20-8-1001. Life Choices Lifeline Program.

20-8-1001. Life Choices Lifeline Program. (a) The Department of Health may implement the Life Choices Lifeline Program as a statewide care program to provide direct services, support, social services case management, and referrals to biological parents of unborn children and biological or adoptive parents of children under two (2) years of age. (b) The Life Choices Lifeline Program shall: (1) Encourage healthy childbirth; (2) Support childbirth as an alternative to abortion; (3) Promote family formation; (4) Aid successful parenting; and (5) Increase families' economic self-sufficiency. (c) Funding provided for services of the Life Choices Lifeline Program shall be used for nonsectarian purposes only. (d) The Life Choices Lifeline Program shall consist of at least the following components: (1) Direct-to-participant marketing within the state; (2) The use of licensed nurses to provide to participants in the Life Choices Lifeline Program: (A) An assessment and evaluation of needs related to pregnancy or parenting; and (B) Medically accurate pregnancy-related medical information; (3) The use of licensed social workers, nurses, or other individuals of equivalent experience, to provide to participants in the Life Choices Lifeline Program: (A) Development of a care plan of resources and support to address the needs identified; (B) Referrals to appropriate local resources, including state and federal benefits programs and local charitable organizations; (C) Assistance in applying for state and federal benefits programs; and (D) Assistance in accomplishing elements of the care plan; and (4) Administrative support and expenses directly attributable to the development of or ongoing support of services of the Life Choices Lifeline Program. (e)(1) The Life Choices Lifeline Program shall be available to residents of all counties of the state, including residents in rural areas that may currently lack access to services. (2) Services of the Life Choices Lifeline Program may be provided, as appropriate, in person through existing facilities or remotely through a telephonic system or other comparable technological system. (f) To be eligible to receive services under the Life Choices Lifeline Program, an individual shall at the time of initial contact with the Life Choices Lifeline Program be: (1) A resident of the state; and (2) A biological parent of an unborn child or a biological or adoptive parent of a child under two (2) years of age. (g) Existing participants of the Life Choices Lifeline Program whose pregnancy is terminated before birth are eligible to continue to receive services of the Life Choices Lifeline Program for six (6) months after the date of termination.