Establishment; services; approving entities and providers; supported living service arrangements; community based services; administration
Ind. Code § 12-11-1.1-1
in effectSec. 1. (a) The bureau of disabilities services is established within the division.
(b) The bureau shall plan, coordinate, and administer the provision of individualized, integrated community based services for individuals with a developmental disability and their families, within the limits of available resources. The planning and delivery of services must be based on future plans of the individual with a developmental disability rather than on traditional determinations of eligibility for discrete services, with an emphasis on the preferences of the individual with a developmental disability and that individual's family.
(c) Services for individuals with a developmental disability must be services that meet the following conditions:
(1) Are provided under public supervision.
(2) Are designed to meet the developmental needs of individuals with a developmental disability.
(3) Meet all required state and federal standards.
(4) Are provided by qualified personnel.
(5) To the extent appropriate, are provided in home and community based settings in which individuals without disabilities participate.
(6) Are provided in conformity with a service plan developed under IC 12-11-2.1-2.
(d) The bureau shall approve entities to provide community based services and supports as follows:
(1) The bureau shall ensure that an entity approved to provide day services, identified day habilitation, including facility based or community based habilitation, prevocational services, or employment services under home and community based services waivers (as defined in IC 12-8-1.6-2) is accredited by an approved national accrediting body described in subsection (j).
(2) The bureau shall ensure that an entity approved to provide residential habilitation and support services under home and community based services waivers (as defined in IC 12-8-1.6-2) is accredited by an approved national accrediting body.
(e) Subject to subsection (k), the bureau shall initially approve, reapprove, and monitor community based residential, habilitation, and employment service providers that provide alternatives to placement of individuals with a developmental disability in state institutions and health facilities licensed under IC 16-28 for individuals with a developmental disability. The services must simulate, to the extent feasible, patterns and conditions of everyday life that are as close as possible to the conditions in which individuals without disabilities participate. The community based service categories include the following:
(1) Supervised group living programs, which serve at least four (4) individuals and not more than eight (8) individuals, are funded by Medicaid, and are licensed by the division.
(2) Supported living service arrangements to meet the unique needs of individuals in integrated settings. Supported living service arrangements providing residential services may not serve more than four (4) unrelated individuals in any one (1) setting. However, a program that:
(A) is in existence on January 1, 2013, as a supervised group living program described in subdivision (1); and
(B) has more than four (4) individuals residing as part of the program;
may convert to a supported living service arrangement under this subdivision and continue to provide services to up to the same number of individuals in the supported living setting.
(f) To the extent that services described in subsection (e) are available and meet the individual's needs, an individual is entitled to receive services in the least restrictive environment possible.
(g) Community based services under subsection (e)(1) or (e)(2) must consider the needs of and provide choices and options for:
(1) individuals with a developmental disability; and
(2) families of individuals with a developmental disability.
(h) The bureau shall administer a system of service coordination to carry out this chapter.
(i) The bureau may issue orders under IC 4-21.5-3-6 against a provider that violates rules issued by the bureau for programs in which the provider is providing services in accordance with section 11 of this chapter.
(j) For purposes of subsections (d) and (k), "approved national accrediting body" means any of the following:
(1) The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), or its successor.
(2) The Council on Quality and Leadership In Supports for People with Disabilities, or its successor.
(3) The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), or its successor.
(4) The ISO-9001 human services QA system.
(5) The Council on Accreditation, or its successor.
(6) An independent national accreditation organization approved by the secretary.
(k) An entity that is accredited by an approved national accrediting body is not subject to reapproval surveys or routine monitoring surveys by the division or bureau, including any reapproval survey under a home and community based services waiver (as defined in IC 12-8-1.6-2). However, the bureau may perform validation surveys and complaint investigations of an entity accredited by an approved national accrediting body.
(l) The bureau shall monitor services provided by the following:
(1) An entity that provides services to an individual with funds provided by the bureau or under the authority of the bureau.
(2) An entity that has entered into a provider agreement under IC 12-15-11 to provide Medicaid in-home waiver services.
(m) The bureau shall establish and administer a complaint process for the following:
(1) An individual who receives services from an entity with funds provided through the bureau or under the authority of the bureau.
(2) An entity that has entered into a provider agreement under IC 12-15-11 to provide Medicaid in-home waiver services.
As added by P.L.272-1999, SEC.33. Amended by P.L.243-2003, SEC.11; P.L.99-2007, SEC.70; P.L.22-2010, SEC.1; P.L.153-2011, SEC.11; P.L.154-2012, SEC.1; P.L.130-2013, SEC.1; P.L.210-2015, SEC.21; P.L.74-2022, SEC.6; P.L.241-2023, SEC.6; P.L.174-2025, SEC.30.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/12Fetched: 10/17/2026