By Michelle R. Gros
What do Louisiana judges and attorneys, pots of gumbo, popsicles in parks, medical mobile units, egg hunts, care baskets, block parties, drive-through services and resources, supporting families, foster care and community conversations have in common?
My Community Cares (MCC)!
MCC is a community-driven, neighborhood-based approach bringing together families with lived experience in the child welfare system, community members and agencies to identify and connect
families to a network of quality services and support designed to promote child and family well-being and prevent children from entering foster care. The mission of MCC is to strengthen families and
support communities. The vision of MCC is for children and families to have access to services, activities, programs, resources and support in the communities where they live.
MCC was developed in response to the 2018 Child and Family Services Review (CFSR)1 conducted on Louisiana’s child welfare system and inspired by the federal Children’s Bureau’s2 new vision to shift
from a reactive system to one centered on family strengthening. Many Louisiana judges, attorneys and legal and child welfare stakeholders chose to stir the pot and try something different than a one-size fits-all approach to preventing children from entering foster care.
Louisiana Bar Journal August / September 2022