Bill
HB 1036
The bill requires an in-person assessment by the Department of Child Services within five business days before closing a CHINS investigation or recommending discharge in an open CH
Status & Source
- Title: Children in need of services.
- Bill number: HB 1036.
- Introduced: (per materials provided) November 12, 2024.
- Current status: First reading; referred to Committee on Judiciary.
- Jurisdiction / statutory citation in text: adds IC 31‑25‑2‑11.1 (Indiana Code).
- Effective date proposed in bill: July 1, 2026.
Purpose / Intent
- To ensure an in‑person assessment of a child by the state child‑welfare agency before (a) closing an investigation in which the agency has reason to believe the child is a child in need of services (CHINS), and (b) recommending discharge of a child who is the subject of an open CHINS case pending before a juvenile court. The sponsor(s) intend to strengthen child safety and increase direct oversight before case closure or discharge.
Key Provisions
- New statutory section (IC 31‑25‑2‑11.1): requires the department of child services (or equivalent “department”) to conduct an in‑person assessment with the child:
- Not more than five (5) business days before closing an investigation in which the department has reason to believe the child is a CHINS; and
- Not more than five (5) business days before the department recommends discharge of a child who is the subject of an open CHINS case pending before the juvenile court.
- No carve‑outs or alternative remote/telehealth options are included in the short text provided; the requirement is expressly for an in‑person assessment.
Who would be affected
- Department of Child Services (or equivalent): operational procedures, scheduling, and staffing to complete timely in‑person visits.
- Children who are subjects of CHINS investigations or open CHINS cases — the bill increases direct contact prior to closure/discharge.
- Juvenile courts and caseworkers: potential changes in timing of discharge recommendations and filings.
- Families and caregivers: may experience additional home visits or contacts in the critical period before case closure/discharge.
- Potentially county/local agencies and contracted service providers involved in investigations or in‑home services.
Procedural/timeline notes & likely impacts
- Implementation timing: proposed effective date July 1, 2026 gives the agency time to adapt operations (hiring, scheduling, travel protocols).
- Operational impacts: increased in‑person contacts within a short deadline may require additional staff, overtime, travel resources, or reallocation of caseloads—creating state and local budget and logistical implications.
- Child‑safety impact: the requirement aims to reduce premature case closures and ensure face‑to‑face assessment of a child’s safety and needs before closure/discharge.
- Court process impact: juvenile courts may see changes in timing or content of discharge recommendations; compliance with the five‑business‑day requirement could affect court scheduling.
Notes & Caveats
- The packet provided contains many different bills from various states with the same bill number (HB 1036). This summary is focused on the CHINS version described by the Indiana citation (addition of IC 31‑25‑2‑11.1) and the short digest requiring the five‑business‑day in‑person assessment.
- The full bill text and any amendments should be consulted for precise legal language, exceptions, enforcement mechanisms, and administrative details that could affect implementation.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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