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| The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) today announced HomeReady, a statewide initiative that modernizes how Louisiana welcomes and certifies foster and kinship families as part of the effort to modernize the state’s foster care system. |
| Launching statewide in October 2026, HomeReady will provide Louisiana families with a clearer, more consistent experience as they answer the call to care for children. By modernizing how caregivers enter and move through the training and certification process, the initiative will reduce unnecessary administrative burden and help more children find safe, stable families. |
| HomeReady is also a foundational investment in Louisiana’s A Home for Every Child initiative, a comprehensive strategy to ensure every child who needs foster care has the opportunity to grow up in a family rather than a congregate setting. Expanding family-based care requires not only recruiting more foster and kinship families, but also providing a welcoming and transparent experience for those willing to serve Louisiana’s children. HomeReady strengthens Louisiana’s ability to support the families our children need. |
| Through HomeReady, prospective caregivers will be able to complete applications, find and complete training, submit required documentation, and monitor their progress through a modern online experience. The initiative will also equip DCFS staff with digital tools allowing them more time to support children and families and less time managing administrative processes. |
| “Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable family,” said Rebecca Harris, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. “By modernizing how we welcome and certify foster and kinship families, we’re expanding opportunities for families to serve, giving our workforce better tools to support caregivers and building the capacity needed to achieve A Home for Every Child. We are modernizing the experience for families and improving outcomes for children because our children can’t wait.” |
| Louisiana is participating in the U.S. Administration for Children and Families’ A Home for Every Child initiative, a national effort focused on increasing family-based care, strengthening caregiver recruitment and retention, reducing reliance on congregate care, and helping children achieve permanency. HomeReady is a critical component of that effort, modernizing one of the first experiences prospective caregivers have with Louisiana’s child welfare system while helping the department better connect children with the right families. |
| The HomeReady platform is powered by technology provided by Binti, a national child welfare software company whose platform supports agencies in streamlining caregiver certification and administrative processes. |
| “We’re honored to partner with DCFS on the launch of HomeReady,” said Felicia Curcuru, CEO and Co-founder of Binti. “At Binti, we focus on streamlining the process for families to apply online, including on their phone, to become an approved caregiver. We also reduce administrative burden for social workers, helping them focus more on social work and less on paperwork. Binti brings a track record of launching this product in over 15 states state-wide, certifying over 120,000 foster families across the country, and driving measurable results. We’re excited to partner with DCFS to increase the number of certified caregivers for children in Louisiana.” |
| HomeReady is one of several initiatives underway as DCFS transforms Louisiana’s child welfare system. Alongside initiatives including Right Response, the Community Pathways Network, and A Home for Every Child, HomeReady reflects Louisiana’s commitment to strengthening families, reducing barriers to care, supporting foster and kinship caregivers, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to achieve permanency in a safe home. |