2001 WISCONSIN ACT 69
An Act to repeal 48.48 (7); to amend 48.02 (7), 48.371 (3) (intro.), 48.38 (2) (d), 48.38 (5) (a), 48.48 (3), 48.57 (1) (b), 48.57 (3n) (am) 6. c., 48.60 (2) (d), 48.62 (3), 48.625 (1), 48.625 (3), 48.63 (1), 48.64 (1), 48.64 (1r), 48.78 (1), 48.981 (2), 146.82 (2) (a) 18m., 252.15 (5) (a) 19., 938.355 (1), 938.38 (2) (d) and 938.38 (5) (a); and to create 20.435 (3) (f), 46.997, 48.345 (3) (cm), 48.38 (2) (g), 48.619, 48.625 (1m), 48.63 (5) and 938.34 (3) (cm) of the statutes; relating to: placement of a child who is a custodial parent or an expectant mother in a safe and structured living arrangement in which the child is provided with training in parenting skills and other skills to promote the child's long-term economic independence and the well-being of the child's child, grants for the provision of such living arrangements and related services, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
69,1d
Section 1d. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
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69,1g
Section 1g. 20.435 (3) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
20.435 (3) (f) Second-chance homes. The amounts in the schedule for grants for 2nd-chance homes under s. 46.997 (2) (a) and for an evaluation of that grant program under s. 46.997 (4). Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a) and 20.002 (1), the department shall transfer from this appropriation account to the appropriation account for the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (3) (dz) all funds allocated under s. 46.997 (2) (a) and (4) but unexpended by June 30 of each year.
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2. 46.997 of the statutes is created to read:
46.997 Second-chance homes. (1) Definitions. In this section:
(ad) "Cultural competency" means the ability of an individual or private agency to understand and act respectfully toward, in a cultural context, the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, and behaviors of persons and families of various cultures, including persons and families of various cultures who participate in services from the individual or private agency and persons of various cultures who provide services for the individual or private agency.
(ag) "Eligible person" means a person 14 years of age or over, but under 21 years of age, who is a custodial parent, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (b), or an expectant mother, has an income, not including the income of the person's parent, guardian, or legal custodian, that is at or below 200% of the poverty line, as defined in s. 49.001 (5), and who, at the time of referral for services under a program funded under this section, meets any of the following requirements:
1. Is a child and is homeless, receiving inadequate care, living in an unsafe or unstable living environment, or otherwise in need of a safe and structured living arrangement.
2. Is a child and meets one or more of the criteria specified in s. 48.13, 938.12, or 938.13 or would be at risk of meeting one or more of those criteria if the child were not placed in a 2nd-chance home.
(b) "Private agency" means an organization operated for profit or a nonstock corporation organized under ch. 181 that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17).
(c) "Second-chance home" means a group home described in s. 48.625 (1m).
(2) Awarding of grants. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (3) (f), the department shall distribute not more than $0 in each fiscal year as grants to private agencies to provide 2nd-chance homes and related services to eligible persons who are placed under s. 48.63 (5) in 2nd-chance homes operated by those private agencies. A private agency that is awarded a grant under this paragraph may use the amount awarded under the grant to provide care and maintenance to eligible persons who are placed under s. 48.63 (5) in a 2nd-chance home operated by the private agency; provide services, including the services specified in sub. (3), to eligible persons who currently are or formerly were placed under s. 48.63 (5) in the 2nd-chance home, to the children and families of those eligible persons, and to the noncustodial parents of the children of those eligible persons; and, in the first year of the grant period, pay for the start-up costs, other than capital costs, of the private agency's program funded under this paragraph.
(b) The department of health and family services shall award the grants under par. (a) on a competitive basis and according to request-for-proposal procedures that the department of health and family services shall prescribe in consultation with the department of workforce development, the adolescent pregnancy prevention and pregnancy services board, local health departments, as defined in s. 250.01 (4), and other providers of services to eligible persons. Those request-for-proposal procedures shall include a requirement that a private agency that applies for a grant under par. (a) include in its grant application proof that the private agency has the cultural competency to provide services under the grant to persons and families in the various cultures in the private agency's target population and that cultural competency is incorporated in the private agency's policies, administration, and practices. In awarding the grants under par. (a), the department of health and family services shall consider the need for those grants to be distributed both on a statewide basis and in the areas of the state with the greatest need for 2nd-chance homes and the need to provide placements for children who are voluntarily placed in a 2nd-chance home as well as for children who are placed in a 2nd-chance home by court order.
