Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Children and Families to create a
committee, named the “Wisconsin Task Force to Create Effective Child Welfare
Caseloads,” to study and report on recommended caseload standards for child
welfare workers. Under the bill, the committee must consist of 16 members,
including ten representatives of the Wisconsin County Human Service Association,
five representatives of DCF, and one representative of a federally recognized Indian
tribe in this state appointed by the DCF secretary.
The bill requires the committee to submit a written report to the governor, the
Joint Committee on Finance, and the appropriate standing committees of the
legislature no later than April 1, 2019. The report must include recommended
standards for the maximum average caseload sizes for child welfare workers who
perform access, initial assessment, ongoing services, or foster parent support
functions, over which it is not reasonable to expect a worker to be effective at
conducting certain model practices while at the same time meeting the federal and
state mandates that govern his or her work, and the maximum ratio of supervisors
to frontline workers over which it is not reasonable to expect a supervisor to provide
effective guidance and direction.
The bill requires the committee to develop its recommendations based on a
review of existing caseload standards in other states and local jurisdictions and
pertinent research on the subject and with a consideration towards retaining quality

staff, mitigating secondary trauma, and ensuring county child welfare systems are
able to fulfill their purpose of keeping children safe, achieving timely permanency
outcomes, and providing for the well-being of children and families. The bill requires
the committee's report to include an outline of how the recommended standards
could be implemented, including the funding needed for implementation.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB656,1 1Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions.
SB656,2,22 (1) Wisconsin task force to create effective child welfare caseloads.
SB656,2,53 (a) The department of children and families shall create a committee named
4the “Wisconsin Task Force to Create Effective Child Welfare Caseloads” to study and
5report on recommended caseload standards for child welfare workers in this state.
SB656,2,76 (b) The committee under paragraph (a ) shall consist of 16 members, including
7all of the following:
SB656,2,9 81. Ten representatives of the Wisconsin County Human Service Association,
9including at least one from each of the 2 department of children and families regions.
SB656,2,11 102. Five representatives of the department of children and families, including
112 from the division of Milwaukee child protective services.
SB656,2,13 123. One representative of a federally recognized Indian tribe in this state,
13appointed by the secretary of children and families.
SB656,2,1814 (c) Two members of the committee under paragraph (a) shall preside as
15cochairpersons. The department of children and families shall appoint one of its
16representatives under paragraph (b ) 2. as a cochairperson, and the Wisconsin
17County Human Service Association shall appoint one of its representatives under
18paragraph (b) 1. as a cochairperson.
SB656,3,2
1(d) The committee under paragraph (a) shall convene for its first meeting no
2later than 3 months after the effective date of this paragraph.
SB656,3,93 (e) The committee under paragraph (a ) shall develop recommendations for
4child welfare worker caseload standards based on a review of existing caseload
5standards in other states and local jurisdictions and pertinent research on the
6subject. The committee may consult with organizations with expertise on the
7subject, such as Casey Family Programs. The committee's findings, conclusions, and
8recommendations shall be in the form of a written report from the committee
9cochairpersons.
SB656,3,1110 (f) The report under paragraph (e) shall include recommendations for all of the
11following standards:
SB656,3,13 121. Subject to paragraphs (g) and (h), the maximum average caseload size for
13child welfare workers who perform each of the following functions:
SB656,3,14 14a. Access.
SB656,3,15 15b. Initial assessment.
SB656,3,16 16c. Ongoing services.
SB656,3,17 17d. Foster parent support.
SB656,3,20 182. Subject to paragraph (h), the maximum ratio of supervisors to frontline
19workers over which it is not reasonable to expect a supervisor to provide effective
20guidance and direction.
SB656,3,2421 (g) The caseload standards under paragraph (f ) 1. shall be the maximum
22average caseload sizes over which it is not reasonable to expect a worker to be
23effective at the following practices while at the same time meeting the federal and
24state mandates that govern his or her work:
SB656,3,25 251. Engagement, trust, and relationship-building.
SB656,4,1
12. Trauma-informed practice.
SB656,4,3 23. Other practices that are part of the Wisconsin child welfare model for
3practice.
SB656,4,94 (h) In its recommended standards under paragraph (f ), the committee shall
5address child welfare worker caseloads and the ratio of supervisors to frontline
6workers necessary to retain quality staff, mitigate secondary trauma, and ensure
7county child welfare systems are able to fulfill their purpose of keeping children safe,
8achieving timely permanency outcomes, and providing for the well-being of children
9and families.
SB656,4,1210 (i) The report under paragraph (e) shall include an outline of how the
11recommended standards could be implemented, including the funding needed for
12implementation.
SB656,4,1513 (j) The committee shall submit the written report under paragraph (e ) to the
14governor, the joint committee on finance, and the appropriate standing committees
15of the legislature no later than April 1, 2019.
SB656,4,1616 (End)
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