Committee backs bill to restore foster-family priority for childcare vouchers amid testimony of placement disruptions

The Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee voted 12–0 to advance House Bill 1248, which would restore eligibility or prioritization for foster parents under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) so foster families can obtain vouchers for child care while they work or attend training.

Representative Roe Ray, the bill’s author, told the committee that the legislation will make foster parents eligible for a CCDF waiver so they can afford child care for children placed in their homes. "This bill will ensure that they are able to have kids in their home and help provide the necessary care for them," Roe Ray said, describing out-of-pocket child-care costs that can reach $10,000 to $12,000 per year for foster parents who lack voucher access.

Testimony came from foster parents and agencies across the state. Hannah Joy of IARCA supported the bill and described the potential to remove cost barriers to foster parenting. Tina Clower of Firefly Children and Family Alliance emphasized that Firefly performs CCDF eligibility determinations in 66 counties and said the program helps parents keep jobs and children safe. Foster parents described immediate impacts: Jessica Norcross said she received a CCDF voucher within two weeks when a child was placed with her and warned that long wait lists can make placements impossible; Suzanne Theis described an example month in which her family would have faced more than $435 in out-of-pocket child-care costs without vouchers and said the current per diem did not cover day-care bills.

Several providers and agencies — including Firefly, Basher Children's Home, Villages of Indiana, Champions for Children Indiana, United Way of Central Indiana, and the National Youth Advocate Program — testified that removing CCDF access for foster parents has led to disrupted placements, sibling separations and difficulty recruiting and retaining foster families. Shannon Schumacher of Villages of Indiana said her agency had to use philanthropic funds to cover child care after a December memo placed foster parents on a wait list.

Representative Roe Ray offered a technical amendment to define "foster parent" and "foster family home" in statute; the committee considered and adopted a technical amendment by consent. The clerk later clarified that a previously proposed amendment (referred to as the "10-99 amendment") was not adopted; the motion on the floor was entered as a "do pass" motion. The clerk announced the final roll-call tally as 12 in favor, 0 opposed.

Supporters argued the change would reduce financial barriers, preserve sibling placements and help maintain foster-family capacity. Committee discussion did not include a detailed fiscal note in the recorded testimony. Several witnesses asked for continued coordination among agencies and providers if the bill moves forward.