This page contains the frequently asked questions and will be displayed when the applicant clicks on the FAQ button on any application page.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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.
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.
How
do I upload documents to my application and/or case?
There are three ways to upload documents into CAFÉ.
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.
On the Application Status Check Page, click the “Upload Documents” hyperlink under the Document Upload column to navigate to the Document Upload Page.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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].
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.
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.
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.
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.
Subject |
Notification Description |
Your Interview is approaching |
This is a Reminder that your [Interview Type] interview is scheduled on [DATE] at [START TIME] for your [PROGRAM] program(s). |
Your Interview is approaching |
This is a Reminder that your [Interview Type] is coming up soon. It is currently scheduled on [DATE] at [START TIME] for your [PROGRAM] program(s). |
Interview Re-scheduling |
This is to notify you that you missed your scheduled interview for SNAP and it is your responsibility to reschedule an interview. |
Your Redetermination Form is Due for submission |
This is a Reminder that your Redetermination application is due for submission before the 15th of [REDET MONTH] for [PROGRAM] program(s). Click here to start your redetermination now |
Your Simplified Reporting Form is Due for submission |
This is a Reminder that your Simplified Reporting form is due for submission on the 5th of [SR MONTH] for your SNAP case. |
Your Change Report has been processed |
This is to notify you that we have made a decision on your case based on your recently reported changes. No changes will be made to the benefits you receive. |
Your Verification documents are due |
This is to remind you that your verifications are due for submission on [date on OFS 4AV/OFS 18C] for your [PROGRAM] case. If you have already provided the requested verification, please ignore this reminder. |
Reminder concerning Obtainment of Age 18 |
This is to remind you that once a dependent child turns age 18, they must verify school enrollment to continue to be eligible for FITAP |
Reminder about the Immunization requirement |
This is to remind you that immunization should be current and up-to-date for children in your household |
Reminder about reporting a member's SSN |
This is to remind you that you need to report a household member's SSN within the period of six months following the month in which a child is born OR when your next redetermination application is due, whichever is later |
Reminder about submission of Child support service Payments |
This is to remind you that any child support payments received after certification must be submitted to the DCFS’ Child Support Enforcement payment address: Central Collection, P.O. Box 260222, Baton Rouge, LA 70826 |
Reminder about submission of Custody Documentation |
This is a reminder that you are required to submit custody documentation if your case is active and has no form of custody or expiring provisional custody. |
Reminder about submission of School Attendance verification |
This is to remind you that you are required to submit school attendance verification every 6 months. |
Reminder about STEP Program Requirements |
This is a reminder that you must complete a Family Success Agreement (FSA), which outlines your participation requirements in a work activity. Upon completion of the FSA, you must also secure arrangements regarding your childcare and transportation needs. |
Reminder about submission of your STEP Participation information |
This is a reminder that verification of your actual hours of attendance in your work activity and your transportation expenses are due by the 5th of the month unless stated otherwise in your Family Success Agreement |
Reminder about ending benefits |
This is a reminder that in order for your Child Support Enforcement case to be reviewed, you are required to pay the Child Support Application fee for $25. You can click on the link below to be directed to the Application fee Payment Page: Pay Here |
Reminder about paying application fees |
This is a reminder that in order for your Child Support Enforcement case to get reviewed, you are required to pay the Child Support Application fee in the amount of $25. You can click on the link below to be directed to the Application fee Payment Page: Pay Here |
Important information about your application for health care coverage |
You have checked that you want to apply for health care coverage. To continue with your application for health care coverage, save the Customer ID and number below and click on the link “Apply for Health Care Coverage” CAFÉ Application Number: Customer ID Number: Apply for Health Care Coverage |
Disaster-related information is available |
Residents impacted by the recent disaster: Your area may be eligible for disaster food assistance. Click here to learn more. |