June 2, 2009 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee
on Children and Families.
AB296,2,11 1An Act to repeal 46.56 (1) (i) 1. to 3., 46.56 (1) (k), 46.56 (3) (d) 2. (intro.), 46.56
2(8) (L), 46.56 (8) (p) and (q), 46.56 (14) (c) 2., 46.56 (14) (c) 8. and 46.56 (15) (e);
3to renumber 46.56 (3) (d) 1. (intro.); to renumber and amend 46.56 (1) (c),
446.56 (1) (f), 46.56 (1) (g), 46.56 (1) (o), 46.56 (3) (d) 1. a. to d., 46.56 (3) (d) 2. a.
5and b., 46.56 (6) (a) 3., 46.56 (6) (a) 4., 48.02 (9s) and 938.02 (9s); to consolidate,
6renumber and amend
46.56 (1) (i) (intro.) and 4.; to amend 20.435 (7) (co),
738.14 (12), 46.215 (1) (q), 46.22 (1) (b) 1. i., 46.56 (title), 46.56 (1) (a), 46.56 (1)
8(b), 46.56 (1) (e), 46.56 (1) (h), 46.56 (1) (L), 46.56 (1) (m), 46.56 (1) (n), 46.56 (1)
9(p), 46.56 (2), 46.56 (3) (a), 46.56 (3) (b) 1., 2., 4., 5. and 7., 46.56 (4) (a) to (e),
1046.56 (5) (a), (b) and (d) to (i), 46.56 (6) (title), (a) (intro.), 1. and 2., 46.56 (6) (b),
1146.56 (6) (c), 46.56 (7), 46.56 (8) (title), 46.56 (8) (a) to (g) and (h) (intro.), 2., 3.,
124., 5. and 6., 46.56 (8) (i) to (k), 46.56 (8) (m) to (o), 46.56 (8) (r) and (s), 46.56
13(9), 46.56 (10) to (13), 46.56 (14) (a), 46.56 (14) (b) (intro.), 46.56 (14) (b) 1. and
143., 46.56 (14) (c) (intro.) and 1., 46.56 (14) (c) 3. to 5., 46.56 (14) (c) 6. and 7., 46.56

1(14) (d), 46.56 (15) (a) and (b) (intro.), 46.56 (15) (b) 2. to 4., 46.56 (15) (c) and
2(d), 46.56 (15) (f), 48.33 (1) (c), 48.345 (6m), 49.45 (25) (bm) 2., 51.42 (3) (ar) 14.,
351.437 (4m) (m), 51.437 (4r) (a) 3., 115.817 (5) (c), 116.03 (13m), 120.12 (19),
4938.33 (1) (c) and 938.34 (6m); to repeal and recreate 59.53 (7); and to create
546.56 (1) (ar), 46.56 (1) (bm), 46.56 (1) (de), (dm) and (ds), 46.56 (1) (nm), 46.56
6(1) (op), 46.56 (1) (q), 46.56 (3) (a) 8., 46.56 (3) (b) 8. to 16., 46.56 (3) (d) 3., 46.56
7(3) (d) 8. to 12., 46.56 (3) (d) 15., 46.56 (3) (e), 46.56 (5) (j) and (k), 46.56 (6) (cr),
846.56 (6) (d), 46.56 (8) (cm), 46.56 (8) (h) 7. and 8., 46.56 (14) (c) 9., 46.56 (15)
9(b) 1r. and 46.56 (15) (b) 5. of the statutes; relating to: children and their
10families who are involved in two or more systems of care and making an
11appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in
the bill.
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:
Prefatory note: This bill is prepared for the Joint Legislative Council's Special
Committee on Strengthening Wisconsin Families.
Under current law, s. 46.56, stats., governs the integrated services programs (ISP)
for children with severe disabilities. A "child with severe disabilities" is defined as follows:
An individual who has not attained 18 years of age and whose mental, physical,
sensory, behavioral, emotional or developmental disabilities, or whose combination of
multiple disabilities meets all of the following conditions:
1. Is severe in degree.
2. Has persisted for at least one year or is expected to persist for at least one year.
3. Causes substantial limitations in the child's ability to function in the family, the
school or the community and with the child's ability to cope with the ordinary demands
of life.
