§2407. Funding of children's trust fund programs

A. The cabinet shall identify the amount of funds necessary for the implementation of this Chapter.

B. Monies appropriated or otherwise made available to the cabinet to implement the provisions of this Chapter shall be disbursed as follows:

(1) The cabinet shall adopt a formula based on a recommendation by the board for the distribution of funds from the Children's Trust Fund for programs and services for child abuse prevention which shall provide for the allocation of funds in each state planning district based upon the percentage of the total state reported cases of abuse and neglect reported in the state planning district and the percentage of the total state population under the age of eighteen years and upon the service and program needs of the district and the comprehensive state plan.

(2) Any funds which are not utilized within a state planning district shall be reallocated to the remaining districts in accordance with the formula required by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.

(3) Ten percent of the amount appropriated to the cabinet may be used for administrative costs of the board.

C. Appropriations made for distribution by the cabinet for programs and services shall be deposited in the fund and shall be disbursed by the office in accordance with directives of the cabinet.

D.(1) The board shall develop and, once approved by the cabinet, publish solicitations for grant proposals for grants to be funded from the Louisiana Children's Trust Fund for child abuse prevention programs and services which are designed to meet identified priorities.

(2) Priorities shall be based upon information contained in the comprehensive state plan.

(3) A priority ranking shall be made based upon the extent to which a proposal meets identified needs, criteria for cost effectiveness, an evaluation component providing outcome data, and a determination that the proposal provides a mechanism for coordinating and integrating preventive services with other services deemed necessary for working effectively with families who are at risk of child abuse or neglect. Priority shall be given to primary and secondary prevention programs and services.

E. The board shall review and evaluate all proposals submitted for funding and services and make recommendations to the cabinet regarding grant awards. The cabinet shall make the final approval of grant awards.

F. All budget requests submitted by any private nonprofit agency to the legislature for funding of programs related to child abuse prevention shall conform to the application process and any subsequent revision of the plan adopted pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

Acts 1987, No. 932, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 2017, No. 237, §2.