Pence requests $15 million for 100 caseworkers over two years
The additional staff should bring the Department of Child Services in line with caseload guidelines in state law, according to a new report that Deloitte Consulting released Wednesday.
Family and Social Services Administration
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Legislators question caseloads for child services, urge action
Some Democratic legislators are pushing for greater action over the Indiana Department of Child Services' failure to meet state-mandated workload standards for case managers.
Child services agency missing caseload standard
Doris Tolliver, the agency's chief of staff, told the State Budget Committee on Wednesday that only one of its 19 regions is meeting the workload standards for case workers.
More funds earmarked for domestic violence programs
If all the money is distributed, it will bring the state’s total spending on domestic violence programs to $4.2 million this year. That’s about 35 percent more than the state spent last year.
Indiana settles DCS adoption suit for $15 million
The state will pay $15.1 million to about 1,800 families who adopted special needs children. The settlement was filed in LaPorte Superior Court on Thursday afternoon and still needs court approval.
Domestic violence activist, state disagree on deal
An advocate for victims of domestic violence said her group reached agreement Thursday with Indiana officials over funding for the private agencies serving them, but a state official denied there was a deal.
DCS struggles to keep accurate caseload tally
Indiana has hired more case workers to keep track of its most vulnerable residents. But complaints about overwork continue to surface as the state battles questions about the accuracy of data on caseloads.
Pence: State to pay special-needs adoption subsidies
The move comes just two months after a LaPorte woman filed a lawsuit, saying the state owed her subsidies.
State agency says it lacks adoption subsidy money
The Indiana Department of Child Services says it isn't paying subsidies to parents who adopted special-needs children out of foster care because the state Legislature hasn't appropriated enough money.
Indiana social services chief Minott leaving post
The head of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration is on her way out just as negotiations heat up with federal officials over Gov. Mike Pence’s alternative to a traditional Medicaid expansion.
Appeals court: IBM breached contract with state
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed a Marion County judge’s finding that IBM did not materially breach the contract it had with the state to modernize its welfare system.
Indiana appeals court hears welfare lawsuit
Lawyers representing Indiana asked an appeals court Monday to refund much of the money the state has paid IBM for a failed welfare privatization effort, but the company countered it's actually entitled to even more.
Judge sentences attorney Page to probation, fine
Attorney and real estate developer Paul J. Page will serve two years of probation and pay a $10,000 fine for concealing the source of a $362,000 down payment on his purchase of a state-leased office building in Elkhart.
State appeals court sets hearing on IBM welfare lawsuit
The state is appealing a Marion County judge's ruling last year awarding $52 million to IBM after then-Gov. Mitch Daniels canceled what was a 10-year, $1.37 billion contract.
Indiana welfare security breach limited to 64 clients
When FSSA revealed the breach a month ago, it said it possibly affected more than 187,000 people, including the Social Security numbers of as many as 3,926 clients who receive food stamps, Medicaid and other welfare benefits.
Computer glitch leaks personal info of state welfare clients
Indiana officials say the personal data of welfare clients has been shared with others in a security breach potentially affecting more than 187,000 people.
New state child services chief aims to cut burnout
Mary Beth Bonaventura takes over an agency marked by high caseworker turnover and roiled by news investigations into its handling of abuse and neglect cases.
Pence names human services chief, ag director
Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday named Debra Minott, an attorney with health care regulatory experience, to run the Indiana's human services agency while it implements the looming Medicaid expansion. Pence also named Gina Sheets to lead the Agriculture Department.
Lawmakers propose DCS hotline changes, new panels
Indiana lawmakers reviewing the embattled Department of Child Services voted Tuesday to localize more decisions on when to investigate cases of child abuse and neglect and set up a permanent oversight committee at the Statehouse.
GOP govs: Not enough Medicaid ‘flexibility’
The Obama administration is giving states like Indiana a little flexibility in how to expand their Medicaid programs—but nothing like what state officials hoped for after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the law in late June.