SECTION 12. 49.343 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
49.343 (3) AUDIT. The department may require an audit of any residential care center for children and youth or, group home, as described in sub. (1) or (1m), or child welfare agency for the purpose of collecting federal funds.
SECTION 13. 49.343 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
49.343 (4) RULES. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section. Those rules shall include rules providing for all of the following:
(a) Standards for determining whether a proposed rate is appropriate to the level of services to be provided, the qualifications of a residential care center for children and youth, group home, or child welfare agency to provide those services, and the reasonable and necessary costs of providing those services.
(b) Factors for the department to consider in reviewing a proposed rate.
(c) Procedures for reviewing proposed rates, including rate resolution procedures for mediating an agreed to rate when negotiations fail to produce an agreed to rate.
SECTION 14. 938.357 (4) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
938.357 (4) (c) 1. If a juvenile is placed in a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility operated by a child welfare agency under par. (a) and it appears that a less restrictive placement would be appropriate for the juvenile, the department, after consulting with the child welfare agency that is operating the Type 2 juvenile correctional facility, may place the juvenile in a less restrictive placement, and may return the juvenile to the Type 2 juvenile correctional facility without a hearing under sub. (1) (am) 2. The child welfare agency shall establish a rate for each type of placement shall be established by the department of children and families, in consultation with the department, in the manner provided in s. 49.343.
SECTION 15. 938.357 (4) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
938.357 (4) (c) 2. If a juvenile is placed in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth under s. 938.34 (4d) and it appears that a less restrictive placement would be appropriate for the juvenile, the child welfare agency operating the Type 2 residential care center for children and youth shall notify the county department that has supervision over the juvenile and, if the county department agrees to a change in placement under this subdivision, the child welfare agency may place the juvenile in a less restrictive placement. A child welfare agency may also, with the agreement of the county department that has supervision over a juvenile who is placed in a less restrictive placement under this subdivision, return the juvenile to the Type 2 residential care center for children and youth without a hearing under sub. (1) (am) 2. The child welfare agency shall establish a rate for each type of placement shall be established by the department of children and families, in consultation with the department, in the manner provided in s. 49.343.
SECTION 9108. Nonstatutory provisions; Children and Families.
(1) CHILD WELFARE PROVIDER RATE REGULATION.
(a) Transition. Notwithstanding section 49.343 (1g) and (1m) of the statutes, as affected by this act, for services provided beginning on January 1, 2010, and ending on December 31, 2010, a residential care center for children and youth, as defined in section 49.343 (1d) (d) of the statutes, as created by this act, and a group home, as defined in section 49.343 (1d) (c) of the statutes, as created by this act, shall charge the same per client rate for its services as it charged for services provided on December 31, 2009, and a child welfare agency, as defined in section 49.343 (1d) (b) of the statutes, as created by this act, shall charge the same per client administrative rate, as defined in section 49.343 (1d) (a) of the statutes, as created by this act, for the administrative portion of its treatment foster care services as it charged for the administrative portion of those services on December 31, 2009.
(b) Rules.
1. 'Permanent rules.' The department of children and families shall submit in proposed form the rules required under section 49.343 (4) of the statutes, as created by this act, to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than the first day of the 7th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision.
2. 'Emergency rules.' Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the department of children and families may promulgate the rules required under section 49.343 (4) of the statues, as created by this act, for the period before the effective date of the rules submitted under subdivision 1., but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) and (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subdivision as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subdivision.
SECTION 9308. Initial applicability; Children and Families.
(1) CHILD WELFARE PROVIDER RATE REGULATION.
(a) SECTION 9108 (1) (a) of this act first applies to a contract for the provision of services that is in effect on December 31, 2009, and that contains provisions that are inconsistent with that treatment on the day on which the contract expires or is extended, modified, or renewed, whichever occurs first.
(b) The repeal and recreation of section 49.343 (1g) of the statutes first applies to a contract for the provision of services that is in effect on December 31, 2010, and that contains provisions that are inconsistent with that treatment on the day on which the contract expires or is extended, modified, or renewed, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 9408. Effective dates; Children and Families.
