Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains the frequently asked questions and will be displayed when the applicant clicks on the FAQ button on any application page.

1. What does CAFÉ mean?
   CAFÉ is an acronym that stands for Common Access Front End. CAFÉ is the system used by DCFS to link external and internal facing computer systems.  
   
   For customers, CAFÉ houses the external-facing Customer Portal, where online applications, simplified reports, change reports and redeterminations can be completed and managed.
   
   For providers and vendors, CAFÉ houses the external-facing Provider Portal, where online applications, renewals, midpoints, change reports, referrals and payments can be completed and managed.
   
   For DCFS staff, CAFÉ houses the Worker Portal, where the workload is managed. Each staff member’s view within the Worker Portal is based upon their role.

2. I have trouble logging into CAFÉ. What do I do?
   If you do not have a CAFÉ account, click the Click here to get started! link on the CAFÉ Home Page to begin account creation process.
   
   If you forgot or lost your User ID, click the I forgot my User ID link on the Louisiana State Account Login Page and follow the directions to receive your User ID via email.
   
   If you forgot or lost your password, click the I forgot my Password link on Louisiana State Account Login Page and follow the directions to reset your password.
   
   You can also contact DCFS at 225-342-6700 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday or send an email to [email protected].

3. What are the steps I must follow to apply for benefits?
   In order to apply for benefits, it is recommended that you must first create an online account for CAFÉ on the DCFS website (http://dcfs.louisiana.gov). After you successfully create your account, navigate to the My Applications Page of the CAFÉ Customer Portal and complete an electronic application for benefits. A DCFS staff member will contact you for an interview, if applicable. You can monitor the status of your application through the Application Status Page of the CAFÉ Customer Portal.

4. How long will it take to complete an application online?
   In general, it takes about an hour to fill out an application for benefits depending on the application circumstances.
   
   If you are unable to complete the full application in one session, click Save & Exit from any screen within the online application to save the incomplete application.   An application that is not completed will be stored to the My Applications Page on the CAFÉ Customer Portal for 30 days.

5. How can I get help applying for benefits?
   For questions regarding how to complete individual pages within the online application, click the Help link on the top of the page to view page-level help.
   
   For help with computer usage, refer to the Help with Using a Computer resource on the first page of the online application by clicking the “If you haven’t used a computer very much and would like to practice before you get started, click here” link.
   
   If you are having problems with your LA CAFE application, please contact DCFS at 225-342-6700 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.
   
   If you are unable to fill out the application on your own, staff at a local DCFS office is available to assist you with completing an online application.  Visit a local DCFS office for in-person assistance with your online application.

6. How do I find a local office to assist me?
   Go to the DCFS website (http://dcfs.louisiana.gov) and enter your zip code into the Office Locator on the right side of the Home Page to see the list of offices located nearest to you. The Office Locator also allows you to indicate your city and/or parish and to specify an amenity you are seeking, which allows you to filter the search according to your needs.
   
   You can also find a local office by accessing the DCFS Office Directories link from the menu sidebar on the DCFS Home Page. The website displays a list of DCFS offices by parish as well as each office’s address and contact information.
   
   You can also contact DCFS at 225-342-6700 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and request information about the DCFS office nearest to you.

7. Which type of application should I complete?
   If you do not currently receive benefits and wish to complete an application, you should complete an application through the My Applications Page on the CAFÉ Customer Portal.
   
   If you already receive benefits and received notification that it is time to reapply for continued assistance, you should complete a redetermination through the My Redeterminations Page. You may only complete a redetermination if it is time for your redetermination to be completed. If you already receive benefits and would like to report changes, you should complete a change report through the Reporting Changes Page. If you would like to submit a simplified report and received a notification that it is time to submit your simplified report, you should complete a simplified report through the My Simplified Reporting Page. You may also complete a LaCAP enrollment if you would like to start receiving LaCAP benefits, or may complete a LaCAP re-enrollment if you would like to continue to receive LaCAP benefits. If you do not provide an email address or text message number when creating an account, you may not receive a notification.