4. Causes the child to need services from 2 or more service systems.
The ISP began in 1989. As of September 2008, 18 counties operated ISPs. The
statute requires a county that operates an ISP to establish a coordinating committee
comprised of representatives from multiple systems of care. The coordinating committee
must prepare interagency agreements that participating organizations in the ISP agree

to follow in creating and operating the ISP. The interagency agreement's components are
also outlined by statute. The ISP must have one or more service coordination agencies.
The service coordination agency must identify a service coordinator for each child with
severe disabilities who participates in the program. Referrals into the ISP may come from
many different types of public agencies or organizations, or from the child or the child's
family. A treatment team is developed which includes representatives of all service
providers working with the family, as well as the family members and the child.
In 2002, the department of health and family services developed a request for
proposals for counties to develop coordinated services team (CST) initiatives. The CST
model is based on the ISP model of integrated services for children and families with
multiple needs. As of October 1, 2008, 33 counties and 2 tribes operate CST initiatives.
This bill makes several changes to s. 46.56. Specifically, the bill does the following:
Expands the ISP's coverage to children who are involved in 2 or more systems
of care, as well as their families, and changes the name of the program to the CST
initiative.
To reflect the expansion of the program's focus, changes the terms "integrated
services", "integrated service plan", and "interdisciplinary team" to "coordinated
services", "coordinated services plan of care", and "coordinated services team",
respectively.
Includes tribes as entities that may administer the CST initiative.
Provides funding to begin to phase in the remaining counties and tribes that do
not currently operate either an ISP or a CST initiative, to enable these counties and tribes
to establish the CST initiative.
Amends the definition of CST to emphasize the process by which the child's
family, service providers, and informal resource persons work together to respond to the
needs of the child and family, rather than by describing the characteristics of the
individuals on the team.
Expands the required and optional representatives that serve on the
coordinating committee in a county or tribe. The coordinating committee is the entity
that:
— Prepares interagency agreements for the creation and operation of a CST
initiative.
— Assesses how the CST initiative relates to other service coordination programs
operating at the county, tribal, or local level.
— Assists the administering agency in developing the application for CST funding.
— Reviews determinations by the service coordination agency regarding program
eligibility, appropriate family resources, and funding of services.
Expands the duties of the coordinating committee to include:
— Establishing operational policies and procedures.
— Ensuring quality, including adherence to core values as adopted by the state
advisory committee.
— Developing a plan for orientation of new coordinating committee members and
CST members to the CST process.
— Identifying and addressing gaps in services.
— Ensuring client and partner agency satisfaction.
Creates the role of initiative coordinator, and defines the initiative coordinator's
duties, which are to:
— Bring together parents and staff from agencies and organizations to comprise
the coordinating committee, and support their activities.
— Work with the coordinating committee to maintain and support agency
participation as established in the interagency agreement.
— Work with the coordinating committee and service coordination agency to
receive and review referrals.

— Work with the coordinating committee and service coordination agency to
assure service coordination for all groups working with the child and the child's family.
— Guide the development of CSTs working with the child and the child's family
to ensure compliance with the basic principles of the CST initiative's core values.
— Review plans of care.
— Assist the coordinating committee and family teams in establishing consistent
measures for initiative development, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of the
project and outcomes.
— Facilitate public education and awareness of issues and programming for
families and children.
— Ensure ongoing support and training related to the CST process to families,
service coordinators, and providers.
— Provide support to service providers in developing strategies to enhance
existing programs, to increase resources, and to establish new resources.
— Ensure that local and state agencies submit data and reports in an accurate and
timely manner.
Increases the annual appropriation to the department of health services to
provide grants to counties for CST initiatives by $1,466,000 in general purpose revenue.
AB296, s. 1 1Section 1. 20.435 (7) (co) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,4,52 20.435 (7) (co) Integrated service programs for children with severe disabilities
3Initiatives for coordinated services. The amounts in the schedule to fund county
4integrated service programs for children with severe disabilities and tribal
5initiatives under s. 46.56 to provide coordinated services
.
Note: Modifies the integrated service program appropriation to provide funding
for coordinated services for both county and tribal initiatives.
AB296, s. 2 6Section 2. 38.14 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,4,137 38.14 (12) Integrated service programs for children with severe disabilities
8Initiatives to provide coordinated services. If the county board of supervisors
9establishes an integrated service program for children with severe disabilities
10initiative to provide coordinated services under s. 59.53 (7), the district board may
11participate in an integrated service program for children with severe disabilities
12under s. 59.53 (7)
the initiative and may enter into written interagency agreements
13or contracts under the program initiative.
