Gov. Landry makes leadership change at Children and Family Services
A veteran state employee has been tapped as the next leader of Louisiana's child welfare agency, replacing the former juvenile judge who's held the role for the past 18 months.
Gov. Jeff Landry announced Friday that Rebecca Harris, who was named deputy secretary of Department of Children and Family Services last month, will take over from David Matlock, effective Aug. 1. Moving forward, Matlock will hold the title of confidential assistant to the DCFS secretary, according to a news release from the governor's office.
Harris began her career with DCFS more than 20 years ago as a social services analyst, according to the governor's office. She also worked with the Louisiana Department of Health for eight years before returning to DCFS in February 2024, according to her LinkedIn work history.
'Rebecca has consistently demonstrated the kind of steady, thoughtful leadership Louisiana families need,' the governor said in a statement. 'Her experience in operational improvement and her commitment to protecting our most vulnerable children make her the right choice to lead DCFS. I have full confidence she will strengthen this department and deliver positive outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens.'
Landry credited Harris with leading the development of the state's summer food assistance program at DCFS. Originally a COVID-19 pandemic program, the Biden administration moved to make the additional resources available permanently to help qualifying families feed their children through the months when school meals aren't available.
Although Landry and Matlock initially declined to take part in the summer EBT program, bipartisan pressure from state lawmakers led the administration to change its stance.
The governor also praised Harris for critical upgrades to the state's child welfare hotline and creating real-time dashboards to support child welfare decision-making.
'I am honored and excited to serve as Secretary during this great time of opportunity and transformation, focusing on strategic commitments to improve outcomes for those we serve. I'm proud to lead this team of dedicated and courageous professionals who show up every day for Louisiana's children and families,' Harris said in a statement.
The governor's office did not explain why Matlock was being replaced or immediately respond to questions about his compensation levels as a confidential assistant.
'It was an honor to serve as Secretary of DCFS, and I'm proud of the progress we've made together for Louisiana's children and families,' Matlock said in a statement. 'This next chapter is deeply personal to me. Advocacy and foster care have always been my passion, and I'd like to thank Governor Landry for allowing me to pursue this. I look forward to focusing my energy on building strong, supportive environments for the children who need us most.'
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