The Louisiana Child Welfare Scholars program exists through a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services and the seven public universities and colleges that serve Louisiana students. The program provides tuition reimbursement to promising bachelor's and master's level social work students who are committed to practicing social work in Louisiana in the field of child welfare.  A special grant in the form of a cooperative agreement between LSU and the USHSS, Children’s Bureau provides funding for these stipends. The primary goal of the program is to prepare competent social workers in the areas of foster care and adoption for career positions with Louisiana’s Office of Community Services.

Students accepted into the Child Welfare Scholars program are placed in public or private child welfare agencies in Louisiana for their field practicum and have access to a variety of child welfare training opportunities and resources. The Scholars stipend program is available for both current and potential employees. Recruitment of potential employees and retention of current employees are central to the purpose of the program.

Goals of the Child Welfare Scholars Program

• To increase the number and professional child welfare skills of BSW/MSW level social workers among the existing OCS workforce.
• To recruit and retain highly trained, ethnically and racially diverse social work professionals with advanced degrees.
• To advance the knowledge, experience and professionalism of public child welfare social workers employed by OCS.
• To develop and administer an academic/practicum program, which is informed by current research on public child welfare and is evaluated to determine the value added by Scholars graduates to public child welfare practice.

Program Eligibility

• Child Welfare Scholar applicants are selected from those admitted to a BSW/MSW program at one of the seven public Universities in Louisiana: Southeastern, SUNO, SUBR, Grambling, LSU, Northwestern and Northeastern.
• Demonstrate a desire to pursue a career in child welfare or be a full-time employee with OCS for one continuous year.
• Agree to the educational requirements of the Scholars program and remain in good academic standing.
• Have a confirmed field placement in an approved child welfare setting.
• Commit to work for OCS for a designated period of time after graduation to complete the requirements of the Child Welfare Scholars program.
• Understand fully that the stipend must be repaid if program commitments are not met.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien, which can include a permanent resident, granted asylum under Section 208, and a refugee under Section 207.
• Submit to and pass a criminal background check.

Please contact your Faculty Field Coordinator or Siobhan Pietruszkiewicz at spietru@lsu.edu if you need assistance or additional information.