(1) CHILD WELFARE PROVIDER RATE REGULATION. The treatment of section 938.357 (4) (c) 1. and 2. of the statutes, the repeal of section 49.343 (1m) of the statutes, and the repeal and recreation of section 49.343 (1g) and (2) (a) of the statutes take effect on January 1, 2011.
(End)
LRB-0884LRB-0884/4
GMM:bjk:jf
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Stinebrink, BB0230 - Graduated foster care licensing system
For 2009-11 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
2009 BILL
AN ACT ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
health and human services
Children
Under current law, any person who receives four or fewer children or, under certain circumstances, more than four children to provide care and maintenance for those children must obtain a license to operate a foster home and any person who receives four or fewer children to provide care and maintenance and structured, professional treatment for those children must obtain a license to operate a treatment foster home. A foster parent is reimbursed for basic maintenance according to age-related rates specified in the statutes and may receive supplemental payments for special needs, exceptional circumstances, and initial clothing allowances according to rates promulgated by DCF by rule. In addition, a treatment foster parent receives supplemental payments for providing treatment foster care. A relative who provides care and maintenance for a child is not required to obtain a foster home or treatment foster home license, but may, if he or she meets certain conditions, receive kinship care payments of $215 per month or, if he or she has been appointed guardian of the child, long-term kinship care payments in that amount.
This bill eliminates kinship care and long-term kinship care payments and treatment foster homes as a separate licensing category effective on January 1, 2010. Instead, the bill requires DCF to promulgate rules regulating foster care as follows:
1. Rules providing levels of care that a foster home is licensed to provide. Those levels of care must be based on the level of knowledge, skill, training, experience, and other qualifications that are required of the licensee, the level of responsibilities that are expected of the licensee, the needs of the children who are placed with the licensee, and any other requirements relating to the ability of the licensee to provide for those needs that DCF may promulgate by rule.
2. Rules establishing a standardized assessment tool to assess the needs of a child placed outside the home, to determine the level of care that is required to meet those needs, and to place the child in a placement that meets those needs. A foster home that is licensed to provide a given level of care may provide foster care for any child whose needs are assessed to be at or below the level of care that the foster home is licensed to provide.
3. Rules providing monthly rates of reimbursement for foster care that are commensurate with the level of care that the foster home is licensed to provide and the needs of the child who is placed in the foster home. Those rates are in addition to the basic maintenance rates for foster care and must include rates for supplemental payments for special needs, exceptional circumstances, and initial clothing allowances for children placed in a foster home.
4. Rules providing a monthly retainer fee for a foster home that agrees to maintain openings for emergency placements.
A person who is licensed to operate a treatment foster home on December 31, 2009, is considered to be licensed to operate a foster home beginning on January 1, 2010, and must be reimbursed for foster care at the appropriate rate determined under the rules promulgated by DCF under the bill. A person who is receiving kinship or long-term kinship care payments, on December 31, 2009, is considered to be licensed to operate a foster home beginning on January 1, 2010, and must be reimbursed for foster care at that appropriate rate if the person passes the criminal history and child abuse background investigation required of foster parents.
For further information see the state and local 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:
SECTION 1. 20.410 (3) (ho) of the statutes, as affected by 2009 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section *, is amended to read:
20.410 (3) (ho) Juvenile residential aftercare. The amounts in the schedule for providing foster care, treatment foster care, group home care, and institutional child care to delinquent juveniles under ss. 49.19 (10) (d), 938.48 (4) and (14), and 938.52. All moneys transferred under s. 301.26 (4) (cm) and all moneys received in payment for providing foster care, treatment foster care, group home care, and institutional child care to delinquent juveniles under ss. 49.19 (10) (d), 938.48 (4) and (14), and 938.52 as specified in s. 301.26 (4) (e) and (ed) shall be credited to this appropriation account. If moneys generated by the daily rate exceed actual fiscal year foster care, treatment foster care, group home care, and institutional child care costs, that excess shall be transferred to the appropriation account under par. (hm) as provided in 2009 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 9211 (1), except that if those moneys generated exceed those costs by 2% or more, all moneys in excess of 2% shall be remitted to the counties during the subsequent calendar year or transferred to the appropriation account under par. (kx) during the subsequent fiscal year. Each county and the department shall receive a proportionate share of the remittance and transfer depending on the total number of days of placement in foster care, treatment foster care, group home care, or institutional child care. Counties shall use the funds for purposes specified in s. 301.26. The department shall deposit in the general fund the amounts transferred under this paragraph to the appropriation account under par. (kx).
