The House Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs heard HB 1006 authored by Rep. Steuerwald on the Department of Child Services (DCS). The bill:
- provides older youth who received foster care are eligible to receive collaborative care services until 21years of age;
- provides the caseload of family case managers may not be more than 12 active cases relating to an initial assessment, 12 families in active cases relating to ongoing in-home services; or 13 children in active cases relating to ongoing services who are in out-of-home placements;
- requires DCS to initiate an assessment immediately, but not later than two hours, after receiving a report of child abuse or neglect if DCS believes the child is at immediate danger of serious bodily harm;
- requires DCS to provide a report concerning an assessment or investigation of a report of suspected child abuse or neglect not later than 45 days after initiation of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect if the report of suspected child abuse or neglect was received from certain entities;
- provides that a child is a child in need of services if the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian has failed to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, medical care or supervision when the parent, guardian or custodian is financially able to do so; or due to the failure, refusal, or inability of the parent, guardian, or custodian to seek financial or other reasonable means to do so.
The director of the Department of Child Services testified in favor of the bill. The bill passed 11-0.
Read the bill here: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1006