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I have worked with the Department of Children & Family Services and child welfare for over 30 years. During that time there have been five governors and many more department heads.
Without a doubt, over the last six years, because of the leadership of Secretary Marketa Walters and Assistant Secretary Rhenda Hodnett, DCFS is a better agency.
Among other things, they have been able to partner with national organizations like never before. Money and technical help has been secured from such groups as the Casey Family Program, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Quality Parenting Initiative and others.
Adoptions have risen, as has the effort to provide needed services to families in care.
What is the real problem? Our state and nation are inundated by mental health and substance abuse crises. Over 2,000 drug-exposed newborns were born in our state last year.
Opioid overdose deaths, including fentanyl, have risen by over 100% since 2019.
Louisiana ranks fifth nationally in drug overdoses by state. The mental health crisis is out of control.
These are but a few of the many issues facing DCFS and our state.
To Gov. John Bel Edwards and those legislators who have chosen Walters as the scapegoat for this crisis, I hope you find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to fix our problems.
Secretary Walters and Assistant Secretary Hodnett, I thank you for your years of service and dedication to the children and families of our state. We are better because of you.
THOMAS DUPLANTIER
district judge
Lafayette
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Sources 2/ https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiiAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5ub2xhLmNvbS9vcGluaW9ucy9sZXR0ZXJzL2xldHRlcnMtZG9udC1ibGFtZS1tYXJrZXRhLXdhbHRlcnMtZm9yLWRjZnMtd29lcy9hcnRpY2xlXzZiZDE1ZmQ0LTY2OTgtMTFlZC04N2YyLWIzOTBhNDdlNDM5Yy5odG1s0gGMAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5vbGEuY29tL29waW5pb25zL2xldHRlcnMvbGV0dGVycy1kb250LWJsYW1lLW1hcmtldGEtd2FsdGVycy1mb3ItZGNmcy13b2VzL2FydGljbGVfNmJkMTVmZDQtNjY5OC0xMWVkLTg3ZjItYjM5MGE0N2U0MzljLmFtcC5odG1s?oc=5 The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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