*SB0498.1*
February 4, 2025
SENATE BILL No. 498
_____
DIGEST OF SB 498 (Updated February 3, 2025 9:43 am - DI 148)
Citations Affected: IC 31-9; IC 31-27.
Synopsis: Child services. Removes the graduate training requirement
for a casework supervisor's qualifications. Includes related fields for
purposes of a casework supervisor's educational requirements. Provides
that a casework supervisor may qualify with eight credit hours of
master's degree level courses in certain areas of study. (Current law
requires the casework supervisor to have completed a master's degree.)
Removes the time period for a child's maximum stay at a group home
for which the department may grant a waiver in certain circumstances.
Removes the minimum age restriction for the definition of "emergency
shelter". Removes "emergency shelter care" and "emergency shelter
care group home" from the definition of "licensee" for purposes of
health records and medications. Makes technical and conforming
changes.
Effective: Upon passage.
Walker G, Schmitt, Donato
January 14, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Family and Children
Services.
February 3, 2025, amended, reported favorably — Do Pass.
SB 498—LS 7484/DI 148 February 4, 2025
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SENATE BILL No. 498
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
family law and juvenile law.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 31-9-2-43.6, AS ADDED BY P.L.109-2024,
2 SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 43.6. "Emergency shelter", for purposes of
4 IC 31-27, means a short term place of residence, other than a private
5 secure facility, that:
6 (1) is not locked to prevent a child's departure unless the
7 administrator determines that locking is necessary to protect the
8 child's health; and
9 (2) provides twenty-four (24) hours a day temporary care for not
10 more than sixty (60) consecutive days to an individual a child
11 who is six (6) years of age or older admitted on an emergency
12 basis.
13 SECTION 2. IC 31-27-3-10, AS AMENDED BY P.L.48-2012,
14 SECTION 26, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
15 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 10. (a) The department may grant a waiver of
16 the twenty (20) day maximum stay for a child if the child caring
17 institution licensed as a shelter care facility applies for the waiver
SB 498—LS 7484/DI 148 2
1 before the expiration of the twenty (20) day period. maximum stay.
2 (b) The child caring institution shall document in the request for a
3 waiver that the waiver is in the best interest of the child.
4 SECTION 3. IC 31-27-5-11, AS AMENDED BY P.L.48-2012,
5 SECTION 32, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
6 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 11. (a) The department may grant a waiver of
7 the twenty (20) day maximum stay for a child if the group home
8 licensed as a shelter care facility applies for the waiver before the
9 expiration of the twenty (20) day period. maximum stay.
10 (b) The group home shall document in the request for a waiver that
11 the waiver is in the best interest of the child.
12 SECTION 4. IC 31-27-6-15.5, AS ADDED BY P.L.109-2024,
13 SECTION 7, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
14 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 15.5. (a) A child placing agency shall
15 establish minimum qualifications for each classification of employee.
16 The standards in subsections (b) through (e) must be used as a guide by
17 each child placing agency in establishing minimum qualifications for
18 the classifications of an executive, a casework supervisor, a
19 caseworker, and a worker in training, and by the department in the
20 licensing of each child placing agency.
21 (b) An executive must have the following:
22 (1) A bachelor's degree.
23 (2) At least one (1) of the following:
24 (A) Five (5) years of paid experience in a field related to social
25 work, at least two (2) years of which were:
26 (i) in social work; or
27 (ii) in a supervisory or administrative capacity in a field
28 related to social work, including working for the department.
29 (B) A master's degree in social work, counseling, or a related
30 human services area and at least two (2) years of paid
31 experience:
32 (i) in social work; or
33 (ii) in a supervisory or administrative capacity in a field
34 related to social work, including working for the department.
35 (c) A casework supervisor must have the following:
36 (1) A bachelor's degree.
37 (2) One (1) year of graduate training in social work, counseling,
38 or a related human service area of study.
