Title 31, FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW

Sec. 10. Except as otherwise provided in section 13 or 14 of this chapter, the petition and order must be served, by a method authorized by Indiana law, on the respondent and any person who has physical custody of the child. As added by P.L.138-2007, SEC.45.

Sec. 11. Unless the court issues a temporary emergency order under IC 31-21-5-4 on a finding that a petitioner is entitled to immediate physical custody of the child, the court shall order that the petitioner may take immediate physical custody of the child unless the respondent …

Sec. 12. (a) The court: (1) shall award the fees, costs, and expenses authorized under section 15 of this chapter; and (2) may grant additional relief, including a request for the assistance of law enforcement officials, and set a hearing to determine whether additional relief is…

Sec. 13. (a) On the filing of a petition seeking enforcement of a child custody determination, the petitioner may file a verified application for the issuance of a warrant to take physical custody of the child if the child is immediately likely to: (1) suffer serious physical har…

Sec. 14. (a) A warrant to take physical custody of a child must: (1) recite the facts on which a conclusion of imminent serious physical harm or removal from the jurisdiction is based; (2) direct law enforcement officers to take physical custody of the child immediately; and (3) …

Sec. 15. (a) The court shall award the prevailing party, including a state, necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by or on behalf of the party, including: (1) costs; (2) communication expenses; (3) attorney's fees; (4) investigative fees; (5) expenses for witnesses; (6) trav…

Sec. 16. An Indiana court shall accord full faith and credit to an order issued by another state and consistent with this article that enforces a child custody determination by a court of another state unless the order has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court having juris…

Sec. 17. An appeal may be taken from a final order in a proceeding under this article in accordance with expedited appellate procedures in other civil cases. Unless the court enters a temporary emergency order under IC 31-21-5-4, the enforcing court may not stay an order enforcin…

Sec. 18. (a) In a case arising under this article or involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, a prosecuting attorney or other appropriate public official may take a lawful action, including resorting to a proceeding under this article …

Sec. 19. At the request of a prosecuting attorney or other appropriate public official acting under section 18 of this chapter, a law enforcement officer may: (1) take a lawful action reasonably necessary to locate a child or a party; and (2) assist a prosecuting attorney or appr…

Sec. 2. (a) An Indiana court shall recognize and enforce a child custody determination of a court of another state if the court of another state exercised jurisdiction in substantial conformity with this article or the determination: (1) was made under factual circumstances meeti…

Sec. 20. If the respondent is not the prevailing party, the court may assess against the respondent the direct expenses and costs incurred by the prosecuting attorney or other appropriate public official and law enforcement officers under section 18 or 19 of this chapter. As adde…

Sec. 3. (a) An Indiana court that does not have jurisdiction to modify a child custody determination may issue a temporary order enforcing: (1) a visitation schedule made by a court of another state; or (2) the visitation provisions of a child custody determination of another sta…

Sec. 4. (a) A child custody determination issued by a court of another state may be registered in Indiana, with or without a simultaneous request for enforcement, by sending the following to the appropriate Indiana court: (1) A letter or other document requesting registration. (2…

Sec. 5. (a) A person seeking to contest the validity of a registered order must request a hearing not more than twenty (20) days after service of the notice. At the hearing, the court shall confirm the registered order unless the person contesting the registration establishes tha…

Sec. 6. (a) An Indiana court may grant a relief normally available under Indiana law to enforce a registered child custody determination made by a court of another state. (b) An Indiana court shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, except in accordance with IC 31-21-5, a…

Sec. 7. If a proceeding for enforcement under this article is commenced in an Indiana court and the court determines that a proceeding to modify the determination is pending in a court of another state having jurisdiction to modify the determination under IC 31-21-5, the enforcin…

Sec. 8. (a) A petition under this article must be verified. Certified copies of: (1) the orders sought to be enforced; and (2) an order confirming registration; must be attached to the petition. A copy of a certified copy of an order may be attached instead of the original. (b) A…

Sec. 9. (a) On the filing of a petition, the court: (1) shall issue an order directing the respondent to appear in person with or without the child at a hearing; and (2) may enter an order necessary to ensure the safety of the parties and the child. The hearing must be held on th…

Sec. 1. The department shall implement and make available telephone contacts for family case managers for the purpose of providing access to assistance in finding placement with a relative, foster placement, or other suitable placement for a child. As added by P.L.210-2019, SEC.5…

Sec. 2. The telephone contacts required by section 1 of this chapter must meet the following requirements: (1) Be available to family case managers statewide. (2) Be able to provide assistance and be available on a twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) day per week basis. As added by …

