Sec. 5. (a) An older youth who received foster care under a court order on the day the individual attains eighteen (18) years of age is eligible to receive collaborative care services under applicable rules of the department at any time until the individual becomes twenty-one (21) years of age.

     (b) An older youth may request the department to petition a juvenile court for approval of a collaborative care agreement under this chapter.

     (c) A court may grant a petition described in subsection (b) if the court finds, consistent with applicable rules of the department, that the older youth is:

(1) employed;

(2) attending school or a vocational or educational certification or degree program;

(3) participating in a program or activity designed to promote, or remove barriers to, employment; or

(4) incapable of performing any of the activities in subdivisions (1) through (3) due to a medical condition documented by regularly updated information in the older youth’s current case plan.

     (d) A child who:

(1) is at least seventeen (17) years and six (6) months of age;

(2) is receiving foster care under a court order; and

(3) expects to be eligible for collaborative care under this chapter when the child becomes an older youth;

may request the department to start the process of planning for collaborative care under this chapter.

     (e) If the governor declares a state of disaster emergency under IC 10-14-3-12, the director of the department, or the director’s designee, may allow older youth who are receiving collaborative care services at the time of the declaration to continue to receive collaborative care services for the duration of the state of disaster emergency.

As added by P.L.48-2012, SEC.34. Amended by P.L.104-2015, SEC.28; P.L.198-2019, SEC.5; P.L.214-2021, SEC.2; P.L.9-2022, SEC.65.