AB297: Bill Text

AB297, s. 16 Section 16. 48.983 (6) (a) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB297,10,8 48.983 (6) (a) 6. An identification of how the home visitation program is comprehensive and incorporates the practice standards for and critical elements for successful home visitation programs referred to in subd. 1., including how services will vary in intensity levels depending on the needs and strengths of the participating family.

Note: Modifies current law relating to information that must be provided about an applicant's home visitation program.

AB297, s. 17 Section 17. 48.983 (6) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB297,10,14 48.983 (6) (b) 4. `Nonentitlement.' No individual is entitled to any payment from a fund established under subd. 1. or 2. Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring a county, private agency, or Indian tribe to make a determination described in sub. (1) (b) 2. A determination described in sub. (1) (b) 2. may not be construed to be a determination described in s. 48.981 (3) (c) 4.

Note: Adds a reference to private agencies.

AB297, s. 18 Section 18. 48.983 (6) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB297,10,21 48.983 (6) (c) Case management benefit. The applicant, other than a county with a population of 500,000 or more, states in the grant application that it has elected, or, if selected, that it will elect, under s. 49.45 (25) (b), to make the case management benefit under s. 49.45 (25) available to the category of beneficiaries under s. 49.45 (25) (am) 9. who are children and who are members of families receiving home visitation program services under sub. (4) (b) 1.

Note: Deletes a reference to Milwaukee County.

AB297, s. 19 Section 19. 48.983 (6) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB297,11,5 48.983 (6) (f) Private agency applicant. If the applicant is a private agency, the applicant submits documentation with the grant application that demonstrates that the application is supported by a county and that a county will collaborate with the private agency in providing services.

Note: Requires a private agency that applies for participation in Family Foundations to submit documentation with the grant application that demonstrates that the application is supported by a county and that a county will collaborate with the private agency in providing services.

AB297, s. 20 Section 20. 48.983 (6g) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB297,11,12 48.983 (6g) (b) A county, private agency, or Indian tribe that is selected to participate in the program under this section shall provide or shall designate an individual or entity to provide an explanation of the confidentiality requirements under par. (a) to each individual who is offered an assessment under sub. (4) (b) or who is offered services under the home visitation program of the county , private agency, or Indian tribe.

Note: Adds a reference to private agencies.

AB297, s. 21 Section 21. 48.983 (7) (ag) and (ar) of the statutes are created to read:

AB297,11,18 48.983 (7) (ag) The department shall evaluate the availability of home visitation programs in the state and determine whether there are gaps in home visitation services in the state. The department shall cooperate with counties, private agencies, and Indian tribes providing home visitation programs to address any gaps in services identified.

AB297,12,2 (ar) Each county, private agency, and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program shall collect and report data to the department, as required by the department. The department shall require each county, private agency, and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program to collect data using forms prescribed by the department.

Note: Requires DCF to evaluate the availability of home visitation programs in the state and determine whether there are gaps in home visitation services. Requires DCF to cooperate with counties, private agencies, and Indian tribes providing home visitation programs to address any gaps identified.

Also requires each county, private agency, and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program to collect and report data as required by DCF, using forms prescribed by DCF.

AB297, s. 22 Section 22. 48.983 (7) (c) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB297,12,12 48.983 (7) (c) Each county, private agency, and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program shall develop a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of its program for approval by the department. The plan shall demonstrate how the county, private agency, or Indian tribe will use the evaluation of its program to improve the quality and outcomes of the program and to ensure continued compliance with the home visitation program criteria under sub. (6) (a). The plan shall demonstrate how the outcomes will be tracked and measured. Under the plan, the extent to which all of the following outcomes are achieved shall be tracked and measured:

AB297,12,15 1. Parents receiving home visitation services acquiring knowledge of early learning and child development and interacting with their children in ways that enhance the children's development and early learning.

AB297,12,16 2. Children receiving home visitation services being healthy.

AB297,12,17 3. Children receiving home visitation services living in a safe environment.

AB297,12,19 4. Families receiving home visitation services accessing formal and informal support networks.

AB297,12,21 5. Children receiving home visitation services achieving milestones in development and early learning.

AB297,13,2 6. Children receiving home visitation services who have developmental delays receiving appropriate intervention services.

Note: Repeals language requiring DCF to determine the most appropriate way to evaluate strengthened family functioning, enhanced child development, and positive parenting practices and to evaluate those criteria as part of its evaluation of home visitation programs. Instead, under the bill, each county, private agency, and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program must develop a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of its program for approval by DCF. The plan must demonstrate how the county, private agency, or Indian tribe will use the evaluation to improve the quality and outcomes of the program and to ensure continued compliance with the home visitation program criteria required to be demonstrated when applying for a grant. The plan must also demonstrate how the outcomes will be tracked and measured. The outcomes to be measured are set forth in the Section.

AB297, s. 23 Section 23. 48.983 (8) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB297,13,4 48.983 (8) (title) Technical assistance and training; competency training.

AB297, s. 24 Section 24. 48.983 (8) of the statutes is renumbered 48.983 (8) (a) and amended to read:

AB297,13,14 48.983 (8) (a) Technical assistance and training. The department shall provide technical assistance and training to counties, private agencies, and Indian tribes that are selected to participate in the program under this section. The training may not be limited to a particular home visitation model. The training shall include training in best practices regarding basic skills, uniform administration of screening and assessment tools, the issues and challenges that families face, and supervision and personnel skills for program managers. The training may also include training on data collection and reporting.

Note: Specifies that training for counties, private agencies, and Indian tribes selected to receive home visitation grants may not be limited to a particular home visitation model. Requires that the training include training in best practices regarding basic skills, uniform administration of screening and assessment tools, the issues and challenges that families face, and supervision and personnel skills for program managers. The training may also include training on data collection and reporting.

AB297, s. 25 Section 25. 48.983 (8) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB297,14,4 48.983 (8) (b) Competency training. The department shall cooperate with the child abuse and neglect prevention board to ensure that employees and managers of home visitation programs receive training and other services to develop and maintain competencies in providing home visitation services to families.

Note: Requires DCF to cooperate with the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to ensure that employees and directors of home visitation programs receive training and other services to develop and maintain competencies in providing home visitation services to families.

AB297,14,5 (End)