8. What do SNAP, FITAP, CCAP, KCSP, LaCAP and Child Support Enforcement mean?
   SNAP is Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program).  Find out more here: http://www.dss.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=93
   
   FITAP is Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program. Find out more here: http://www.dss.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=139
   
   CCAP is Child Care Assistance Program. Find out more here: http://www.louisianabelieves.com/early-childhood/child-care-assistance-program
   
   KCSP is Kinship Care Subsidy Program. Find out more here: http://www.dss.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=138
   
   LaCAP is Louisiana Combined Application Project. Find out more here: http://www.dss.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=93
   
   Child Support Enforcement is the program, which helps establish and enforce child support orders and collection and distribution of child support payments. Find out more here: http://www.dss.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&nid=150&pnid=0&pid=137

9. How do I pay and/or check the status of my application fee for Child Support Enforcement?
   If a fee for your Child Support Enforcement application is required, it is due within 30 days of your application date. Payment can either be made by mail, in person, or electronically via a secure electronic payment system.
   
   View information on fee and payment options as well as the opportunity to pay application fees electronically at the end of the Child Support online application and via the Check Application Status Page.
   
   Upon payment, check the status of the application on the Check Application Status Page. Once your case worker at DCFS receives and enters you payment into the system, the Check Application Status Page will reflect this.
   
   You will receive a notification regarding submission of Child Support service payments and application fees in the Notification Center. If users did not elect to provide an email address or text message number when creating an account, they will not receive a notification.

10. What bills or other information do I need with me when I apply for benefits?
    The exact list of documents and information needed when applying for benefits varies by applicant. However, it is a good idea to have available basic information about all household members, including their dates of birth and Social Security Numbers, as well as the household financial information such as income statements, available resources, and monthly expenses.

11. What should I do if I do not know all of the information during the application?
    If you need to gather more information in order to complete the application, click Save & Exit from any screen within the online application to save the application as Incomplete. The incomplete application is stored on your My Applications Page in the CAFÉ Customer Portal for 30 days.
    
    You can leave some fields blank and you will have the opportunity to provide additional information during an interview with a DCFS worker, if applicable.
    
    If you are unsure of a specific question, contact DCFS at 225-342-6700 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday for assistance with the application process or send an email to [email protected].

12. What is a Summary Page and how do I use it?
    Each section of the online application contains a Summary Page, which provides the information entered in the section and allows you to change any incorrect information or add any missing information. Use the Summary Page to verify that the information you entered in the section is accurate, and click the Add or Change buttons to return to the pages within the section to add or update the information entered.

13. How do I save an application so I can finish entering it later?
    Click the Save & Exit Button from any page in the online application in order to save the information and exit the application to return to it later.

14. How do I add individuals to my application?
    Household members are added to the application in the People section of the application. You must answer “Yes” to the question “Does anyone else live in your home?” for the online application to ask about each additional household member.

15. How can I check the status of my applications?
    After successful submission of an online application or LaCAP enrollment, the status of the application or enrollment will be monitored through the Customer Portal.  Online status check is not available for redeterminations; however you may see if verifications sent to DCFS were received. For Change Reports and LaCAP re-enrollments, users can view if their verifications were received by DCFS, as well. Online status check or verification status check is not available for simplified reports.
    
    Application status information for applications submitted through the Customer Portal is found on the Application Status Check Page. The Application Status Check Page allows applicants to view the status and associated denial reasons for applications submitted online through the Customer Portal. The status information for the application is broken down into the various programs applied for with the status of the application listed for each individual program, as well as any relevant reasons for denials, if applicable.

16. How do I upload documents to my application and/or case?
    There are three ways to upload documents into CAFÉ.

1. The Verification Status Check Page is located at the end of an application From the Verification Page. User can click the Upload Documents button to navigate to the Document Upload Page.  While submitting an application, users can scan and save documents to their local computer in order to upload from the Customer Portal Submit Module.

2. On the Application Status Check Page, click the “Upload Documents” hyperlink under the Document Upload column to navigate to the Document Upload Page.

3. Under the Cases Tab, click the Check My Cases sub-tab. Then click the hyperlink to the appropriate case in the View Details column. From this page, click the “Upload Documents” button to navigate to the Document Upload Page

17. How do I change information on my account?
The Manage MyAccount Page in the CAFÉ Customer Portal provides the ability to update online account information. Use the Manage MyAccount Page to maintain and update personal information and account details such as password, email/text notifications and PIN.