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 20.410 (3) (ho). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0884/2 and LRB-1494/1.
SECTION 2. 20.437 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.437 (1) (b) Children and family aids payments. The amounts in the schedule for services for children and families under s. 48.563, for reimbursement to counties having a population of less than 500,000 for the cost of court attached intake services under s. 48.06 (4), for shelter care under ss. 48.58 and 938.22, and for foster care, treatment foster care, and subsidized guardianship care under ss. 48.645 and 49.19 (10). Social services disbursements under s. 49.32 (2) (b) may be made from this appropriation. Refunds received relating to payments made under s. 48.47 (20) 49.32 (2) (b) for the provision of services for which moneys are appropriated under this paragraph shall be returned to this appropriation. Notwithstanding ss. 20.001 (3) (a) and 20.002 (1), the department of children and families may transfer funds between fiscal years under this paragraph. The department shall deposit into this appropriation funds it recovers under s. 48.569 (2) (b), from prior fiscal year audit adjustments. Except for amounts authorized to be carried forward under s. 48.565, all funds recovered under s. 48.569 (2) (b) and all funds allocated under s. 48.563 and not spent or encumbered by December 31 of each year shall lapse to the general fund on the succeeding January 1 unless carried forward to the next calendar year by the joint committee on finance.
SECTION 3. 20.437 (1) (cf) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.437 (1) (cf) Foster, treatment foster and family-operated group home parent insurance and liability. The amounts in the schedule to purchase insurance or pay claims as provided under s. 48.627.
****NOTE: This SECTION involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.
SECTION 4. 20.437 (1) (dd) of the statutes, as affected by 2009 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:
20.437 (1) (dd) State foster care, guardianship, and adoption services. The amounts in the schedule for foster care, treatment foster care, institutional child care, and subsidized adoptions under ss. 48.48 (12) and 48.52, for the cost of care for children under s. 49.19 (10) (d), for the cost of subsidized guardianship payments under s. 48.62 (5), for the cost of the foster care monitoring system, for the cost of providing, or contracting with private adoption agencies to assist the department in providing, services to children with special needs who are under the guardianship of the department to prepare those children for adoption, and for the cost of providing postadoption services to children with special needs who have been adopted.
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 20.437 (1) (dd). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0292/1 and LRB-0884/2.
SECTION 5. 20.437 (1) (pd) of the statutes, as affected by 2009 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:
20.437 (1) (pd) Federal aid; state foster care, guardianship, and adoption services. All federal moneys received for meeting the costs of providing foster care, treatment foster care, institutional child care, and subsidized adoptions under ss. 48.48 (12) and 48.52, the cost of care for children under s. 49.19 (10) (d), the cost of subsidized guardianship payments under s. 48.62 (5), the cost of providing, or contracting with private adoption agencies to assist the department in providing, services to children with special needs who are under the guardianship of the department to prepare those children for adoption, and the cost of providing postadoption services to children with special needs who have been adopted. Disbursements for foster care under s. 49.32 (2) and for the purposes described under s. 48.627 may be made from this appropriation.
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 20.437 (1) (pd). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0292/1 and LRB-0884/2.
SECTION 6. 20.437 (2) (jm) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.437 (2) (jm) Licensing activities. The amounts in the schedule for the costs of licensing child welfare agencies under s. 48.60, foster homes and treatment foster homes under s. 48.62, group homes under s. 48.625, day care centers under s. 48.65, and shelter care facilities under s. 938.22 (7). All moneys received for these licensing activities and from fees under ss. 48.615, 48.625, 48.65 (3), and 938.22 (7) (b) and (c) shall be credited to this appropriation account.
