Among public defenders, cases rise but funding lags
Public defenders around Indiana say they need a life preserver made of money to stay afloat in the flood of child in need of services cases that has deluged state courts in recent years.
Department of Child Services
Articles
Justices rule anti-SLAPP law no defense to malpractice claim
A medical malpractice suit filed against a doctor who reported his suspicions of child abuse to the Department of Child Services will proceed after the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state’s anti-SLAPP laws do not apply to this case.
Indiana Department of Child Services goes $284M over budget
The Indiana Department of Child Services has gone over budget by $284 million with two months left in this fiscal year.
Special session to debate school safety, tax changes
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Friday that he is calling lawmakers back to the Statehouse for a special session that will begin May 14.
COA upholds murder, neglect convictions in 3-year-old’s death
A woman convicted of neglecting and murdering her boyfriend’s 3-year-old son has lost her appeal before the Indiana Court of Appeals, which found sufficient evidence to support her conviction for the “horrific” crime.
Holcomb signs 3 DCS-related bills, 5 others await action
A bill that would have given immunity to guardians ad litem and court appointed child advocates stalled in the Indiana House, but other measures covering foster parents and placing new requirements on the Indiana Department of Child Services all passed through the Statehouse with little or no opposition.
More concerns raised about Indiana’s child welfare agency
A state consultant says Indiana's child welfare agency is facing a shortage of mental health and substance abuse treatment services, as well as attorneys. The review continues as lawmakers continue to consider numerous DCS-related bills.
Democrat’s call for interim study of DCS passes Senate committee
A resolution calling for a review of the Indiana Department of Child Services passed the Indiana Senate Committee on Family and Children Services Monday. The study committee would meet for the next two interim sessions starting this year.
DCS, CHINS bills continue to sail through Statehouse
A slew of bills aimed at helping youngsters designated as children in need of services and another targeting overdue child support payments cleared legislative committees Wednesday with no opposing votes.
Waiting on DCS report, legislature is not idle
Lawmakers have offered more than a dozen bills to address a growing children in need of services crisis, many of which have won broad support in the General Assembly.
DCS consultant: Twice as many Hoosier kids out of home
A consultant hired by the state said Thursday Indiana has more than double the number of children in out-of-home care compared to the national average. The finding was among the highlights of an initial report commissioned by Gov. Eric Holcomb after the resignation of former Department of Child Services director Mary Beth Bonaventura.
Child support network faces fear of collapse
Several times while talking about the statewide computer system that keeps track of child support money, John Owens rapped his knuckles on the nearest piece of wood. Indiana’s technology, dubbed ISETS, processes almost $1 billion in child support payments every year. However, the Department of Child Services says in a report that ISETS is “built on dying technology” from the 1980s. The concern is one day, it will crash for good.
Ex-DCS chief Bonaventura joins AG’s staff as special counsel
Former Indiana Department of Child Services Director Mary Beth Bonaventura will join the Indiana Attorney General’s Office as special counsel Monday, a move that comes less than a month after she resigned from her DCS post with a scathing resignation letter to Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Bill proposes court OK CHINS removal from foster care
A bill pending before an Indiana Senate committee would place additional requirements on the Department of Child Services before removing a child from long-term foster care, though DCS representatives object to the bill on the basis of court caseloads and child safety.
Indiana governor pledges ‘transparent’ DCS review
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb pledged in his State of the State address Tuesday night to conduct a “transparent” review of the Department of Child Services, but offered little more than platitudes about an agency that his critics say is enveloped in crisis. “I’ll state right now: There’s no one who cares more about Hoosier children than I do, and I’ll do whatever is necessary to ensure the success of our agency and its mission.”
Problems persist as director quits DCS
The departure of Mary Beth Bonaventura as director of the Indiana Department of Child Services surprised several family law attorneys and social service providers. Uniformly, they agreed the former Lake County juvenile judge was a strong advocate for children and brought valuable experience to her tenure. Still, the department has struggled against internal and external challenges.
Democratic leader questions GOP ‘secrecy’ on child agency
Statehouse Democrats say they are troubled by Republican “secrecy” as Gov. Eric Holcomb and the GOP-majority scramble to contain fallout from a burgeoning crisis in Indiana’s child welfare agency.
Indiana GOP lawmakers won’t act on child services crisis
The two most powerful Republicans in the Indiana Legislature said they do not plan to take major action to address a growing crisis in the Department of Child Services during this year’s session, which kicked off Wednesday.
Indiana lawmakers return for possibly contentious session
Legislators returned to the Indiana Statehouse on Wednesday to begin this year’s General Assembly session, which will be the first in recent memory in which the Republican supermajorities do not have an overarching objective they hope to achieve.
Riley Hospital official appointed new DCS director
A day after Mary Beth Bonaventura left her position as director of the Indiana Department of Child Services, the Gov. Eric Holcomb has announced Terry Stigdon, clinical director of operations at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis, will lead the agency.