House clears Lauer's bill helping foster children find permanent homes faster

STATEHOUSE (Jan. 31, 2024) – The Indiana House of Representatives Tuesday advanced State Rep. Ryan Lauer's (R-Columbus) bill to help abused and neglected children who are removed from their parents find a permanent home more quickly if reunification isn't possible.

Lauer said his bill would affect child in need of services cases, which are juvenile court cases brought forward from the Indiana Department of Child Services for children who have experienced abuse or neglect from their guardians. Some of these cases result in the child being removed from the home and placed in foster care or with a relative until their case is resolved.

"While the goal is typically reunifying a child with their parent or guardian, sometimes it's not in the best interest of the child," said Lauer, a member of the House Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee.

"In these situations, children can wait for a year or more in temporary care until their case is resolved. At issue here is when a court determines reunification isn't possible, the child faces longer wait times – sometimes months – in foster care while a secondary plan to find a permanent home is developed. Lots of kids fall into this category and it's unfairly delaying their ability to be placed in a permanent, loving forever home."

Currently, Lauer said DCS is not required to have a secondary permanency plan in place alongside the initial reunification plan in these types of cases. Lauer's bill would require DCS to have an alternative permanency plan developed alongside the reunification plan if the child has been removed from the home of 12 out of 22 months of the case. Lauer said other states already require concurrent planning, some even as early as day one of the child's removal.

"Every child deserves to live in a loving, safe and permanent home," Lauer said. "Ultimately, we want to ensure each outcome serves the best interest of these vulnerable children by being well prepared and ready for adoption in the unfortunate event reunification fails."

House Bill 1310 now heads to the Indiana Senate for consideration. To learn more about the bill and other legislation, visit iga.in.gov.

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State Rep. Ryan Lauer (R-Columbus) represents House District 59,
which includes a portion of Bartholomew County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo. 

PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Ryan Lauer (R-Columbus) presents House Bill 1310 to the Indiana House of Representatives Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at the Statehouse. Lauer's bill would help children who are removed from their parents find a permanent home more quickly if reunification isn't possible.