About the Department
Department MISSION
DCFS is working to keep children safe, helping individuals and families become self-sufficient, and providing safe refuge during disasters.
Department VISION
We care for the well-being and safety of Louisiana's people.
Department VALUES
Treating all people with dignity, compassion and respect, while providing services with integrity.
At The Department of Children and Family Services, our mission is to empower communities and improve lives by delivering responsive, inclusive, and forward-thinking public services. We are proud to serve the people of Louisiana with integrity, innovation, and a deep commitment to equity. Join Our Team at DCFS: Registered Nurse 1-3
This is a professional-level position within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Office of Child Welfare, serving as a Child Welfare Nurse to provide clinical consultation and support to child welfare staff. The position ensures that children involved with DCFS—particularly those in custody or identified as medically fragile—receive timely access to appropriate medical and behavioral health services. The Child Welfare Nurse collaborates with healthcare providers, hospitals, and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to support care coordination, assess medical safety concerns, and inform case planning and placement decisions.
If you're driven, collaborative, and ready to make an impact—this could be the opportunity for you!Position Duties
Possession of a current Louisiana Registered Nurse license or a temporary permit or multi-state license issued by a Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC/eNLC) state to practice as a registered nurse.
Minimum Qualifications
The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.
Other Qualifications
Job Duties:
Provides real-time clinical consultation to child welfare staff at intake, investigation, and case management stages.
Conducts nursing assessments, reviews medical records, interprets clinical data, and identifies safety concerns related to medical conditions.
Serves as an operational liaison between child welfare staff and healthcare systems in coordination with supervisory and state office medical leadership.
Participates in structured triage of complex cases, including medical neglect, life-threatening injuries, fatalities, and medically fragile children. Provides input into case planning and escalates cases requiring advanced clinical oversight to supervisory staff.
Participates in quality assurance and data tracking activities to support program evaluation and continuous quality improvement in alignment with established standards.
Conducts field visits as needed, including home, hospital, or placement settings, to assess child health status and support implementation of care plans.
Position-Specific Details:
Appointment Type: This position will be filled as a job appointment. Job appointments may last up to 48 months.
Career Progression: This position may be filled as a Registered Nurse 1-3 depending on experience.
Work Schedule: Typically, work hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday. Flexible work schedules are available after meeting certain criteria and is dependent upon the position you are applying for. Some positions require working shifts.
Compensation: The referenced positions have a Special Entrance Rate (SER) see below:
Registered Nurse 1 - (Pay Level-MS-515)-SER Biweekly $2,387.20
Registered Nurse 2- (Pay Level- MS-516) -SER Biweekly $2,554.40
Registered Nurse 3- (Pay Level -MS-517) -SER Biweekly $2,733.60
Work Location: This position will be domiciled in the Covington Regional Office location.
*In accordance with La. R.S. 46:51.2 the department shall conduct a State Central Registry (SCR) check for a potential employee of the department to determine whether or not said individual's name appears on a SCR subsequent to December 31, 2009, and whose duties include: investigations of child abuse or neglect, supervisory or disciplinary authority over children, direct care to a child, or performance of licensing surveys. In accordance with state laws, selected candidates must pass the following checks before any final job offer will be made: Drug Test, Criminal Background, State Central Registry, and Louisiana State Police Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry.
NOTE: The incumbent of this position must not have been convicted or pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in R.S. 15.587.1 (c).
Must possess a valid driver's license & access to a personal vehicle.
Active Louisiana RN license (or compact/multi-state license recognized by Louisiana) is required and must be maintained. Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation may be required due to travel among regional offices, hospitals, homes, schools, shelters, and provider locations.
How To Apply:
No Civil Service Test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
* Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in this application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
Contact Information:
For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Eulanda Batiste
Eulanda.Batiste.DCFS@La.GovDCFS is an “Equal Opportunity Employer”, and Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.