Note: Modifies the powers of technical college district boards.
AB296, s. 3 14Section 3. 46.215 (1) (q) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,5,5
146.215 (1) (q) If the county board of supervisors establishes an integrated
2service program for children with severe disabilities
initiative to provide coordinated
3services
under s. 59.53 (7), to participate in and administer an integrated service
4program for children with severe disabilities under s. 59.53 (7)
the initiative,
5including entering into any written interagency agreements or contracts.
Note: Modifies the duties of the county department of social services in Milwaukee
County.
AB296, s. 4 6Section 4. 46.22 (1) (b) 1. i. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,5,117 46.22 (1) (b) 1. i. If the county board of supervisors establishes an integrated
8service program for children with severe disabilities
initiative to provide coordinated
9services
under s. 59.53 (7), to participate in and administer an integrated service
10program for children with severe disabilities under s. 59.53 (7)
the initiative,
11including entering into any written interagency agreements or contracts.
Note: Modifies the duties of the county department of social services in counties
other than Milwaukee County.
AB296, s. 5 12Section 5 . 46.56 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,5,14 1346.56 (title) Integrated service programs Initiatives to provide
14coordinated services
for children with severe disabilities and families.
AB296, s. 6 15Section 6. 46.56 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,5,1816 46.56 (1) (a) "Administering agency" means a county department designated
17by the a county board of supervisors or by a tribe to administer the program an
18initiative
.
Note: Modifies the current definition of "administering agency" to include tribes.
AB296, s. 7 19Section 7. 46.56 (1) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:
AB296,5,2020 46.56 (1) (ar) "Advocacy" means all of the following:
AB296,6,4
11. Actively supporting a child who is involved in 2 or more systems of care and
2his or her family under an initiative to enable their receipt of the full benefits of the
3initiative by ensuring that the coordinated services team approach to providing
4services and principles are followed.
AB296,6,75 2. Helping families of a child who is involved in 2 or more systems of care gain
6access to and a voice in the decision making that establishes the child's and family's
7plan of care.
AB296,6,108 3. Fostering strong working relationships among families, systems of care, and
9providers, with the goal of improving the lives of children who are involved in 2 or
10more systems of care and their families.
Note: Creates a definition of "advocacy".
AB296, s. 8 11Section 8. 46.56 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB296,6,1412 46.56 (1) (b) "Agency" means a public, tribal, or private nonprofit organization
13that provides treatment services for children with severe disabilities and their
14families
services and other resources for children and families.
Note: Modifies the definition of "agency" to include public and tribal organizations
and to broaden the description of services and resources provided.
AB296, s. 9 15Section 9. 46.56 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB296,6,1616 46.56 (1) (bm) "Child" means an individual under the age of 18.
Note: Creates a definition of "child".
AB296, s. 10 17Section 10. 46.56 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 46.56 (1) (om), and 46.56
18(1) (om) (intro.), 3. and 4., as renumbered, are amended to read:
AB296,7,219 46.56 (1) (om) (intro.) "Child with severe disabilities Severe disability" means
20an individual who has not attained 18 years of age and whose a mental, physical,
21sensory, behavioral, emotional, or developmental disabilities disability, including

1severe emotional disturbance
, or whose a combination of multiple these disabilities,
2that
meets all of the following conditions:
AB296,7,53 3. Causes substantial limitations in the a child's ability to function in the his
4or her
family, the school, or the community and with the child's his or her ability to
5cope with the ordinary demands of life.
AB296,7,76 4. Causes the a child to need services or other resources from 2 or more service
7systems of care.
Note: Modifies the current definition of "child with severe disabilities" to instead
define "severe disability".
AB296, s. 11 8Section 11. 46.56 (1) (de), (dm) and (ds) of the statutes are created to read:
AB296,7,109 46.56 (1) (de) "Family" means a child's primary caregiver or caregivers and the
10child's siblings.
AB296,7,1311 (dm) "Family resources" means housing, environment, institutions, sources of
12income, services, education, a child's extended family and community relationships,
13and other resources families need to raise their children.
AB296,7,1614 (ds) "Initiative" means a system that is based on the strengths of children and
15their families for providing coordinated services to children who are involved in 2 or
16more systems of care and their families.
Note: Creates definitions of "family", "family resources", and "initiative".
AB296, s. 12 17Section 12. 46.56 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
Loading...
Loading...