he goal of the ULM TItle IV-E Child Welfare Information Project is to ensure the preparation of future graduates for competent practice in Child Protection, Family Services, Foster Care, Adoptions and/or Home Development.  The ULM Project is one of seven Universities in Louisiana, contracted by the Office of Community Services (OCS) in a statewide agency/university partnership established in 1995 to achieve this goal.

MISSION

To attract and prepare potential employees for a career in public child welfare in Louisiana.

To embrace and expand child-centered, family-focused and strengths-based child welfare practice methods and evidence-based child welfare practice methods and evidence-based accountability.

To support current LA DSS/OCS employees in continued professional development to enhance their child welfare careers.

PURPOSE

To train and prepare undergraduate social work students for competent child welfare practice and a career committed to constant betterment of services for and protection of children from maltreatment.

To encourage LA DSS/OCS workers to return to higher education to further their own professionalism as well as that of the agency.

To contribute to the knowledge base of child welfare practice and effective collaboration for children and families through training, evaluation and research, presentations and publications by ULM Social Work faculty and staff.

The Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Project at ULM is a Program to encourage undergraduate social work students to prepare for a public child welfare career.  Students who participate and complete the program are eligible to apply as a Social Services Specialist Intern with the Louisiana Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services (LA DSS/OCS), which is our state's public child welfare office.  The LA DSS/OCS provides state sponsored adoptions, foster care services, and child protection services.  ULM is one of 7 universities who provided child welfare training under a similar federally funded initiative prior to the current statewide Title IV-E initiative.

ULM students who participate are selected annually on a competitive basis.  They submit applications during the Spring Semester, which includes a panel review composed of ULM social work faculty and LA DSS/OCS Regional Specialists.  Once selected, students receive a $5,000.00 stipend, complete a block field placement in a LA DSS/OCS parish office, and are required to apply for the Social Services Special Intern position upon graduation to fulfill a one year work requirement.  Students are encouraged to continue their professional training and can defer their work obligation if they enroll in a CSWE accredited Master's in Social Work (MSW) program.  Students are encouraged to apply for employment with LA DSS/OCS in any of the state's 64 parishes.

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