Early Intervention Team

 

IC 31-37-24
    Chapter 24.
Plan Coordination

IC 31-37-24-1
"Plan" defined
    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "plan" refers to a community services plan for early intervention services to achieve the purposes described in section 3 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-2
"Team" defined
    Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "team" means:
        (1) an early intervention plan team appointed as provided in section 4 of this chapter; or
        (2) an existing organization described in section 5 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-3
Early intervention plan; establishment
    Sec. 3.
Each county shall develop a community services plan for early intervention that is tailored to provide services targeted to the individual needs of children who:
        (1) have been either:
            (A) adjudicated as, or alleged in a proceeding initiated under this article to be, delinquent children; or
            (B) identified by the county office, based on information received from:
                (i) a school;
                (ii) a social service agency;
                (iii) a court;
                (iv) a probation department;
                (v) the child's parent or guardian; or
                (vi) an interested person in the community having knowledge of the child's environment and family circumstances;
            and, after an informal investigation, as substantially at risk of becoming delinquent children; and
        (2) have been referred to the county office by, or with the consent of, the child's parent, guardian, or custodian, for services to be provided through the plan based on an individual case plan for the child.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-4
Team membership
    Sec. 4.
(a) Before March 1, 1998, each county shall establish a team to develop a plan as described in this chapter.
    (b) The team is composed of the following members, each of whom serves at the pleasure of the member's appointing authority:

        (1) Two (2) members appointed by the judge or judges of the juvenile court, one (1) of whom is a representative of the probation department.
        (2) Two (2) members appointed by the director of the county office as follows:
            (A) One (1) is a member of the child welfare staff of the county office.
            (B) One (1) is either:
                (i) an interested resident of the county; or
                (ii) a representative of a social service agency;
            who knows of child welfare needs and services available to residents of the county.
        (3) One (1) member appointed by the superintendent of the largest school corporation in the county.
        (4) If:
            (A) two (2) school corporations are located within the county, one (1) member appointed by the superintendent of the second largest school corporation in the county; or
            (B) more than two (2) school corporations are located within the county, one (1) member appointed by the county fiscal body as a representative of school corporations other than the largest school corporation in the county.
        (5) One (1) member appointed by the county fiscal body.
        (6) One (1) member representing the community mental health center (as defined under IC 12-7-2-38) serving the county, appointed by the director of the community mental health center. However, if more than one (1) community mental health center serves the county, the member shall be appointed by the county fiscal body.
        (7) One (1) or more additional members appointed by the chairperson of the team, from among interested or knowledgeable residents of the community or representatives of agencies providing social services to or for children in the county.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-5
Designation of existing organization as team
    Sec. 5. If a county has in existence a committee, council, or other organized group that includes representatives of all of the appointing authorities described in section 4 of this chapter, the county fiscal body may elect to designate that existing organization as the county's team for purposes of this chapter.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.110.

IC 31-37-24-6
Organizational meeting
    Sec. 6. (a) The county director shall convene an organizational meeting of the members of the team appointed under section 4 of this chapter.
    (b) The county director shall serve as chairperson of the team. The

team shall select one (1) of its members as vice chairperson.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.111.

IC 31-37-24-7
Submission of plan for review and comment
    Sec. 7. Before January 1 of each year, the team shall prepare and submit to the judges having juvenile jurisdiction the team's plan for review and comment. The judge shall submit any comments to the chairperson not more than fifteen (15) calendar days after receiving the plan. The team shall before January 25 of each year transmit a copy of the initial plan, including any comments from the judges, to:
        (1) the director; and
        (2) the state superintendent of public instruction.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.112.

IC 31-37-24-8
Review of existing programs
    Sec. 8. In preparing the plan, the team shall review and consider existing publicly and privately funded programs that are available or that could be made available in the county to provide supportive services to or for the benefit of children described in section 3 of this chapter without removing the child from the family home, including programs funded through the following:
        (1) Title IV-B of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 620 et seq.).
        (2) Title IV-E of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.).
        (3) Title XX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397 et seq.).
        (4) The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106 et seq.).
        (5) Community corrections programs under IC 11-12.
        (6) Special education programs under IC 20-1-6-19.
        (7) All programs designed to prevent child abuse, neglect, or delinquency, or to enhance child welfare and family preservation administered by, or through funding provided by, the division of family and children, county offices, prosecutors, or juvenile courts, including programs funded under IC 12-19-7 and IC 31-40.
        (8) Probation user's fees under IC 31-40-2-1.
        (9) The child advocacy fund under IC 12-17-17.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.113.