SECTION 7. 20.437 (2) (r) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.437 (2) (r) Support receipt and disbursement program; payments. From the support collections trust fund, except as provided in par. (qm), all moneys received under s. 49.854, except for moneys received under s. 49.854 (11) (b), all moneys received under ss. 767.57 and 767.75 for child or family support, maintenance, spousal support, health care expenses, or birth expenses, all other moneys received under judgments or orders in actions affecting the family, as defined in s. 767.001 (1), and all moneys received under s. 49.855 (4) from the department of revenue or the department of administration that were withheld by the department of revenue or the internal revenue service for delinquent child support, family support, or maintenance or outstanding court-ordered amounts for past support, medical expenses, or birth expenses, for disbursement to the persons for whom the payments are awarded, for returning seized funds under s. 49.854 (5) (f), and, if assigned under s. 48.57 (3m) (b) 2. or (3n) (b) 2., 48.645 (3), 49.145 (2) (s), 49.19 (4) (h) 1. b., or 49.775 (2) (bm), for transfer to the appropriation account under par. (k). Estimated disbursements under this paragraph shall not be included in the schedule under s. 20.005.
SECTION 8. 46.10 (14) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
46.10 (14) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), liability of a person specified in sub. (2) or s. 46.03 (18) for inpatient care and maintenance of persons under 18 years of age at community mental health centers, a county mental health complex under s. 51.08, the centers for the developmentally disabled, the Mendota Mental Health Institute, and the Winnebago Mental Health Institute or care and maintenance of persons under 18 years of age in residential, nonmedical facilities such as group homes, foster homes, treatment foster homes, subsidized guardianship homes, residential care centers for children and youth, and juvenile correctional institutions is determined in accordance with the cost-based fee established under s. 46.03 (18). The department shall bill the liable person up to any amount of liability not paid by an insurer under s. 632.89 (2) or (2m) or by other 3rd-party benefits, subject to rules that include formulas governing ability to pay promulgated by the department under s. 46.03 (18). Any liability of the patient not payable by any other person terminates when the patient reaches age 18, unless the liable person has prevented payment by any act or omission.
SECTION 9. 46.10 (14) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
46.10 (14) (b) Except as provided in par. (c) and subject to par. (cm), liability of a parent specified in sub. (2) or s. 46.03 (18) for the care and maintenance of the parent's minor child who has been placed by a court order under s. 48.355 or 48.357 in a residential, nonmedical facility such as a group home, foster home, treatment foster home, subsidized guardianship home, or residential care center for children and youth shall be determined by the court by using the percentage standard established by the department of children and families under s. 49.22 (9) and by applying the percentage standard in the manner established by the department under par. (g).
SECTION 10. 46.21 (2) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:
46.21 (2) (j) May exercise approval or disapproval power over contracts and purchases of the director that are for $50,000 or more, except that the county board of supervisors may not exercise approval or disapproval power over any personal service contract or over any contract or purchase of the director which that relates to community living arrangements, adult family homes, or foster homes or treatment foster homes and which that was entered into pursuant to a contract under s. 46.031 (2g) or 301.031 (2g), regardless of whether the contract mentions the provider, except as provided in par. (m). This paragraph does not preclude the county board of supervisors from creating a central purchasing department for all county purchases.
SECTION 11. 46.56 (8) (L) of the statutes is amended to read:
46.56 (8) (L) In providing integrated services under this section, the service coordination agency and the designated service providers shall include in the integrated service plan all individuals who are active in the care of the child with severe disabilities, including members of the child's family, foster parents, treatment foster parents and other individuals who by close and continued association with the child have come to occupy significant roles in the care and treatment of the child with severe disabilities.
SECTION 12. 46.56 (15) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
46.56 (15) (b) 4. Submit a description of the existing services in the county for children with severe disabilities, an assessment of any gaps in services, and a plan for using the funds under this program or from other funding sources to develop or expand any needed community-based services such as in-home treatment, treatment foster care, day treatment, respite care, or crisis services.