(c) A private agency that is awarded a grant under par. (a) shall contribute matching funds equal to 25% of the amount awarded under the grant. The match may be in the form of money or in the form of both money and in-kind services, but may not be in the form of in-kind services only.
(d) A private agency that is awarded a grant under par. (a) may use no more than 15% of the amount awarded under the grant to pay for administrative costs associated with the program funded under the grant.
(e) A grant under par. (a) shall be awarded for a 3-year period, except that annually the department shall review the performance of a private agency that is awarded a grant based on performance criteria that the department shall prescribe and may discontinue a grant to a private agency whose performance is not satisfactory to the department based on those criteria.
(3) Program requirements. A private agency that receives a grant under sub. (2) (a) shall do all of the following:
(a) Operate a 2nd-chance home for the care and maintenance of eligible persons who are children, as defined in s. 48.619.
(b) Maintain a community-wide network for referring eligible persons to the private agency's program funded under the grant.
(c) Ensure that an eligible person receiving services from the private agency's program funded under the grant is enrolled in a secondary school or its vocational or technical equivalent or in a college or technical college or is working, unless the director of the private agency determines that there is good cause for the eligible person not to be so enrolled or working.
(d) Ensure that an eligible person receiving services from the private agency's program is provided with intake, assessment, case planning, and case management services; skills development training in the areas of economic self-sufficiency, parenting, independent living, and life choice decision making; prenatal and other health care services, including, if necessary, mental health and alcohol and other drug abuse services; child care; and transportation.
(4) Evaluation. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (3) (f), the department shall conduct or shall select an evaluator to conduct an evaluation of the grant program under this section and, by June 1 of the 3rd calendar year beginning after the year in which the first grant under this section is awarded, shall submit a report on that evaluation to the governor and to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3). The evaluation shall measure the economic self-sufficiency, parenting skills, independent living skills, and life choice decision-making skills of the eligible persons who received services under the program and any other criteria that the department determines to be appropriate for evaluation.
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3. 48.02 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.02 (7) "Group home" means any facility operated by a person required to be licensed by the department under s. 48.625 for the care and maintenance of 5 to 8 children, as provided in s. 48.625 (1).
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13. 48.345 (3) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
48.345 (3) (cm) A group home described in s. 48.625 (1m) if the child is at least 12 years of age, is a custodial parent, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (b), or an expectant mother, is receiving inadequate care, and is in need of a safe and structured living arrangement.
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14. 48.371 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.371 (3) (intro.) At the time of placement of a child in a foster home, treatment foster home, group home or child caring institution or, if the information is not available at that time, as soon as possible after the date on which the court report or permanency plan has been submitted, but no later than 7 days after that date, the agency, as defined in s. 48.38 (1) (a), responsible for preparing the child's permanency plan shall provide to the foster parent, treatment foster parent or operator of the group home or child caring institution information contained in the court report submitted under s. 48.33 (1), 48.365 (2g), 48.425 (1), 48.831 (2) or 48.837 (4) (c) or permanency plan submitted under s. 48.355 (2e), 48.38, 48.43 (1) (c) or (5) (c), 48.63 (4) or (5) (c) or 48.831 (4) (e) relating to findings or opinions of the court or agency that prepared the court report or permanency plan relating to any of the following:
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15. 48.38 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.38 (2) (d) The child was placed under a voluntary agreement between the agency and the child's parent under s. 48.63 (1) or (5) (b).
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16. 48.38 (2) (g) of the statutes is created to read:
48.38 (2) (g) The child's parent is placed in a foster home, treatment foster home, group home, child-caring institution, secure detention facility, or shelter care facility and the child is residing with that parent.
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17. 48.38 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.38 (5) (a) The Except as provided in s. 48.63 (5) (d), the court or a panel appointed under this paragraph shall review the permanency plan every 6 months from the date on which the child was first held in physical custody or placed outside of his or her home. If the court elects not to review the permanency plan, the court shall appoint a panel to review the permanency plan. The panel shall consist of 3 persons who are either designated by an independent agency that has been approved by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district or designated by the agency that prepared the permanency plan. A voting majority of persons on each panel shall be persons who are not employed by the agency that prepared the permanency plan and who are not responsible for providing services to the child or the parents of the child whose permanency plan is the subject of the review.
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18. 48.48 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.48 (3) To accept guardianship of children when appointed by the court, and to provide special treatment and or care when directed by the court. A court may not direct the department to administer psychotropic medications to children who receive special treatment or care under this subsection.
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19. 48.48 (7) of the statutes is repealed.
