Louisiana lawmakers heard from frustrated foster parents upset over a new policy change that gives them less money to provide care for kids in state custody. Starting July first, DCFS raised the foster care board rate payments from 600 to 900 dollars a month but stopped reimbursing families for incidental expenses. Danielle Eley cares for three children and she says the reimbursements help pay for a lot of incidental expenses.
Eley testified before the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children. Covington Senator Patrick McMath is a member of that panel and based on the testimony urged DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris to bring back the reimbursements.
Cut 11 (09) “…this fiscal year.”
Harris agreed and reimbursements will return for the remainder of this fiscal year, which will end on June 30th, 2027.
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After a really wet May and June, Louisiana’s seeing quite the opposite so far this month. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the unusually dry August is due in part to El Nino, and a lot of high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico.
Cut 4 (12) “…Gulf into Louisiana.”
A more than two million dollar grant from the Louisiana Department of Health means good news for ULM…as it’s expending its health science offerings. Dr. Wendy Bailes, the dean of the ULM College of Health Sciences, says one of three initiatives of the grant is to increase nursing school enrollment.
Cut 7 (08) “…students per year.”
The other two initiatives are adding a Diagnostic Medical Sonography concentration to the Bachelor of Science in Radiological Technology program, and establishing a Nurse Residency Hub serving rural hospitals in northeast Louisiana.