Art. 725.5. Duties of the Department of Children and Family Services
A. The department shall be responsible for investigating reports of abuse or neglect
where the abuser is believed to be a parent or caretaker, a person who maintains an
interpersonal dating or engagement relationship with the parent or caretaker, or a person
living in the same residence with the parent or caretaker as a spouse whether married or not.
B. The department shall fully cooperate with law enforcement, prosecutors, and court
staff in the investigation and prosecution of child sexual exploitation, including ensuring that
all state, federal, and community-based resources for sexually exploited children are known
to the child.
C. The department shall maintain a current listing of licensed residential homes that
specialize in the provision of services to exploited children. This listing shall be made
available to courts, prosecutors, law enforcement, and other stakeholders involved in
proceedings pertaining an exploited child.
D. The department shall cooperate with the prosecution of any perpetrator of child
exploitation.
E. The department shall develop policies that reflect best practices. It shall consider
all protocols developed by the Louisiana Human Trafficking Commission and assist in
compiling data requested by the commission when available.
Acts 2017, No. 376, §1.