Committee unanimously supports bill to streamline Indiana’s child care licensing process
The bill would allow single-owner child care companies or nonprofits, like YMCAs, to open multiple locations under one license.
Family and Social Services Administration
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Gov. Mike Braun signs executive orders addressing health care costs, transparency
The orders largely direct state agencies to audit current programs and coverage as a means to find health care savings.
State agencies launch effort to support children with high acuity needs
The Family and Social Services Administration will be one of the four state agencies participating alongside the governor’s office in the Children with High Acuity Needs Project.
Federal judge rules FSSA must provide modified relief for families in attendant care lawsuit
In August’s hearing, all parties acknowledged a statewide nursing shortage that made such services difficult to obtain.
Federal ruling against Healthy Indiana Plan potentially jeopardizes program
Former Gov. Mitch Daniels first introduced the consumer-driven, cost-sharing approach in 2007 when the state expanded Medicaid to moderate-income workers. Gov. Mike Pence developed the program even further.
Crouch calls for FSSA audit following $1B shortfall, Medicaid changes
Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch on Tuesday called for an independent, outside audit of the Family and Social Services Administration following a $1 billion Medicaid overspend that triggered a review of agency programs.
Indiana FSSA agency bill dies after proposed Medicaid amendments
An agency bill that passed unanimously out of committee died Thursday in an unusual move following the addition of several bipartisan amendments seeking transparency and accountability on a $1 billion Medicaid funding shortfall.
Lt. Gov, lawmakers call on FSSA to pause Medicaid cuts for parents of disabled children
Following a specially called meeting to review a list of several proposed changes to Medicaid, stakeholders seemed dissatisfied with the agency’s explanations and urged FSSA to halt its cuts.
Indiana Medicaid director Taylor set to resign
Allison Taylor is set to resign “later this summer” after eight years with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and six years as Medicaid director—and as the program makes drastic post-pandemic adjustments.
Indiana staffing agency seeks $10M from state vendor in suit
A minority-owned staffing agency based in Batesville has filed a lawsuit in Marion County against a New Jersey-based company that alleges the out-of-state firm owes it $10 million related to a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.
Indiana FSSA chief Jennifer Sullivan takes out-of-state job
Sullivan—who took a high-profile role in statewide televised weekly press conferences during the pandemic—will be departing after the longest tenure of any secretary in the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s 30-year history.
State hopes stories of recovery reach Hoosiers who are addicted
A three-year educational and marketing effort in Indiana called “Know the Facts” aims to build interest through simple, understated messages on billboards, buses, broadcast commercials and social media.
Report shows small rise in homelessness in Marion County prior to pandemic
The count was taken in January, so it doesn’t consider the number of people newly experiencing homelessness because of the pandemic.
Pandemic benefits go out for 600,000 Indiana children missing meals at school
Many Indiana families will begin receiving government benefits this week to make up for the meals their children are missing while school buildings are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Indiana lands $5.2M grant to address maternal opioid misuse
The grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will be used to improve the coordination of clinical care and the integration of other services that are critical for maternal and child health and recovery, officials said.
Child services agency sees improvements year after critical report
Staff turnover is down, caseload sizes are dropping and the ratio of supervisors to case managers has improved in the year since an outside review found numerous shortcomings in the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Indiana reports decline in child abuse, neglect deaths
Child neglect and abuse fatalities fell by nearly a quarter during its 2016 fiscal year, the Indiana Department of Child Services reported Wednesday.
Debate rages over Medicaid work rules as state rollout nears
An estimated 85,000 low-income Hoosiers who receive Medicaid benefits will soon need to find a job, volunteer, get job training, or go to school—or risk losing health care for a few months.
Indiana spent $1.3M on child welfare studies that weren’t acted on
Five reviews of the Indiana Department of Child Services cost more than $1.3 million but yielded no state action to address the troubled agency's increasing caseloads.
House speaker ‘disturbed’ DCS failed to act on past reports
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said Monday that he was "disturbed" after finding out that the state's child welfare agency failed to take action after five different reviews conducted in recent years found problems at the agency.