IC 31-26-3.5
    Chapter 3.5. Child Welfare Programs

IC 31-26-3.5-1
"Child welfare program"
    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "child welfare program" means aprogram or an activity that is:
        (1) not a component of child services provided to or for thebenefit of a particular child or family; and
        (2) designed to serve groups or categories of children orfamilies in a community for the purposes described in section2 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.

IC 31-26-3.5-2
Authority to establish and fund program; purposes of program
    Sec. 2. A child welfare program may be established and funded bythe department for any of the following purposes:
        (1) Protecting and promoting the welfare of children in acommunity who are, or are likely to be, at risk of becominghomeless, neglected, or abused due to lack of adequate orappropriate parental support or supervision, in order to reducethe likelihood that the children will become wards of a juvenilecourt or the department.
        (2) Preventing, remedying, or assisting in the solution ofproblems that may result in the neglect, abuse, exploitation, ordelinquency of children.
        (3) Preventing unnecessary separation of children from theirfamilies by identifying family problems, assisting in theresolution of family problems, and preventing the breakup offamilies whenever prevention of child removal is possible anddesirable.
        (4) Providing services targeted to the assistance of children whoare developmentally or physically disabled and their families,for the purposes of prevention of potential abuse, neglect, orabandonment of those children, and enabling the children toreceive adequate family support and preparation to becomeself-supporting to the extent feasible.
        (5) Providing family preservation services or family supportservices (both as defined in 42 U.S.C. 629a) for families andchildren who are not currently receiving individually designedservices provided or funded by the department through an openjuvenile court child in need of services or delinquency case.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.

IC 31-26-3.5-3
Application to establish, continue, or modify program
    Sec. 3. (a) An application to establish a new child welfareprogram, or to continue or modify an existing child welfare program,may be submitted by a court, county executive, private nonprofit

agency or organization, or an interested person based on guidelinesand instructions issued by the department. Except as provided insubsection (b), the application shall be transmitted to the regionalservices council or councils for the county, region, or geographicarea of Indiana that the applicant proposes to serve. Each regionalservices council must review and submit its recommendations to thedirector in conformity with procedures established by thedepartment.
    (b) An application to establish, continue, or modify a program thatwill operate on a statewide basis shall be submitted directly to thedirector of the department for review and evaluation.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.

IC 31-26-3.5-4
Approval of program
    Sec. 4. A child welfare program must be approved by the directorof the department or the director's designee. The director's approvalshall specify the period for which operation of the program isapproved and the procedure for submission of any request forcontinuation, extension, or modification of the approved program.The department may not pay for the costs of any programs that havenot been approved by the director.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.

IC 31-26-3.5-5
Policies and procedures for review and evaluation of programs
    Sec. 5. The department shall establish policies and procedures forperiodic review and evaluation of approved child welfare programs,including evaluation of the effectiveness and results of the programactivities, as part of the consideration of any application to continueor modify the program.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.

IC 31-26-3.5-6
Child welfare program account established; sources of funds inaccount
    Sec. 6. (a) A child welfare program account is established in thestate general fund to receive money for establishment, operation, orsupport of child welfare programs. Receipts credited to the childwelfare program account may be derived from the following sources:
        (1) Any appropriation made by the general assembly that isspecifically designated for child welfare programs.
        (2) Any part of the appropriation to the department that is setaside and allocated by the department for child welfareprograms, at the discretion of the director.
        (3) Any part of federal grant funds received by the departmentthrough Title IV-B Parts 1 and 2 of the Social Security Act (42U.S.C. 620 et seq.) that is allocated by the department for childwelfare programs under this chapter at the discretion of thedirector, subject to the terms and conditions of the grant.        (4) Any gifts received by the department from individuals ornongovernmental organizations, for purposes of child welfareprograms. The department may receive and administer any giftsearmarked for specifically designated child welfare programs,in accordance with the terms of the gift.
    (b) Any appropriation made by the general assembly for the childwelfare program account remains in the child welfare programaccount until expended and does not revert to the state general fundat the expiration of the state fiscal year for which the appropriationwas made.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.

IC 31-26-3.5-7
Rules
    Sec. 7. The department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 that arenecessary or appropriate to implement this chapter.
As added by P.L.146-2008, SEC.570.