Louisiana KCSP Recertification and Annual Review

What Happens at Recertification

KCSP benefits are not permanent approvals. Every 12 months, the state conducts a redetermination — reviewing your household income, the child's living situation, and your custody documentation. If anything has changed or if you miss the recertification window, payments stop.

You will receive a recertification notice before your annual review date. That notice tells you what documents to submit and the deadline for returning them. Do not wait for the notice to start preparing — the deadline comes faster than most caregivers expect.

What You Need to Submit

At recertification, the caseworker re-verifies:

• Household income — updated pay stubs, Social Security award letter, or pension statements showing your income is still below 150% FPL for your family size
• Child's living situation — confirmation that the child still lives with you and that no biological or adoptive parent has moved into the home
• Child's income — updated documentation showing the child's countable income is still below $450 per month
• Custody documentation — this is where the stakes are highest

The Custody Deadline at First Recertification

If you originally qualified for KCSP with a Provisional Custody by Mandate (La. R.S. 9:951), that document expires after one year. At your first annual review, you must present either:

• A renewed Provisional Custody by Mandate (another one-year period), or
• A court custody order — voluntary transfer, tutorship, or a judicial custody decree

If you do not provide the required legal or provisional custody documentation by the annual redetermination, KCSP benefits will be terminated.

This is why starting the court process early matters. A voluntary transfer petition (La. Ch. C. arts. 1510–1520) involves filing a petition, providing a notarized acceptance affidavit, and attending a court hearing — a process that routinely takes several months. Legal aid organizations (Southeast Louisiana Legal Services at 800-349-0886, Acadiana Legal Service Corporation at 1-866-275-2572) can help at no cost if you meet income guidelines.

How to Avoid Disruptions

Three practical steps:

1. Mark the deadline on your calendar the day you receive your certification notice. Set a reminder 60 days before the annual review date.
2. Gather updated income documents in advance. A pay stub from last week is better than scrambling the day before the deadline.
3. Track your submission. If you submit through the CAFÉ portal, screenshot the confirmation. If you mail or fax documents, send them certified mail or keep the fax confirmation page. Documents get lost; proof of submission protects you.

If recertification is denied, you have 30 days to file a Fair Hearing request. Filing within 10 days preserves benefits at the current level while the appeal is pending.

Changes That Trigger Mid-Year Action

You do not have to wait for annual review to ask about changes. If any of the following happen, contact DCFS promptly to ask how the change affects your case and what you need to report:

• A biological parent moves into your home (immediate disqualification)
• Your household income increases above 150% FPL
• The child begins receiving SSI or enters foster care
• The child leaves your care

The Louisiana Kinship Financial Help guide includes a renewal deadline calendar and a recertification document checklist, so you have everything organized well before the review window opens.

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