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HOUSE BILL No. 1142

Citations Affected: IC 31-25-2-5; IC 31-33-7-2.

Synopsis: Department of child services. Requires the department of child services (DCS) to hire additional employees by January 1, 2014. Requires DCS to assign for investigation all reports of child abuse or neglect that are received from a centralized call center to the local DCS office in the county where the child is located. Requires a local DCS office to investigate a report of child abuse or neglect received from certain individuals. Requires DCS to adopt rules to implement the provisions of this bill.

Effective: July 1, 2013.

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Mahan, Summers, Riecken

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    January 10, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs.

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PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2012 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

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    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.

SOURCE: IC 31-25-2-5; (13)IN1142.1.1. -->     SECTION 1. IC 31-25-2-5, AS AMENDED BY P.L.128-2012, SECTION 86, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2013]: Sec. 5. (a) The department shall ensure that the department maintains staffing levels of family case managers so that each region has enough family case managers to allow caseloads to be at not more than:
        (1) twelve (12) active cases relating to initial assessments, including investigations of an allegation of child abuse or neglect; or
        (2) seventeen (17) children monitored and supervised in active cases relating to ongoing services.
    (b) The department shall comply with the maximum caseload ratios described in subsection (a).
     (c) By January 1, 2014, the department shall hire at least:
        (1) fifty (50) additional family case manager intake specialists;
        (2) ten (10) additional family case manager intake specialist supervisors;

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        (3) eighty (80) additional family case managers; and
        (4) sixteen (16) additional family case manager supervisors;
in addition to those employed by the department on January 1, 2013.
     (d) The department shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2, including emergency rules under IC 4-22-2-37.1, necessary to implement subsection (c).

SOURCE: IC 31-33-7-2; (13)IN1142.1.2. -->     SECTION 2. IC 31-33-7-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.234-2005, SECTION 109, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2013]: Sec. 2. (a) To carry out section 1 of this chapter, the department must use a phone access system for receiving calls that is standardized among all counties. The department shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 for the administration of this section.
     (b) A report of child abuse or neglect that is received from a centralized call center shall be assigned by the department to the local office in the county where the child is located, for purposes of investigating the report.
    (c) A local office must investigate a report of child abuse or neglect received from:
        (1) medical personnel;
        (2) school personnel;
        (3) a social worker;
        (4) law enforcement personnel; and
        (5) judiciary personnel.
    (d) The department shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2, including emergency rules under IC 4-22-2-37.1, necessary to implement subsections (b) and (c).