Press Releases

DSS Office, Employees Honored by Federal Agency

May 05, 2009

05.05.05 - Louisiana’s Disability Determinations Service (DDS), a part of the Department of Children & Family Services (DSS), and four of its employees have earned high honors from the Social Security Administration for outstanding work on behalf of the state’s disabled population.

DSS Urges Providers to Prevent Flu in Child Care Centers

May 01, 2009

05.01.09 - Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) Secretary Kristy Nichols said today that child care centers should take appropriate steps to prevent the spread of flu by sending sick children home and temporarily closing child care centers if a H1N1(Swine Flu) flu case is confirmed or if there is a link to a confirmed H1N1 flu case.

DSS Legislative Package Aims to Increase Protections from Sexual Predators, Realign Business Practices

May 01, 2009

05.01.09 - Reducing the threat of sexual predators, increasing educational stability for foster children and allowing the state to use public facilities during an emergency are part of the nine bills that make up the Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) Legislative Package that Louisiana lawmakers will consider during the current legislative session.

DSS Announces Appointment of Assistant Secretary of Office of Community Services

April 24, 2009

04.24.09 - Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) Secretary Kristy Nichols today announced that Kaaren Hebert has been appointed assistant secretary of the Office of Community Services (OCS) and will lead the office in implementing recently announced steps to help ensure the safety of children in the state by focusing on safety, technology, training and workforce retention. She has served as interim assistant secretary of OCS since November 2008.

National Company Teams Up with DSS to Hire Individuals with Disabilities

April 16, 2009

04.16.09 - PRIDE Industries, a national service company with a mission to create jobs for people with disabilities, has partnered with the Department of Children & Family Services’ Louisiana Rehabilitation Services to fill more than 60 contract jobs at Fort Polk located near Leesville. “The Department of Social Service is excited to forge a relationship with PRIDE Industries,” said DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols. “This is an avenue to enhance our state’s workforce development efforts while creating employment opportunities for citizens with disabilities that can result in self-sufficiency and independence.”

Newborn Safely Handed Over at Safe Haven Facility

April 09, 2009

04.09.09 - A newborn was safely handed over to an employee at a Safe Haven facility in Southwest Louisiana earlier this month, marking the second time in just over a month that a mother has utilized the Louisiana law. It also marks the second time the law has been utilized since the Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) launched a public awareness campaign in February to educate parents about Louisiana's Safe Haven Law.

Newborn Safely Handed Over at Lake Charles area Safe Haven Facility One Month After State Public Awareness Campaign

March 11, 2009

03.11.09 - One month after the Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) launched a public awareness campaign to educate new parents about Louisiana’s Safe Haven law, a mother who felt she could not care for her newborn made a safe choice early this morning when she placed her baby in the safe arms of a Lake Charles area hospital worker.

Gun Pulled on DSS Employees Reiterates Daily Danger In Protecting Children

March 06, 2009

03.06.09 - Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services Secretary Kristy Nichols said today that an incident in Morehouse Parish late this afternoon where a gun was pulled on two child protection investigators reiterates the danger they must face on a daily basis in ensuring the safety of children across our state.

DSS Launches Online Adoption Initiative

February 19, 2009

02.19.09 - Connecting Louisiana foster children with potential adoptive families is as close as the click of a mouse. Profiles of more than a dozen foster children available for adoption now appear on the main page of the Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) Web site, allowing potential adoptive parents to see a photo of the child and learn more about him or her.

DSS Launches Safe Haven Public Awareness Campaign

February 11, 2009

02.11.09 - Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DSS) today announced a public awareness campaign, including a partnership with Lamar Advertising Co. for billboards statewide, to provide information about Louisiana’s Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to legally relinquish custody of an infant at designated locations without the threat of prosecution.