LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 7484 NOTE PREPARED: Feb 10, 2025
BILL NUMBER: SB 498 BILL AMENDED: Feb 3, 2025
SUBJECT: Child Services.
FIRST AUTHOR: Sen. Walker G BILL STATUS: As Passed Senate
FIRST SPONSOR: Rep. Rowray
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State
DEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: This bill removes the graduate training requirement for a casework supervisor's
qualifications. It includes related fields for purposes of a casework supervisor's educational requirements.
It also 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.)
The bill also removes the time period for a child's maximum stay at a group home for which the Department
of Child Services (DCS) may grant a waiver in certain circumstances. It removes the minimum age restriction
for the definition of "emergency shelter". It also removes "emergency shelter care" and "emergency shelter
care group home" from the definition of "licensee" for purposes of health records and medications.
The bill also makes technical and conforming changes.
Effective Date: Upon Passage.
Explanation of State Expenditures: Summary - The bill could increase the number of case work supervisors
in the state by removing education and experience requirements. This change is not expected to have an
impact on agency expenditures based on the number of vacant positions the DCS currently maintains for this
position.
Additionally, the changes to emergency shelter age and maximum stay requirements are not expected to have
an impact on state expenditures.
Additional Information - Shelter care facilities in the state are funded by a variety of state and local grants
and programs including; (1) Emergency Shelter Grants from the Indiana Housing Community Development
Association (ICHDA), (2) federal Social Services Block Grant funds, (3) the Low Barrier Homeless Shelter
Grant program (IHCDA), as well as local sources of funds like funds for township trustees. [For FY 2024,
the Low Barrier Homeless Shelter Grant program received a $20 M General Fund appropriation. It did not
receive an appropriation in FY 2025.]
SB 498 1 Vacant Position Information: As of December 2024, the DCS has a total of 1,325 vacant positions worth a
total of $80.3 M in annual salary. Of these positions, 130 vacancies are for case work supervisors that are
worth $9.9 M in annual salary.
Explanation of State Revenues:
Explanation of Local Expenditures:
Explanation of Local Revenues:
State Agencies Affected: DCS.
Local Agencies Affected:
Information Sources: State Staffing Report, December 2024.
Fiscal Analyst: Bill Brumbach, 317-232-9559.
SB 498 2