LACFA
Louisiana Association of Children & Family Agencies
We believe that our greatest challenges as a profession are ahead of us as we begin to navigate through the dramatic changes occurring in service delivery for our most vulnerable children and their families. At no greater time in our history do we recognize that there is significant value in joining forces, forging relationships and developing from one another’s talents and ideas. For more than 40 years, LACFA has been providing important avenues for advocacy, networking, and professional development.
LACCA, the Louisiana Association of Child Care Agencies, adopted the name, the Louisiana Association of Children and Family Agencies (LACFA), to more accurately represent the range of services provided by its members to at-risk children and their families.
Welcome new LACFA Members!
Kingsley House
1600 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Office: (504) 523-6221
Childrens Bureau of New Orleans
2626 Canal St # 201, New Orleans, LA 70119
Office: (504) 525-2366
Heritage Ranch
20090 Tucker Rd, Zachary, LA 70791
Office: (225) 658-1800
The Louis Childrens Crisis Center
P. O. Box 2866, Houma, LA 70361
Office: (985)872-4984
National Youth Advocacy Program, NYAP
2900 Westfork Drive, Suite 401, Baton Rouge, LA 70827
Office: (225) 298-1290
START Corporation
420 Magnolia Street, Houma, LA 70360
Office: (985) 879-3966
The Center for Children & Families
622 Riverside Drive, Monroe, LA 71203
Office: (318) 398-0945
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Upcoming December 2019 Membership Meeting:
When: Tuesday, December 3, 2019 (10:00AM - 2:00PM)
Where: Louisiana Red Cross Building (2nd floor Board Room)
4655 Sherwood Common Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA
Presenter: Rhenda Hodnett, Ph.D., LCSW
Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare
Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS)
Rhenda Hodnett, Ph.D., LCSW, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare for the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) where she is responsible for the strategic planning, development and oversight of the state child welfare system.
Prior to this role, Dr. Hodnett served as the Director of the Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy which provides competency-based training and professional development opportunities for current and prospective child welfare employees, foster parents and legal system stakeholders.
Dr. Hodnett has more than 25 years of child welfare experience within DCFS. She served as Child Welfare Director from 2012 to 2014, the Director of Prevention and Protective Services within the Office of Community Services from 2007 to 2011, and has held various supervisory, management and caseworker positions within the child welfare system.
In 2014, Dr. Hodnett was awarded the prestigious U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Children, Youth and Families Commissioners Award. The award honors one recipient from each state for making an exceptional contribution to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect in his or her state. Her nomination noted her unique ability to motivate others toward action, build collaborative working relationships, and impact change, while employing her comprehensive knowledge of the social services system to address challenges.
Dr. Hodnett received her bachelors degree in Social Work from Southeastern Louisiana University and her Master of Social Work and Ph.D. from Louisiana State Universitys School of Social Work.
Member Agency Spotlight:
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans
Therapeutic Family Services
Shacidy Hadley-Bush, MSW, LMSW
Program Director
Register NOW:
(Proceed to our RESOURCE PAGE/Event tab for details, options, and REGISTRATION)
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Annual Membership Meeting hosted in June 2019:
LACFA Board Officer Elections were held.
We are pleased to announce our newly elected and appointed Board:
President: Kim Rister
Vice President: Charles "Kevin" Champagne
Secretary: Mamie Moses
Treasurer: Damon McCann
Member at Large: Colleen Hurst
Member at Large: Marcus Alexander
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Recent LACFA-hosted Training
in partnership with LA Healthcare Connections:
When: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 (9:00AM - 4:00PM)
Where: EBRPSS Professional Development Center (PDC)
3000 N. Sherwood Forest
Baton Rouge, LA 70814
Registration/Networking- (9:00-9:20AM)
Session 1- (9:30-11:00AM)
Adverse Childhood Experience Study
Presenter: Joshua Smith, PhD, LPC
1.5 Clinical CE Hours (will be provided through LA Healthcare Connections)
Session 2- (11:15-12:45PM)
Strengths Perspective
Presenter: Shantelle Jacobs, MA, LPC
1.5 Clinical CE Hours (will be provided through LA Healthcare Connections)
Lunch will be provided for all full-day attendees- (12:45-1:15PM)
Session 3- (1:15-2:45PM)
Positive Psychology
Presenter: Joshua Smith, PhD, LPC
1.5 Clinical CE Hours (will be provided through LA Healthcare Connections)
Session 4- (3:00-4:30PM)
Trauma Informed Care
Presenter: Shantelle Jacobs, MA, LPC
1.5 Clinical CE Hours (will be provided through LA Healthcare Connections
We enjoyed having many of you join us to learn in partnership!
Recent September 2019 Membership Meeting:
When: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 (10:00AM - 2:00PM)
Where: Louisiana Red Cross Building (2nd floor Board Room)
4655 Sherwood Common Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA
Presenter:
Julie Richie, M.ED, LPC
Brandon P. Romano, Psy.D. & Associates
Topic: Utilizing Trauma Informed Care in Mental and Behavioral Health: An overview of what is TIC and Resources to Implement TIC into Treatment
Julie is a Licensed Professional Counselor who is currently in practice at Brandon P. Romano, Psy.D. & Associates. She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2009 with her Bachelors Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences, focusing in Child and Family Studies. She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in July of 2012 with her Masters of Education focusing on Mental Health Counseling.
She published a chapter on Reactive Attachment Disorder: Play Therapy Interventions for School Settings in June of 2013. She has completed her education, training, and supervision for her Registered Play Therapy certification in 2019. She has experience in working with child advocacy center in Livingston parish in counseling children and families of abuse. She has experience with working with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse in the outpatient setting. She has previously worked as a counselor at an inpatient facility in the Baton Rouge area focusing on helping individuals, families, and groups cope with substance use and mental health issues.
She currently provides services at the main clinic of Dr. Romano and Associates in Baton Rouge as well as community-based services in Livingston Parish.
Member Agency Spotlight:
Heritage Ranch Childrens Christian Home
Vicki Ellis, Founder and Executive Director
Fairly Carville, LMSW
Topic: Sharing the Journey
In the early 2000s, Vicki Ellis, Founder and Executive Director, began to share her passion to see a Christian Childrens Home built in her home community to serve young people and families in crisis. In 2003, she was joined by a small group of community members who joined the Ranch Board of Directors and Heritage Ranch was officially incorporated and within a year received its tax-exempt status.
The Ranch gained momentum as the vision of a voluntary placement, therapeutic Childrens Home was shared throughout the community. What began as a Board of Directors with 3 members in 2003 has expanded today to a Board of Directors with 12 members and a flourishing 14 member advisory board. Heritage Ranch opened the doors to its first home for boys in August of 2015.
In 2016, the Heritage Ranch facility flooded. The Ranch facilitated a flood recovery campaign from 2016-2018 and is now re-opened and serving boys and families. Heritage Ranch is currently planning for a Comprehensive Campaign that will begin in 2020 to expand residential housing and launch a community based family program to expand its service footprint to additional families in need.
Register NOW:
(Proceed to our RESOURCE PAGE/Event tab for details, options, and REGISTRATION)