SECTION 13. 46.985 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
46.985 (1) (f) "Parent" means a parent, guardian, legal custodian, or a person acting in the place of a parent, but does not include a foster parent, treatment foster parent or any other paid care provider.
SECTION 14. 48.01 (1) (gg) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.01 (1) (gg) To promote the adoption of children into safe and stable families rather than allowing children to remain in the impermanence of foster or treatment foster care.
SECTION 15. 48.02 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.02 (6) "Foster home" means any facility that is operated by a person required to be licensed by s. 48.62 (1) (a) and that provides care and maintenance for no more than 4 children or, if necessary to enable a sibling group to remain together, for no more than 6 children or, if the department promulgates rules permitting a different number of children, for the number of children permitted under those rules.
SECTION 16. 48.02 (17q) of the statutes is repealed.
SECTION 17. 48.195 (2) (d) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.195 (2) (d) 5. The child's foster parent, treatment foster parent, or other person having physical custody of the child.
SECTION 18. 48.207 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.207 (1) (c) A licensed foster home or a licensed treatment foster home provided if the placement does not violate the conditions of the license.
SECTION 19. 48.207 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.207 (1) (f) The home of a person not a relative, if the placement does not exceed 30 days, though the placement may be extended for an additional 30 days for cause by the court, and if the person has not had a foster home or treatment foster home license under s. 48.62 refused, revoked, or suspended within the last 2 years.
SECTION 20. 48.207 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.207 (3) A child taken into custody under s. 48.981 may be held in a hospital, foster home, treatment foster home, relative's home, or other appropriate medical or child welfare facility which that is not used primarily for the detention of delinquent children.
SECTION 21. 48.21 (5) (d) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.21 (5) (d) 2. If a hearing is held under subd. 1., at least 10 days before the date of the hearing the court shall notify the child, any parent, guardian, and legal custodian of the child, and any foster parent, treatment foster parent, or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) of the child of the time, place, and purpose of the hearing.
SECTION 22. 48.21 (5) (d) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.21 (5) (d) 3. The court shall give a foster parent, treatment foster parent, or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) who is notified of a hearing under subd. 2. an opportunity to be heard at the hearing by permitting the foster parent, treatment foster parent, or other physical custodian to make a written or oral statement during the hearing, or to submit a written statement prior to the hearing, relevant to the issues to be determined at the hearing. A foster parent, treatment foster parent, or other physical custodian who receives a notice of a hearing under subd. 2. and an opportunity to be heard under this subdivision does not become a party to the proceeding on which the hearing is held solely on the basis of receiving that notice and opportunity to be heard.
SECTION 23. 48.27 (3) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.27 (3) (a) 1. If the petition that was filed relates to facts concerning a situation under s. 48.13 or a situation under s. 48.133 involving an expectant mother who is a child, the court shall also notify, under s. 48.273, the child, any parent, guardian, and legal custodian of the child, any foster parent, treatment foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) of the child, the unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, if applicable, and any person specified in par. (b), (d), or (e), if applicable, of all hearings involving the child except hearings on motions for which notice need only be provided to the child and his or her counsel. When parents who are entitled to notice have the same place of residence, notice to one shall constitute notice to the other. The first notice to any interested party, foster parent, treatment foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) shall be written and may have a copy of the petition attached to it. Thereafter, notice of hearings may be given by telephone at least 72 hours before the time of the hearing. The person giving telephone notice shall place in the case file a signed statement of the time notice was given and the person to whom he or she spoke.
SECTION 24. 48.27 (3) (a) 1m. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.27 (3) (a) 1m. The court shall give a foster parent, treatment foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) who is notified of a hearing under subd. 1. an opportunity to be heard at the hearing by permitting the foster parent, treatment foster parent or other physical custodian to make a written or oral statement during the hearing, or to submit a written statement prior to the hearing, relevant to the issues to be determined at the hearing. A foster parent, treatment foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) who receives a notice of a hearing under subd. 1. and an opportunity to be heard under this subdivision does not become a party to the proceeding on which the hearing is held solely on the basis of receiving that notice and opportunity to be heard.
SECTION 25. 48.27 (3) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
