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New DCS director outlines reorganization, fiscal controls and permanency push as foster care stays rise
Summary
Adam Krupp, newly named director of the Department of Child Services, told the State Budget Committee he will refocus DCS on culture, fiscal discipline and faster permanency as about 9,000 children remained in foster care and roughly 16,000 DCS cases were open across the state.
INDIANAPOLIS — The state’s newly appointed director of the Department of Child Services laid out a three‑part plan to stabilize the agency’s finances and speed children to permanent homes during testimony Thursday, saying Indiana could be a national leader if reforms are implemented.
“Organizational culture will drive everything else,” Adam Krupp said, describing his priorities as restoring public trust, creating fiscal discipline and retooling the agency’s operations to emphasize child safety and permanency.
Why this matters: DCS handles abuse and neglect reports, placements, foster care and child support enforcement. State testimony showed about 9,000 children were in foster care at the time of the hearing and the agency has roughly 16,000 open DCS cases; agency leaders said some of the numbers have fallen from earlier highs but the system remains under pressure. DCS spends most of its budget on services and placements: roughly 85% of costs are for frontline services, foster care per diems and provider contracts.
Key takeaways from Krupp’s testimony - Fast tracking permanency: Krupp said Indiana’s average days to permanency is about 544 (roughly 18 months), better than the national average of about 730 days. He urged the committee to support reforms that shorten placements, avoid repeated moves and increase stable permanent placements. - Fiscal controls and reporting: Krupp said DCS will institute monthly financial reviews, re‑examine contracts and program scopes, and report quarterly to the legislature to avoid surprises. He noted a recent decision to stop spending on a child‑support technology pilot that had not worked and estimated the decision avoids roughly $12–$13 million in future expenditures. - Foster‑family supports and placement priorities: Krupp highlighted expansion of an intensive foster care model that provides more clinical supports to families; the program expanded from five children to more than 150 in months and has helped avoid high‑cost emergency shelter placements — in one cited case avoiding a $2,300‑a‑day placement by using a $240‑a‑day foster care treatment model.
Questions from lawmakers and follow‑ups - DCS staffing/turnover: Several senators pressed Krupp on training, turnover and the quality of frontline staff. Krupp said he will overhaul training so new family case managers get frontline experience sooner, that leadership layers will be reviewed and he expects to improve retention by focusing on culture and support for staff. - Children in DCS offices: Senators asked about a small number of cases in which children remained at DCS offices while staff sought placement. Krupp acknowledged five children were temporarily sheltered at DCS offices, explained some placements are disrupted by providers or the child’s own refusal to accept placement, and said the agency is working to find stable solutions. - Rebuilding partnerships with foster parents: Krupp emphasized repairing relations with foster families, calling them “partners, teammates” and promising expanded recruitment and retention efforts.
Context and budget math - DCS has experienced swings in case counts over recent years after prior reforms and differing practice approaches. Krupp told the committee DCS will conduct a comprehensive review of program spend, oversight and outcomes to reduce avoidable high‑cost placements. - The agency’s operating budget reductions proposed by the governor reduce administrative operating funding by about $15 million in the next biennium; Krupp said he will identify efficiencies and stop low‑value spending.
What’s next - Krupp said the agency will keep the committee informed with monthly finance reviews and asked lawmakers to back reforms aimed at speeding permanency while protecting children. He said reforms to attorney staffing and training, county partnership structures and placements will follow.
— Reporting by the State Budget Committee hearing staff; testimony and figures cited from Adam Krupp, director, Indiana Department of Child Services.
