Title 31, FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW

Sec. 2. (a) Whenever the state registrar receives an inquiry for medical history information from an adoptee or adoptive parent and the state registrar reasonably believes that the medical history information available under section 1 of this chapter is incomplete, the state regi…

Sec. 3. (a) The Indiana department of health may charge a reasonable fee for the state registrar's search for: (1) further medical history information under section 2(a) of this chapter; or (2) death certificates in the Indiana death registration system, including files sent thro…

Sec. 4. IC 31-19-19, this chapter, and IC 31-19-23 through IC 31-19-25.5 do not restrict a provider (as defined in IC 16-18-2-295) from releasing medical records to an attorney or agency arranging an adoption if the provider receives the appropriate authorization under IC 16-39-1…

Sec. 1. (a) Subject to this section and sections 1.5 and 1.6 of this chapter, if a child is a child in need of services, the juvenile court may enter one (1) or more of the following dispositional decrees: (1) Order supervision of the child by the department. (2) Order the child …

Note: This version of section amended by P.L.158-2026, SEC.28. See also preceding version of this section amended by P.L.145-2026, SEC.207. Sec. 1.5. (a) Except as provided in subsection (d), the juvenile court may not enter a dispositional decree approving or ordering placement …

Sec. 1.6. (a) This section applies to a parent, guardian, or custodian of a child: (1) who is the subject of a proceeding regarding a petition alleging that the child is a child in need of services, regardless of whether: (A) the child is removed from the care or custody of the p…

Sec. 2. If a court enters a dispositional decree that includes a no contact order under section 1(a)(7) of this chapter: (1) the clerk of the court that enters a dispositional decree that includes a no contact order under section 1(a)(7) of this chapter shall comply with IC 5-2-9…

Sec. 3. (a) If the juvenile court determines that a parent, guardian, or custodian should participate in a program of care, treatment, or rehabilitation for the child, the court may order the parent, guardian, or custodian to do the following: (1) Obtain assistance in fulfilling …

enforcement agencies Sec. 4. (a) The clerk of the court that enters a dispositional decree under this chapter that requires a person to refrain from direct or indirect contact with a child shall provide a copy of the decree to the following: (1) Each party. (2) The sheriff. (3) T…

Sec. 5. (a) This section applies if the department or a juvenile court: (1) places a child; (2) changes the placement of a child; or (3) reviews the implementation of a decree under IC 31-34-21 of a child placed; in a state licensed private or public health care facility, child c…

Sec. 6. (a) The juvenile court for the county in which a child resides may emancipate the child under section 1(a)(5) of this chapter upon a petition brought by the child. (b) The court in which a petition is filed under subsection (a) shall appoint an attorney to serve as guardi…

Sec. 7. If the department receives information, including positive results of a drug or alcohol screen, that indicates that a parent, guardian, or custodian may have violated a dispositional order of the court, the department shall provide the information to the court to be made …

Sec. 1. At any time after the date of an original dispositional decree, the juvenile court may order the probation department to file a report on the progress made in implementing the decree. If, after reviewing the report, the juvenile court seeks to consider modification of the…

Sec. 2. (a) The court shall hold a formal hearing: (1) every twelve (12) months after: (A) the date of the original dispositional decree; or (B) a delinquent child was removed from the child's parent, guardian, or custodian; whichever occurs first; or (2) more often if ordered by…

Sec. 3. (a) The court shall hold a formal hearing on the question of continued jurisdiction: (1) every eighteen (18) months after: (A) the date of the original dispositional decree; or (B) a delinquent child was removed from the child's parent, guardian, or custodian; whichever c…

Sec. 4. Before a hearing under section 2 or 3 of this chapter, the probation department shall prepare a report in accordance with IC 31-37-21 on the progress made in implementing the dispositional decree. A report under this section shall also include recommendations from the per…

Sec. 4.5. (a) At least ten (10) days before a hearing under section 2 or 3 of this chapter, the probation department shall send notice of the hearing to each of the following: (1) The child's parent, guardian, or custodian. (2) An attorney who has entered an appearance on behalf …

Sec. 6. (a) This section applies if a juvenile court reviews the implementation of a decree under this chapter (or IC 31-6-4-19 before its repeal) or any other law concerning a child placed in a state licensed private or public health care facility, child care facility, or foster…

Sec. 7. When the juvenile court finds that the objectives of the dispositional decree have been met, the court shall discharge the child and the child's parent, guardian, or custodian. [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-19(g) part.] As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.20.