IC 31-37-24-9
Plan objectives
    Sec. 9.
The objectives of a plan developed under this chapter include the following:
        (1) Promoting the welfare of children and self sufficiency of families with children at risk of abuse or neglect, dependency, or delinquency, as defined or described in this chapter.
        (2) Preventing or reducing the number of cases of child abuse,

delinquency, or neglect that may require juvenile court intervention.
        (3) Coordinating available resources to promote efficiency and avoid duplication of programs and services.
        (4) Reducing or minimizing the cost of providing services to children and families with children who are or may become delinquent children.
        (5) Reducing or eliminating to the extent possible the need to remove children from their parents, guardians, or custodians for foster home care or institutional placement.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-10
Adoption of existing plan
    Sec. 10. The team may adopt as its plan an existing plan for provision of family preservation services, as defined in IC 12-7-2-82.3, that:
        (1) is in effect in the county;
        (2) includes services for a child less than eighteen (18) years of age who reasonably may be expected to face out of home placement under IC 31-34 or IC 31-37 as a result of:
            (A) dependency, abuse, or neglect;
            (B) emotional disturbance; or
            (C) delinquency adjudication; and
        (3) addresses all of the objectives described in this section.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.114.

IC 31-37-24-11
Recommendations for modification of plan
    Sec. 11. The director or the state superintendent of public instruction may, not later than thirty (30) days after receiving the plan, transmit to the team and the county fiscal body any comments, including recommendations for modification of the plan, that the director or the state superintendent of public instruction considers appropriate.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.115.

IC 31-37-24-12
Approval or rejection of plan
    Sec. 12. Not later than sixty (60) days after receiving the plan, the county fiscal body shall do one (1) of the following:
        (1) Approve the plan as submitted by the team.
        (2) Approve the plan with amendments, modifications, or revisions adopted by the county fiscal body.
        (3) Return the plan to the team with directions concerning:
            (A) subjects for further study and reconsideration; and
            (B) resubmission of a revised plan.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.116.

IC 31-37-24-13
Budget and appropriations from family and children's fund
    Sec. 13. (a) Upon receiving the initial plan and each revised or updated plan, the county fiscal body shall consider the plan in developing the family and children's fund budget.
    (b) The county fiscal body may appropriate from the family and children's fund any amounts necessary to provide funding to implement the plan.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-14
Team meetings
    Sec. 14.
(a) The team shall meet at least one (1) time each year to do the following:
        (1) Develop, review, or revise a strategy that identifies:
            (A) the manner in which prevention and early intervention services will be provided or improved;
            (B) how local collaboration will improve children's services; and
            (C) how different funds can be used to serve children and families more effectively.
        (2) Reorganize as needed and select its vice chairperson for the ensuing year.
        (3) Review the implementation of the plan and prepare revisions, additions, or updates of the plan that the team considers necessary or appropriate to improve the quality and efficiency of early intervention child welfare services provided in accordance with the plan.
        (4) Prepare and submit to the county fiscal body a report on the operations of the plan during the preceding year and a revised and updated plan for the ensuing year.
    (b) The chairperson or vice chairperson of the team or the county fiscal body may convene any additional meetings of the team that are, in the chairperson's or vice chairperson's opinion, necessary or appropriate.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.117.

IC 31-37-24-15
Transmission of copies of plan
    Sec. 15. The team or the county fiscal body shall transmit copies of the initial plan, each annual report, and each revised plan to the following:
        (1) The director.
        (2) The state superintendent of public instruction.
        (3) The county office.
        (4) The juvenile court.
        (5) The superintendent of each public school corporation in the county.
        (6) The local step ahead council.
        (7) Any public or private agency that:

            (A) provides services to families and children in the county that requests information about the plan; or
            (B) the team has identified as a provider of services relevant to the plan.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-16
Publication of plan
    Sec. 16.
The team or the county fiscal body shall publicize to residents of the county the existence and availability of the plan.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-17
Multicounty plan
    Sec. 17. Two (2) or more contiguous counties may, by agreement of the counties' county directors, establish a joint team and adopt a single multicounty plan for the purposes described in this chapter.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35. Amended by P.L.273-1999, SEC.118.

IC 31-37-24-18
Use of available services
    Sec. 18. The:
        (1) juvenile court, in implementing a program of informal adjustment for a child under IC 31-34-8; and
        (2) local child protection service, in proposing a voluntary services referral agreement for the benefit of a child under IC 31-33-13;
shall consider and use to the extent feasible any available services described in an early intervention plan approved under this chapter.
As added by P.L.55-1997, SEC.35.

IC 31-37-24-19
Repealed
    (Repealed by P.L.273-1999, SEC.124.)

 

 

 

SAFEPOLICY Program Description

 

SAFEPOLICY Program Historical Summary

 

Memorandum of Commitment

 

Howard Circuit Court Order Authorizing Information Exchange

 

SAFEPOLICY Committees

 

Computer Network

 

What is an At-Risk Youth

 

What is the Early Intervention Team

 

Agency Responsibilities

 

 

Information Sharing Statutes