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20. 48.57 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (1) (b) To accept legal custody of children transferred to it by the court under s. 48.355, to accept supervision over expectant mothers of unborn children who are placed under its supervision under s. 48.355 and to provide special treatment and or care for children and expectant mothers if ordered by the court. A court may not order a county department to administer psychotropic medications to children and expectant mothers who receive special treatment or care under this paragraph.
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21. 48.57 (3n) (am) 6. c. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3n) (am) 6. c. The date on which the child is placed outside the long-term kinship care relative's home under a court order or under a voluntary agreement under s. 48.63 (1) or (5) (b).
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22. 48.60 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.60 (2) (d) A hospital, maternity hospital, maternity home or nursing home licensed, approved or supervised by the department.
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23. 48.619 of the statutes is created to read:
48.619 Definition. In this subchapter, "child" means a person under 18 years of age and also includes, for purposes of counting the number of children for whom a foster home, treatment foster home, or group home may provide care and maintenance, a person 18 years of age or over, but under 19 years of age, who is a full-time student at a secondary school or its vocational or technical equivalent, who is reasonably expected to complete the program before reaching 19 years of age, who was residing in the foster home, treatment foster home, or group home immediately prior to his or her 18th birthday, and who continues to reside in that foster home, treatment foster home, or group home.
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24. 48.62 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.62 (3) When the department, a county department or a child welfare agency issues a license to operate a foster home or a treatment foster home, the department, county department or child welfare agency shall notify the clerk of the school district in which the foster home or treatment foster home is located that a foster home or treatment foster home has been licensed in the school district.
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25. 48.625 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.625 (1) Any person who receives, with or without transfer of legal custody, 5 to 8 children, not including children who under sub. (1m) are not counted toward that number, to provide care and maintenance for those children shall obtain a license to operate a group home from the department. To obtain a license under this subsection to operate a group home, a person must meet the minimum requirements for a license established by the department under s. 48.67, meet the requirements specified in s. 48.685 and pay the license fee under sub. (2). A license issued under this subsection is valid until revoked or suspended, but shall be reviewed every 2 years as provided in s. 48.66 (5).
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26. 48.625 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
48.625 (1m) The department may issue a license under sub. (1) authorizing a group home solely to provide a safe and structured living arrangement for children 12 years of age or over who are custodial parents, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (b), or expectant mothers and who are placed in the group home under s. 48.345 (3) (cm) or 938.34 (3) (cm) and for children 14 years of age or over who are custodial parents, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (b), or expectant mothers and who are placed in the group home under voluntary agreements under s. 48.63 (5), and to provide those children with training in parenting skills, including child development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills to promote the long-term economic independence of those children and the well-being of the children of those children. In licensing a group home described in this subsection, the department may not count toward the number of children whom the group home is licensed to serve the child of a child who is placed in the group home. The department shall promulgate rules establishing standards for a group home described in this subsection. Those rules shall require such a group home to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the child of any child custodial parent who has been placed in that group home and to have a policy governing visitation between such a child and the child's noncustodial parent.
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27. 48.625 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.625 (3) This section does not apply to a foster home licensed under s. 48.62 (1) (a) in which care and maintenance is provided for more than 4 siblings or to a treatment foster home licensed under s. 48.62 (1) (b).
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28. 48.63 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.63 (1) Acting pursuant to court order or voluntary agreement, the child's parent or guardian or the department of health and family services, the department of corrections, a county department or a child welfare agency licensed to place children in foster homes or, treatment foster homes or group homes may place a child or negotiate or act as intermediary for the placement of a child in a foster home, treatment foster home or group home. Voluntary agreements under this subsection may not be used for placements in facilities other than foster, treatment foster or group homes and may not be extended. A foster home or treatment foster home placement under a voluntary agreement may not exceed 6 months. A group home placement under a voluntary agreement may not exceed 15 days, except as provided in sub. (5). These time limitations do not apply to placements made under s. 48.345, 938.183, 938.34 or 938.345. Voluntary agreements may be made only under this subsection and sub. (5) (b) and shall be in writing and shall specifically state that the agreement may be terminated at any time by the parent or guardian or by the child if the child's consent to the agreement is required. The child's consent to the agreement is required whenever the child is 12 years of age or older.
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29. 48.63 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
48.63 (5) (a) Subsection (1) does not apply to the voluntary placement under par. (b) of a child in a group home described in s. 48. 625 (1m). Such placements may be made only as provided in par. (b).
