IndianaSB 498First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)Senate

Child services.

Sponsored By: Greg Walker (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Allows the Indiana board of pharmacy to release confidential information received by the INSPECT program to a supervisor of the department of child services (department) who is engaged in an investigation or adjudication of child abuse or neglect. Amends the definition of "emergency shelter" for purposes of statutes governing residential child care facilities. Provides that an applicant for licensure as a child caring institution or licensure as a group home must obtain a criminal history check of any contractor or individual working in the child caring institution or group home who is likely to have unsupervised contact with children. Amends provisions under which the department may waive the maximum duration for which a child may stay at a shelter care facility to remove a reference to the length of the maximum duration. Amends the educational and experiential qualifications for casework supervisors at child placing agencies. Provides that provisions requiring: (1) a residential child care facility to ensure that a child admitted to the facility has received all immunizations and booster shots required under specified statutes; and (2) a residential child care facility that administers psychotropic medication to obtain periodic written reports from the licensed professional who prescribed the psychotropic medication; do not apply to an emergency shelter.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

More shelter options for younger children

Emergency shelters can serve children younger than six, with care available 24 hours a day. The normal limit remains 60 consecutive days. Licensed shelter-care institutions and group homes can request a stay waiver before the applicable maximum stay ends. This replaces the old deadline tied to 20 days. The department can approve a waiver when the facility documents that staying serves the child's best interest.

Child welfare supervisors gain prescription records

Beginning July 1, 2025, the board can release confidential INSPECT prescription-monitoring records to Department of Child Services supervisors. Supervisors must be investigating or handling an adjudication of child abuse or neglect. Access must follow applicable federal law and requires INSPECT program approval. The records remain confidential.

More screening for child welfare workers

Child caring institutions must check workers and contractors likely to have unsupervised contact with children. Checks are generally due by the work, volunteer, or contract start date. Limited training can start earlier after fingerprint, sex-offender, state criminal, child-protection, and required out-of-state checks. Required statements about prior abuse, neglect, or law-enforcement contact must also be provided. Early trainees face restrictions on contact with children and access to records.

New qualification routes for casework supervisors

Child-placing agency casework supervisors need a bachelor's degree and must meet one of two routes. One requires three years of supervised paid casework, including one year with a legally defined child welfare agency. The other requires eight master's-level credits plus one year of supervised paid casework with such an agency. Credits must cover social work, counseling, human services, or a related field. The law removes the prior one-year graduate-training requirement.

Fewer health safeguards in emergency shelters

Effective upon passage, emergency shelters and emergency shelter group homes are exempt from specific vaccination and medication oversight duties. They no longer must check children's vaccination histories or ensure required shots and boosters. For children taking psychotropic medicine, these facilities no longer need a prescriber's written report every 35 days. The exemption also removes related report-review duties and direct observation by the prescriber at least every 93 days. The requirement for an authorized Indiana professional to prescribe the medicine remains.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Greg Walker

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Alex Burton

    Democratic • House

  • Dale DeVon

    Republican • House

  • Daryl Schmitt

    Republican • Senate

  • Elizabeth Rowray

    Republican • House

  • Lonnie Randolph

    Democratic • Senate

  • Lori Goss-Reaves

    Republican • House

  • Stacey Donato

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 176 • No: 12

Senate vote • 4/7/2025

Senate concurred with House amendments

Yes: 44 • No: 4

House vote • 4/3/2025

Third reading: passed

Yes: 90 • No: 1

Senate vote • 2/10/2025

Third reading: passed

Yes: 42 • No: 7

Actions Timeline

  1. Public Law 81

    4/16/2025Senate
  2. Signed by the Governor

    4/16/2025Senate
  3. Signed by the President of the Senate

    4/9/2025Senate
  4. Signed by the President Pro Tempore

    4/8/2025Senate
  5. Signed by the Speaker

    4/8/2025House
  6. Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 356: yeas 44, nays 4

    4/7/2025Senate
  7. Returned to the Senate with amendments

    4/4/2025House
  8. Motion to concur filed

    4/4/2025Senate
  9. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 360: yeas 90, nays 1

    4/3/2025House
  10. Representative Goss-Reaves added as cosponsor

    4/3/2025House
  11. Amendment #1 (Rowray) prevailed; voice vote

    4/1/2025House
  12. Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

    4/1/2025House
  13. Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    3/27/2025House
  14. Representative Burton added as cosponsor

    3/13/2025House
  15. First reading: referred to Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs

    3/3/2025House
  16. Referred to the House

    2/11/2025Senate
  17. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 94: yeas 42, nays 7

    2/10/2025Senate
  18. Cosponsor: Representative DeVon

    2/10/2025Senate
  19. House sponsor: Representative Rowray

    2/10/2025Senate
  20. Senator Randolph added as coauthor

    2/6/2025Senate
  21. Second reading: ordered engrossed

    2/6/2025Senate
  22. Senator Schmitt added as second author

    2/3/2025Senate
  23. Senator Donato added as coauthor

    2/3/2025Senate
  24. Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    2/3/2025Senate
  25. First reading: referred to Committee on Family and Children Services

    1/14/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Engrossed Senate Bill (S)

  • Enrolled Senate Bill (S)

  • Introduced Senate Bill (S)

  • Senate Bill (H)

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