Garcia Wilburn bill to keep kids in DCS safe passes out of House, heads to Senate

Today, Feb. 2, House Bill 1036 passed unanimously out of the Indiana House of Representatives. Authored by State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), the bill requires that Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) caseworkers see a child in person within 30 days before a case closure or discharge.

This legislation was drafted in response to tragedies like the death of Kinsleigh Welty, a five-year-old who died of starvation, and is aimed at ensuring children are safe before investigations and cases by DCS are closed.

Garcia Wilburn issued the following statement upon the bill's passage:

"Every child in our state is precious. Not one death of a child is acceptable. That's why I authored House Bill 1036 – to keep as many Hoosier children in the DCS system as safe and healthy as possible. By requiring an in-person visit by a DCS caseworker before a case closure, my hope is that we prevent more avoidable deaths from abuse and neglect and do not allow more children to fall through the cracks of the system.

"I am thankful to my bill co-authors Reps. Alex Burton, Lori Goss-Reaves and Julie McGuire for their work on this bill and the House for its support. HB 1036 is at the halfway point in the legislative process, but there is still more work to be done to get it passed out of the Senate and onto the governor's desk for signing."