Sen. Tim Lanane Urges Pence To Consider More Funding For DCS Workers

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Senate’s top Democrat reiterated his disappointment with Gov. Mike Pence’s failure to include funds for additional family case managers for the Department of Child Services in his two-year budget proposal.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, made an emergency request for funding to Pence on Monday for more DCS family case managers.

As this is an issue of primary importance to his caucus, Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, said he wants to speak up that adequate funding is the number one priority when it comes to case manager caseload standards.

“In mid-November, Director Bonaventura of the Department of Child Services, testified before the Budget Committee that the department was not in compliance with the state mandated statutory standards in regards to caseloads for child protective service workers,” Lanane said.

The department is out of compliance in every state district except one. In total, the department is in need of 77 more caseworkers to meet state law – set in 2007.

“Our caucus believes that adequate funding for those seventy-seven additional caseworkers, adequate funding for Child Protective Services, is a number one priority in this budget,” Lanane said.

On Dec. 5, a representative from the organization testified before the DCS oversight committee that there would not be a change in their requested budgetary amount for child protective caseworkers, without further explanation as to why the state would stay out of compliance with its standards.

Pence did not include funding for additional family case managers in his budget proposal released last week.

The fiscal impact of Lanane’s proposal has not yet been calculated, however Lanane said he believes that funding will end up being close to $5 to $6 million at the most.

“Our number one priority is making sure they can get their job done with a reasonable case load,” Lanane said. “As we head into a budget session and we’re choosing what our priorities are, I would challenge anybody to state a higher priority than the protection of children.”

Pence gives his State of the State address tomorrow, which will provide greater insight into his legislative priorities for the 2015 session.

“While others may be silent, I can tell you that I’m not going to be silent on this matter,” Lanane said. “We’re hoping we’ll hear tomorrow from the governor as to this very important issue.”

Katie Stancombe is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.