(NETWORK INDIANA) A 300-million-dollar increase for D-C-S plus an expected jump in Medicaid costs threaten to swallow up nearly all the new money in the next state budget. Senate Appropriations Chairman Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen) and Senate Democrats’ top budget negotiator, Portage Senator Karen Tallian, have both speculated out loud whether the D-C-S request can be dialed back.
Holcomb says he understands legislators’ concerns and will be talking with them. But he notes the state dipped into its surplus to give D-C-S workers a raise this year. That money and staffing increases need to be reflected in the budget to become permanent.
The raises were recommended by an outside review of the agency as a way to reduce turnover. Holcomb said when the Child Welfare Group issued its findings that he’d move to implement all of them. But a legislative study committee has rejected two recommendations to bring swollen caseloads down by narrowing the criteria which require D-C-S to open an abuse or neglect investigation. Indiana’s standard for requiring an investigation is more wide-ranging than most states. Holcomb’s going along with legislators — he says the state doesn’t want to overlook cases which could have been defused by early intervention.
And Holcomb says some changes, including Indiana’s anti-opioid efforts, are aimed at preventing abusive situations from developing in the first place. He says making Indiana homes healthier will in itself bring down costs — but the steps to make that happen cost money up front.