Sec. 8. (a) This section applies to an individual who: (1) is leaving foster care because the individual is at least eighteen (18) years of age; and (2) has been in foster care for at least six (6) months. (b) Before an individual described in subsection (a) leaves foster care, t…

Sec. 1. The amendments made to IC 31-1-11.5-11(a) (before its repeal, now codified at section 99 of this chapter) by P.L.170-1988 do not apply to actions filed under IC 31-1-11.5-3 (before its repeal, now codified at IC 31-15-2-2, IC 31-15-2-3, and IC 31-16-2-2) that are filed be…

Sec. 10. "Adoption assistance state", for purposes of the Interstate Compact on Adoption Assistance under IC 31-19-29, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-19-29-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 100. "Financial institution", for purposes of IC 31-25-3 and IC 31-25-4, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-25-4-3. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 101. "Foreign central authority", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-7-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 102. "Foreign country", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-1-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 103. "Foreign support agreement", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-7-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 104. "Foreign support order", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-1-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 105. "Foreign tribunal", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-1-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 106. "Forensic interview", for purposes of section 34 of this chapter and IC 31-25-2-14.5, means an interview in response to a report of child abuse or neglect conducted by a professional specially trained in a nationally recognized model using a multidisciplinary team appro…

Sec. 107. "Foster care", for purposes of IC 31-25, IC 31-26, IC 31-27, IC 31-28-1, IC 31-28-2, IC 31-28-3, IC 31-34-21-7.6, and IC 31-37-22-10, means living in: (1) a place licensed under IC 31-27 or a comparable law of another state; or (2) the home of an adult relative who is n…

Sec. 108. "Foster family home", for purposes of IC 31-27 and IC 31-34-23-6, means a place where an individual resides and provides care and supervision on a twenty-four (24) hour basis to a child, as defined in section 32(d) of this chapter, who is receiving care and supervision …

Sec. 109. "Foster parent", for purposes of the juvenile law, means an individual who provides care and supervision to a child in a foster family home (as defined in section 108 of this chapter). The term includes a licensed kinship caregiver and an unlicensed kinship caregiver. A…

Sec. 11. "Adoption history", for purposes of IC 31-19-17 through IC 31-19-24, means: (1) identifying information (as defined in section 122 of this chapter); (2) the medical history (as defined in section 159 of this chapter); and (3) nonidentifying information (as defined in sec…

Sec. 11.5. "Adoption or foster care service", for purposes of IC 31-10-3.5, refers to any one (1) or more of the following: (1) Promoting foster parenting. (2) Coordinating placement of a child in a home or facility licensed under IC 31-27. (3) Recruiting a foster parent or an ad…

Sec. 110. (a) "Foster youth", for purposes of IC 31-25-2-29, refers to an individual: (1) who is at least twelve (12) years of age; (2) who is not more than twenty-three (23) years of age; (3) who: (A) is a child in need of services under IC 31-34-1; or (B) is receiving collabora…

Sec. 111. "Fund", for purposes of IC 31-26-4, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-26-4-3. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 112. (a) "Governmental entity", for purposes of IC 31-42, means the whole or any part of a branch, department, agency, or instrumentality, or an official, or other individual or entity, acting under color of law of any of the following: (1) State government. (2) A political …

Sec. 113. "Governor", for purposes of IC 31-18.5-8, in the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-8-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 114. "Grandparent visitation", for purposes of IC 31-17-2.2, means visitation rights granted to a grandparent under IC 31-17-5. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 115. "Group home", for purposes of IC 31-27, means a residential structure in which care is provided on a twenty-four (24) hour basis for not more than ten (10) children. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 116. (a) "Guardian", for purposes of IC 31-11-10-1, IC 31-15-2-5, and IC 31-15-3-4, has the meaning set forth in IC 29-3-1-6. (b) "Guardian", for purposes of the juvenile law, means a person appointed by a court to have the care and custody of a child or the child's estate, …

Sec. 117. (a) "Guardian ad litem", for purposes of IC 31-15-6, IC 31-19-16, IC 31-19-16.5, IC 31-28-5, IC 31-32-3-10.5, and the juvenile law, means an attorney, a volunteer, or an employee of a county program designated under IC 33-24-6-4 who is appointed by a court to: (1) repre…

Sec. 118. "Hard to place child" or "hard to place children", for purposes of IC 31-19 and IC 31-34, means a child who is or children who are disadvantaged: (1) because of: (A) ethnic background; (B) race; (C) color; (D) language; (E) physical, mental, or medical disability; or (F…

Sec. 119. "Health care", for purposes of IC 31-42, has the meaning set forth in IC 16-36-1-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 12. "Adoption subsidy", for purposes of IC 31-19-26.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-19-26.5-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 120. "Health care provider", for purposes of IC 31-32-6-4, IC 31-32-11-1, and IC 31-33, means any of the following: (1) A licensed physician, intern, or resident. (2) An osteopath. (3) A chiropractor. (4) A dentist. (5) A podiatrist. (6) A registered nurse or other licensed …