The Senate Family and Children Services Committee heard SB 345 on creating a committee to for child services oversight for the Department of Child Services (DCS). Author Sen. Houchin introduced this legislation and noted the numbers of children who died recently, the amount of money allocated to DCS, the number of employees, and the number of calls to the hotline as part of the reasoning why the legislature needs to exercise oversight. The bill requires the committee to (1) review case decisions of the DCS and the juvenile courts in certain cases with negative outcomes, (2) make recommendations to the DCS and the Legislative Council, (3) study topics assigned by the Legislative Council, and (4) study any other issues relevant to the activities of the DCS and improving child safety. The bill also provides records reviewed by the committee are confidential and may not be disclosed, requires a local office or the DCS to redact any identifying information from any record provided to the committee, and specifies the membership and policies governing the committee. The bill is effective upon passage.
Julie Whitman, Executive Director, Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana testified about the existing Child Services Oversight Committee of the Commission. The following testified in favor of the bill: Indiana Foster and Adoptive Parents Resource and Advocacy Group, Sen. Mark Ford, and a foster parent. The bill passed 9-0.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/345