Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 46:288.4

  • Department: means the Department of Children and Family Services. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 46:288.2
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Youth: means an individual who was adjudicated as a child in need of care, was in foster care in the department's custody on the day before his eighteenth birthday, and is at least eighteen years of age but less than twenty-one years of age. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 46:288.2

            A. If a youth chooses to participate in extended foster care services and meets the eligibility criteria set forth in La. Rev. Stat. 46:288.3(A), the department and the youth shall sign an extended foster care voluntary placement agreement that shall include, at a minimum, the following:

            (1) The obligation for the youth to continue to meet the conditions for eligibility set forth in La. Rev. Stat. 46:288.3(A) for the duration of the voluntary extended foster care agreement.

            (2) Any obligation considered necessary by the department for the youth to continue to receive extended foster care services if the youth is eligible for those services.

            (3) Any obligation considered necessary by the department to facilitate the youth’s continued success in the program.

            (4) Termination of an extended foster care voluntary placement agreement and program participation as set forth in La. Rev. Stat. 46:288.8.

            (5) The voluntary nature of the youth’s participation in receiving extended foster care services.

            (6) The opportunity for a fair hearing if the youth believes that he has been denied extended foster care services or that his request has not been acted upon with reasonable promptness.

            B. Once the department determines that a youth is eligible and the youth signs the extended foster care voluntary placement agreement, the department may provide extended foster care services to the youth in accordance with this Subpart.

            C. Acceptance of these benefits and services shall in no way deprive the youth in foster care of any rights or obligations conferred by attaining the age of majority.

            Acts 2019, No. 400, §2, eff. June 19, 2019.