Personal information updated on the Manage MyAccount Page is used for online account management and is NOT used by the DCFS office in application processing or maintenance.  Report any changes to personal information relevant to a case by submitting a Change Report through the Customer Portal.

18. What comes next after I submit my application?
After successful submission of your online application, redetermination, change report, simplified report, or LaCAP enrollment/re-enrollment, a types of proof page will give you information on what verification documents may be requested and what further contact may be required with DCFS to process your application.

After receiving your application, a DCFS staff member will contact you for an interview if you are applying for SNAP, FITAP, KCSP, LaCAP or Child Support.  Eligibility status of your application will be determined within 30 days of the application date and you should receive a letter confirming eligibility or denial of benefits/services.

19. How long will it take after I submit my application to find out if I qualify?
The eligibility determination process takes approximately 30 days from the date of application.

20. How do I use the Check My Cases section of the Customer Portal?
When you first access the Check My Cases section of the Customer Portal, you will be prompted to link your cases to your account by providing your Date of Birth, Social Security Number, and the first 5 characters of your Last Name. CAFÉ uses this information to match your CAFÉ account with any existing case information you have with DCFS, if any. You will only be required to link your cases to your account once.

Once your cases are linked to your account (if any), you will be able to view your current case and benefit information for programs, under which you currently receive benefits/services.

21. Will linking my User Number to my CAFÉ account automatically link my pre-existing case information to my online account?
No. In order to link case information to your CAFÉ account, link your cases in the Check My Cases section by providing your Date of Birth, Social Security Number, and the first 5 characters of your Last Name.

22. I know it is time for me to submit an application for continued assistance (redetermination), but CAFÉ does not allow me to do so. How can I apply for a redetermination through CAFÉ?
If CAFÉ does not allow you to submit an online redetermination, you may undertake the following steps:  

23. I sent in my verification documents for my application/redetermination. How do I know if DCFS received them?
    For applications, click the My Applications link, then select the View Status hyperlink. From the Application Status Check Page, users can view the status of the application, including the verification status, of the application.
    
    For redeterminations, click the My Redeterminations link, then select the View Status hyperlink. From the Verification Status Check Page, users can view the current status of the redetermination.
    
    For a faster receipt of verification documents, use the Document Upload tool to submit scanned documents electronically.

24. I have changes that I need to report to DCFS. How do I report changes through CAFÉ?
    Make sure your cases are linked to your CAFÉ account. To link your cases to your CAFÉ account, provide your Date of Birth, Social Security Number, and the first 5 characters of your Last Name in the Check My Cases section.
    
    Then, access the Report Changes link and select the Report My Changes button.

25. What types of changes can I report?
    The first page in the Change Report function allows you to close a case or to report changes to your case information. The following can be reported online through the Customer Portal:

26. I know it is time for me to submit a simplified report, but CAFÉ does not allow me to do so. How can I submit my simplified report through CAFÉ?
    Make sure to link your cases are linked to your CAFÉ account. To link your cases to your CAFÉ account, provide your Date of Birth, Social Security Number, and the first 5 characters of your Last Name in the Check My Cases section.
    
    Make sure you are applying within the acceptable window (the 20th of the month prior to your simplified report due date and the last day of the month following your simplified due date month). Outside of this date range, you will not be able to submit a simplified report via CAFÉ.
    
    If the above two steps did not explain the reason for inability to submit an online redetermination, contact DCFS at 225-342-6700 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday or send an email to [email protected].

27. I would like to stop/start receiving alerts to my phone via text/email about notifications I received in CAFÉ. How do I change my settings on receiving these alerts?
    Access the Manage MyAccount Page and select “None,” “Text,” or “Email” to the question if you would like to receive notifications when you have a message in your CAFÉ mailbox.

28. I received a text/email saying I received a Notification. How do I access my notifications?
    From the MyAccount Page, select the Notifications button or link to access the Notifications Page. You can view a list of notifications from this page and click the notification for more information. You may also delete notifications after reading them from this page.

29.  If I choose to have a text or email sent to alert me of notifications for my account, will I receive an alert for each notification?
    You will receive a text or email to alert you only once a day if your account receives any notifications for that day. The alert is usually sent out between 8 and 9AM CST but no later than 4:30PM CST.

30. Which types of notifications can I expect to receive from the Customer Portal?
    The table below lists the types of notifications currently supported by the Customer Portal.