Indiana DCS Working to Boost Safety and Direct Family Support

INDIANAPOLIS — An agency is working on better serving families across Indiana.

The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) said on Friday the “Awaken” project is providing redesign, restructure, and realignment with the agency.

“All Hoosier children deserve a safe place to lay their head at night, and our most vulnerable kids often need an extra layer of security,” Indiana Governor Mike Braun says. “Things are not working as well as they should at DCS, but we are going to change that. With this entrepreneurial plan, we will remove layers of inefficient middle management and bureaucracy and instead redirect resources to frontline services like foster care and family case workers to keep kids safe.”

According to DCS, this new program will let them redirect an estimated $4-8 million to ensure children remain safe.

Officials say that an assessment of DCS in 2024 identified the need for a ‘high-level organization restructuring’ to enhance services for children in Indiana.

The restructuring plan involves consolidating Indiana’s current 18 regions into five. This change is expected to eliminate several upper management positions, fostering a more direct connection between child welfare attorneys, regional directors, and family case managers.

“Transformational change is challenging and often uncomfortable; however, it is essential to fulfilling our core mission and ensuring that we are protecting Indiana’s children, especially those suffering from abuse and neglect,” DCS Director Adam Krupp says.

DCS is also actively working to hire more family case managers across all 92 counties across Indiana, enabling them to work more closely with the families they serve.

If you are interested in becoming a family case manager, you can go to the Indiana Department of Child Services’ website.