding workforce development opportunities for the individuals it serves, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is launching a SET for Success workforce website with related resources for participants in SNAP, FITAP and Child Support Enforcement programs. The SET for Success program offers participants the skills, education and training to improve their job prospects and secure a brighter future for their families.

The new website, www.dcfs.la.gov/setforsuccess, directs participants to information about the three programs that comprise the SET for Success workforce development program: SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T), Strategies to Empower People (STEP) and Child Support Enforcement Employment and Training (CSE E&T). The site includes eligibility information, an overview of available activities and services, a provider portal that features workforce providers throughout Louisiana, and success stories of former participants. 

"This program is designed to address barriers to employment and provide the resources required to develop untapped talent," said Terri Ricks, DCFS Secretary. “We call the program SET for Success because it provides the skills, education and training individuals need to successfully compete in the job market. It also aligns with our No Wrong Door service delivery model and uses poverty-informed practices to provide inclusive, respectful services."

SET for Success collaborates with program participants to develop strategies to overcome obstacles to employment, evaluate career choices, and chart pathways to secure high-wage, high-demand jobs. The program, which began in 2020, now has 37 providers throughout the state, and will welcome eight new SNAP E&T providers on October 1.

Depending on the participant’s goals, interests, and talents, those pathways may include pursuing a GED/High school equivalency or college degree, completing vocational or on-the-job training, or enrolling in a technical certification program.

“Our SET for Success programs connect Louisiana’s most vulnerable citizens with opportunities to achieve economic mobility,” said Lorrie Briggs, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Workforce Development. “Our research-based service delivery model recognizes that people facing poverty require supports tailored to their needs to build confidence. By empowering an underrepresented section of our workforce, SET for Success is helping build a more prosperous Louisiana for all residents.”

SET for Success can arrange additional support services, including transportation, childcare, work uniforms and eyeglasses, to ensure logistical challenges and scarce resources do not derail participants’ career progress. The program can also connect participants with community services for assistance with domestic violence, mental health or substance abuse issues.

“Through case management, supportive services, and work activities, SET for Success plays a crucial role in DCFS’s commitment to helping individuals and families become self-sufficient,” said Ashley Sias, Assistant Secretary, Division of Family Support. “As we continue to expand services and program offerings, SET for Success will be instrumental in moving our most vulnerable neighbors out of poverty.”

SET for Success partners with community and technical colleges, community-based organizations and professional development providers to provide no-cost employment and training programs throughout the state.

SET for Success program information, eligibility guidelines, and additional resources can be found at dcfs.louisiana.gov/setforsuccess.

About the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services

DCFS is the state agency responsible for keeping children safe, helping individuals and families become self-sufficient and providing refuge during disasters. The Division of Family Support administers the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps), Workforce Development (SET for Success), Child Support Enforcement, Disability Determination Services, and federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. The Child Welfare Division manages Child Protection Investigations, Family Services, Foster Care and Adoption Services. Through its Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response, DCFS supports the state's disaster response and recovery functions that involve evacuation, sheltering, emergency food assistance and human services. For more information, visit www.dcfs.la.gov.