39 (3) (2) At least one (1) of the following:
40 (A) Three (3) years of supervised paid casework experience,
41 at least one (1) year of which was with a licensed child placing
42 agency or with the department. child welfare agency (as
SB 498—LS 7484/DI 148 3
1 defined in IC 31-9-2-19.3).
2 (B) A At least eight (8) credit hours of master's degree from
3 a recognized school of level courses in:
4 (i) social work;
5 (ii) counseling; or
6 (iii) a human services area of study or related field;
7 and at least one (1) year of supervised paid casework
8 experience in a licensed child placing agency or with the
9 department. with a child welfare agency (as defined in
10 IC 31-9-2-19.3).
11 (d) A caseworker must have the following:
12 (1) A bachelor's degree.
13 (2) At least one (1) of the following:
14 (A) Three (3) years of supervised paid casework experience.
15 (B) One (1) year of supervised paid casework experience in a
16 licensed child placing agency or with the department.
17 (C) One (1) year of graduate training in a recognized school of
18 social work.
19 (e) A worker in training must have a bachelor's degree.
20 (f) A child placing agency must only employ a staff member who is:
21 (1) duly qualified;
22 (2) of good moral character; and
23 (3) in satisfactory health.
24 (g) An employee who is in a position on January 1, 2012, and who
25 qualified for that position on December 31, 2011, is exempt from the
26 requirements of this section.
27 SECTION 5. IC 31-27-9-1, AS ADDED BY P.L.109-2024,
28 SECTION 12, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
29 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 1. For purposes of this chapter, the following
30 definitions apply:
31 (1) "Caseworker" includes staff who perform casework, group
32 work tasks, or planning of services for children and their families.
33 (2) "Licensed professional" means any of the following:
34 (A) A physician licensed under IC 25-22.5.
35 (B) An advanced practice registered nurse licensed under
36 IC 25-23.
37 (C) A physician assistant licensed under IC 25-27.5.
38 (3) "Licensee" means a person who is licensed to operate one (1)
39 or more of the following:
40 (A) A children's home.
41 (B) A child caring institution.
42 (C) Emergency shelter care.
SB 498—LS 7484/DI 148 4
1 (D) (C) A private secure facility.
2 (E) (D) A group home.
3 (F) An emergency shelter care group home.
4 SECTION 6. An emergency is declared for this act.
SB 498—LS 7484/DI 148 5
COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. President: The Senate Committee on Family and Children
Services, to which was referred Senate Bill No. 498, has had the same
under consideration and begs leave to report the same back to the
Senate with the recommendation that said bill be AMENDED as
follows:
Replace the effective dates in SECTIONS 1 through 4 with
"[EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]".
Page 2, line 42, delete "agency." and insert "agency (as defined in
IC 31-9-2-19.3).".
Page 3, line 5, delete "study;" and insert "study or related field;".
Page 3, line 8, delete "agency." and insert "agency (as defined in
IC 31-9-2-19.3).".
Page 3, after line 24, begin a new paragraph and insert:
"SECTION 5. IC 31-27-9-1, AS ADDED BY P.L.109-2024,
SECTION 12, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 1. For purposes of this chapter, the following
definitions apply:
(1) "Caseworker" includes staff who perform casework, group
work tasks, or planning of services for children and their families.
(2) "Licensed professional" means any of the following:
(A) A physician licensed under IC 25-22.5.
(B) An advanced practice registered nurse licensed under
IC 25-23.
(C) A physician assistant licensed under IC 25-27.5.
(3) "Licensee" means a person who is licensed to operate one (1)
or more of the following:
(A) A children's home.
(B) A child caring institution.
(C) Emergency shelter care.
(D) (C) A private secure facility.
(E) (D) A group home.
(F) An emergency shelter care group home.
SECTION 6. An emergency is declared for this act.".
and when so amended that said bill do pass.
(Reference is to SB 498 as introduced.)
WALKER G, Chairperson
Committee Vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0.
SB 498—LS 7484/DI 148