Indiana § 31-33-26-8 - Notification after index entry; notice to perpetrators; request for administrative hearing

§ 31-33-26-8. Notification after index entry; notice to perpetrators; request for administrative hearing

Sec. 8. (a) This section does not apply to substantiated reports if a court has determined that a child is a child in need of services based on:

(1) a report of child abuse or neglect that names the perpetrator as the individual who committed the child abuse or neglect; or

(2) facts presented to the court at a hearing in a child in need of services case commenced under IC 31-34 that are consistent with the facts and conclusions stated in the report, if the department approved the substantiated report after the court's determination.

(b) Not later than thirty (30) days after the department enters a substantiated child abuse or neglect report into the index, the department shall notify:

(1) the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child who is named in the report as the victim of the child abuse or neglect; and

(2) any person identified as the perpetrator, if other than the child's parent, guardian, or custodian;

that the department has entered the report into the index.

(c) The department shall state the following in a notice to the perpetrator of a substantiated report under subsection (b):

(1) The report has been classified as substantiated.

(2) The perpetrator may request that a substantiated report be amended or expunged at an administrative hearing if the perpetrator does not agree with the classification of the report unless a court is in the process of making a determination.

(3) The perpetrator's request for an administrative hearing to contest the classification of a substantiated report must be received by the department not more than thirty (30) days after the notice is served on the perpetrator as provided in IC 4-21.5-3-1(b). Time shall be computed as provided in IC 4-21.5-3-2.

(d) If the perpetrator fails to request an administrative hearing within the time specified in subsection (c)(3), the perpetrator named in a substantiated report may request an administrative hearing to contest the classification of the report if the perpetrator demonstrates that the failure to request an administrative hearing was due to excusable neglect or fraud. The Indiana Rules of Civil Procedure provide the standard for excusable neglect or fraud.

As added by P.L.138-2007, SEC.67.