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "plan" includes a regional services strategic plan to achieve the purposes described in section 5 of this chapter and any implementation strategy, revision, addition, or update of the plan, as described in section 12(a) of this chapter. As added b…

Sec. 10. A regional services council may include in its plan a program for provision of family preservation services that: (1) is or will be in effect in the regional services council's service region; (2) includes services for a child less than eighteen (18) years of age who rea…

Sec. 11. (a) Each regional services council shall transmit to the director each plan it develops and approves. The council shall transmit its biennial plan described in section 5 of this chapter to the director not later than February 2 of each even-numbered year. (b) Not later t…

Sec. 12. (a) A regional services council shall meet at least quarterly to do the following: (1) Develop, review, or revise a strategy for implementation of an approved plan that identifies: (A) the manner in which prevention and early intervention services will be provided or imp…

Sec. 14. (a) A regional services council or the regional manager shall transmit copies of the plan, each annual report, each revised plan, and any other report or document described by rule adopted under section 16 of this chapter, to the following: (1) The director. (2) Each dep…

Sec. 15. A regional services council shall publicize to residents of each county in the service region the existence and availability of the plan, including information concerning access to the plan on the department web site. As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.571.

Sec. 16. The department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to administer this chapter. As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.571.

Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "regional services council" means a council appointed as provided in section 7 of this chapter. As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.571.

Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "service region" means an area of Indiana consisting of one (1) or more counties. As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.571.

Sec. 4. (a) Each county shall participate in a regional services council established under this chapter for the service region in which the county is located. (b) The department shall determine the county or counties that comprise each service region. A county may not be divided …

Sec. 5. Each regional services council shall develop a biennial regional services strategic plan that is tailored to provide services targeted to the individual needs of children who: (1) have been either: (A) adjudicated as, or alleged in a proceeding initiated under IC 31-34 or…

Sec. 5.5. Each regional services council shall include in the plan a description of how the department will implement the plan in the service region, including the following: (1) Organization. (2) Staffing. (3) Mode of operations. (4) Financing of the child protection services. (…

Sec. 6. (a) Each regional services council shall, according to guidelines and policies established by the department, include in its plan an evaluation of local child welfare service needs and a determination of appropriate delivery mechanisms. The policies shall provide an oppor…

Sec. 7. (a) If the service region consists of at least three (3) counties, the regional services council is composed of the following members appointed from the service region: (1) The regional manager, who must be an employee of the department. (2) Three (3) members who are juve…

Sec. 8. (a) The regional manager shall convene an organizational meeting of the members of a regional services council appointed under section 7 of this chapter. (b) The regional manager shall serve as the chairperson of the council. The council shall select one (1) of its member…

Sec. 9. In preparing the plan under section 5 of this chapter, a regional services council shall review and consider existing publicly and privately funded programs that are available or that could be made available in the regional services council's service region to provide sup…

Sec. 1. (a) A person may not operate a child placing agency without a license issued under this article. (b) The state or a political subdivision of the state may not operate a child placing agency without a license issued under this chapter. (c) A child placing agency may not op…

Sec. 10. (a) A license for a child placing agency expires four (4) years after the date of issuance, unless the license is revoked or voluntarily returned. (b) A license issued under this chapter: (1) is not transferable; (2) applies only to the licensee and the location stated i…

Sec. 11. (a) The department may place a licensee on probationary status if the licensee is temporarily unable to comply with a rule and if: (1) the noncompliance does not present an immediate threat to the health and well-being of the children in the care of the licensee; (2) the…

Sec. 12. The department may conduct an inspection of a child placing agency for the sole purpose of inquiry into matters as stated in the rules, including those directly affecting the health, safety, treatment, and general well-being of the children protected under this article. …

Sec. 13. The department shall keep written records of the department's monitoring activities and onsite inspections. As added by P.L.145-2006, SEC.273.

Sec. 14. The licensee shall cooperate with the department and any other state agency working on behalf of the department in carrying out the activities required by sections 12 through 13 of this chapter, including permitting the department to conduct announced or unannounced insp…

Sec. 14.5. A licensee shall use the reasonable and prudent parent standard when determining whether to allow a child in foster care to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities. As added by P.L.104-2015, SEC.24.

Sec. 15. (a) A licensee shall keep records required by the department regarding each child in the control and care of the licensee and shall report to the department upon request the facts the department requires with reference to children. (b) The department shall keep records r…

Sec. 15.5. (a) A child placing agency shall establish minimum qualifications for each classification of employee. The standards in subsections (b) through (e) must be used as a guide by each child placing agency in establishing minimum qualifications for the classifications of an…