Sec. 10. (a) This section applies after June 30, 2008.
(b) The department of child services:
(1) must have sufficient qualified and trained staff to:
(A) fulfill the purpose of this article;
(B) comply with the maximum caseload ratios for:
(i) family case managers; and
(ii) child welfare caseworkers;
as set forth in IC 31-25-2-5;
(2) must be organized to maximize the continuity of responsibility, care, and service of individual family case managers toward individual children and families;
(3) must provide training to representatives of the department regarding the legal duties of the representatives in carrying out the responsibility of the department under section 7 of this chapter, which may consist of various methods of informing the representatives of their duties, in order to protect the legal rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during the investigation through treatment;
(4) must provide training to representatives of the child protection services system regarding the constitutional rights of the child's family, including a child's guardian or custodian, that is the subject of an assessment of child abuse or neglect consistent with the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 11 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana; and
(5) shall collaborate with the Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council, Self-Advocates of Indiana, and The Arc of Indiana, and may collaborate with other organizations representing persons with disabilities, to provide appropriate training programs conducted by a person with a disability to educate departmental employees in the rights and capabilities of persons with disabilities.
As added by P.L.145-2006, SEC.271. Amended by P.L.131-2009, SEC.30; P.L.146-2021, SEC.11.