Sec. 15.5. (a) A child placing agency shall establish minimum qualifications for each classification of employee. The standards in subsections (b) through (e) must be used as a guide by each child placing agency in establishing minimum qualifications for the classifications of an executive, a casework supervisor, a caseworker, and a worker in training, and by the department in the licensing of each child placing agency.
(b) An executive must have the following:
(1) A bachelor's degree.
(2) At least one (1) of the following:
(A) Five (5) years of paid experience in a field related to social work, at least two (2) years of which were:
(i) in social work; or
(ii) in a supervisory or administrative capacity in a field related to social work, including working for the department.
(B) A master's degree in social work, counseling, or a related human services area and at least two (2) years of paid experience:
(i) in social work; or
(ii) in a supervisory or administrative capacity in a field related to social work, including working for the department.
(c) A casework supervisor must have the following:
(1) A bachelor's degree.
(2) At least one (1) of the following:
(A) Three (3) years of supervised paid casework experience, at least one (1) year of which was with a child welfare agency (as defined in IC 31-9-2-19.3).
(B) At least eight (8) credit hours of master's degree level courses in:
(i) social work;
(ii) counseling; or
(iii) a human services area of study or related field;
and at least one (1) year of supervised paid casework with a child welfare agency (as defined in IC 31-9-2-19.3).
(d) A caseworker must have the following:
(1) A bachelor's degree.
(2) At least one (1) of the following:
(A) Three (3) years of supervised paid casework experience.
(B) One (1) year of supervised paid casework experience in a licensed child placing agency or with the department.
(C) One (1) year of graduate training in a recognized school of social work.
(e) A worker in training must have a bachelor's degree.
(f) A child placing agency must only employ a staff member who is:
(1) duly qualified;
(2) of good moral character; and
(3) in satisfactory health.
(g) An employee who is in a position on January 1, 2012, and who qualified for that position on December 31, 2011, is exempt from the requirements of this section.