(b) If a child who is at least 14 years of age, who is a custodial parent, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (b), or an expectant mother, and who is in need of a safe and structured living arrangement and the parent or guardian of the child consent, a child welfare agency licensed to place children in group homes may place the child or arrange the placement of the child in a group home described in s. 48.625 (1m). Before placing a child or arranging the placement of a child under this paragraph, the child welfare agency shall report any suspected abuse or neglect of the child as required under s. 48.981 (2). A voluntary agreement to place a child in a group home described in s. 48.625 (1m) may be made only under this paragraph, shall be in writing, and shall specifically state that the agreement may be terminated at any time by the parent, guardian, or child. An initial placement under this paragraph may not exceed 6 months, but may be extended as provided in par. (d) 3. to 6. An initial placement under this paragraph of a child who is under 16 years of age on the date of the initial placement may be extended as provided in par. (d) 3. to 6. no more than once.
(c) A permanency plan under s. 48.38 is required for each child placed in a group home under par. (b) and for any child of that child who is residing with that child. The agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child shall prepare the plan within 60 days after the placement and shall provide a copy of the plan to the child and the child's parent or guardian.
(d) 1. In this paragraph, "independent reviewing agency" means a person contracted with under subd. 2. to review permanency plans and placements under subds. 3. to 6.
2. An agency that places children under par. (b) or that arranges those placements shall contract with another agency licensed under s. 48.61 (3) to place children or with a county department to review the permanency plans and placements of those children and of any children of those children who are residing with those children as provided in subds. 3. to 6.
3. If the agency that has placed a child under par. (b) or that has arranged the placement of the child wishes to extend the placement of the child, the agency shall prepare a revised permanency plan for that child and for any child of that child who is residing with that child and submit the revised permanency plan or plans, together with a request for a review of the revised permanency plan or plans and the child's placement, to the independent reviewing agency before the expiration of the child's placement. The request shall include a statement that an extension of the child's placement would be in the best interests of the child, together with reliable and credible information in support of that statement, a statement that the child and the parent or guardian of the child consent to the extension of the child's placement, and a request that the independent reviewing agency approve an extension of the child's placement. On receipt of a revised permanency plan or plans and a request for review, the independent reviewing agency shall set a time and place for the review and shall advise the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child of the time and place of the review.
4. Not less than 10 days before the review, the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child shall provide a copy of the revised permanency plan or plans and the request for review submitted under subd. 3. and notice of the time and place of the review to the child, the parent, guardian, and legal custodian of the child, and the operator of the group home in which the child is placed, together with notice of the issues to be determined as part of the permanency plan review and notice of the fact that those persons may have the opportunity to be heard at the review by submitting written comments to that agency or the independent reviewing agency before the review or by participating at the review.
5. At the review, any person specified in subd. 4. may present information relevant to the issue of extension and information relevant to the determinations specified in s. 48.38 (5) (c). After receiving that information, the independent reviewing agency shall make the determinations specified in s. 48.38 (5) (c) and determine whether an extension of the child's placement is in the best interests of the child and whether the child and the parent or guardian of the child consent to the extension. If the independent reviewing agency determines that the extension is in the best interests of the child and that the child and the parent or guardian of the child consent to the extension, the independent reviewing agency shall approve, in writing, an extension of the placement for a specified period of time not to exceed 6 months, stating the reason for the approval, and the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child may extend the child's placement for the period of time approved. If the independent reviewing agency determines that the extension is not in the best interests of the child or that the child and the parent or guardian of the child do not consent to the extension, the independent reviewing agency shall, in writing, disapprove an extension of the placement, stating the reason for the disapproval, and the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child may not extend the placement of the child past the expiration date of the voluntary placement unless the agency obtains a court order placing the child in the group home after the expiration date of the voluntary placement. Notwithstanding the approval of an extension under this subdivision, the child or the parent or guardian of the child may terminate the placement at any time during the extension period.
6. Within 30 days after the review, the agency that prepared the revised permanency plan or plans shall prepare a written summary of the determinations specified in s. 48.38 (5) (c) that were made under subd. 5. and shall provide a copy of that summary to the independent reviewing agency, the child, the parent, guardian, and legal custodian of the child, and the operator of the group home in which the child was placed.
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30. 48.64 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.64 (1) Definition. In this section, "agency" means the department of health and family services, the department of corrections, a county department or a licensed child welfare agency authorized to place children in foster homes or, treatment foster homes, or group homes.
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31. 48.64 (1r) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.64 (1r) Notification of school district. When an agency places a school-age child in a foster home, a treatment foster home or a group home, the agency shall notify the clerk of the school district in which the foster home, treatment foster home or group home is located that a school-age child has been placed in a foster home, treatment foster home or group home in the school district.
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32. 48.78 (1) of the statutes is amended to read: