Chapter DCF 57

DCF 57.12(1)(a)5. 5. The house rules created under s. DCF 57.24.

DCF 57.12(1)(a)6. 6. Resident rights under s. DCF 57.25.

DCF 57.12(1)(a)7. 7. Behavior intervention, including all of the following:

DCF 57.12(1)(a)7.a. a. Prohibited measures under s. DCF 57.26 (3).

DCF 57.12(1)(a)7.b. b. Emergency safety intervention under s. DCF 57.26 (4).

DCF 57.12(1)(a)7.c. c. Trauma-informed approaches to de-escalation of a resident as specified in the group home procedure created under s. DCF 57.26 (5) (a).

DCF 57.12(1)(a)8. 8. Medication storage, administration, and disposal under s. DCF 57.29 (3), (4), and (7).

DCF 57.12(1)(a)9. 9. The licensee’s notification procedure under s. DCF 57.36 when a resident is absent from the group home without permission or past the resident’s scheduled return time.

DCF 57.12(1)(a)10. 10. Safety precautions and plans under s. DCF 57.40.

DCF 57.12(1)(a)11. 11. Instructions on how to use the fire extinguishers located in the group home and the fire evacuation procedure created under s. DCF 57.41 (2) (a).

DCF 57.12(1)(a)12. 12. Identifying signs of child abuse or neglect and the mandatory reporting requirement under s. 48.981 (2) and (3) (a), Stats.

DCF 57.12(1)(b) (b) A licensee shall create a written procedure that specifies how the licensee orients new staff members to the topics in par. (a).

DCF 57.12(2) (2) Anti-human trafficking.

DCF 57.12(2)(a) (a) Basic. Each staff member shall complete a basic anti-human trafficking training prescribed by the department within 3 months after their hire date unless they have previously received a certificate of training completion.

DCF 57.12 Note Note: The department-prescribed training is Human Trafficking 101: Understanding Child Sex Trafficking in Wisconsin. This course is available through the Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System, https://wcwpds.wisc.edu/.

DCF 57.12(2)(b) (b) Advanced. The licensee of a group home that specializes in serving residents who have been sex trafficked shall provide an advanced anti-human trafficking training approved by the department to each staff member within 3 months after their hire date unless the staff member has previously received a certificate of training completion.

DCF 57.12 Note Note: The department has approved the following training as meeting the advanced training requirement: https://endingthegame.com/. A licensee may submit a request to their department licensing specialist for approval of a different training.

DCF 57.12(3) (3) CPR, first aid, and automated external defibrillator certification. Each staff member shall have at the time of hire or shall obtain within 6 months after their date of hire a current and valid certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, and the use of an automated external defibrillator.

DCF 57.12(4) (4) Reasonable and prudent parent standard. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member successfully completes training on the application of the reasonable and prudent parent standard prior to making a parenting decision if s. DCF 57.28 (4) applies.

DCF 57.12(5) (5) Continuing education training. A licensee shall ensure that each staff member completes a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education annually on any of the following topics:

DCF 57.12(5)(a) (a) Culturally competent care, including cultural bias and discrimination; sexuality and sexual boundaries, including the psychosocial and biological development of youth; and physical, mental, sensory, and health-related disabilities.

DCF 57.12(5)(b) (b) Topics specific to caring for the resident population served by the group home.

DCF 57.12(5)(c) (c) Renewal of certifications required under sub. (3) as necessary to remain current.

DCF 57.12 History History: CR 26-005: cr. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26.

DCF 57.13 DCF 57.13 Personnel records. A licensee shall establish and maintain on the premises a personnel record for each staff member. A personnel record shall contain all of the following regarding the staff member:

DCF 57.13(1) (1) Proof of motor vehicle bodily injury and property damage liability insurance under s. DCF 57.10 (6) (c) if the staff member uses their personal vehicle to transport a resident or a child of a resident.

DCF 57.13(2) (2) Documentation of any health evaluation or assessment completed based on s. DCF 57.10 (7) (b).

DCF 57.13(3) (3) Employment application, date of hire, and the documentation required before the staff member begins employment under s. DCF 57.11.

DCF 57.13(4) (4) A background information disclosure form completed within the previous 4 years based on s. DCF 57.10 (9).

DCF 57.13(5) (5) Documentation that the staff member completed all training required under s. DCF 57.12. The documentation shall include all of the following for each training session:

DCF 57.13(5)(a) (a) Legal name of the staff member.

DCF 57.13(5)(b) (b) Date and time of the training.

DCF 57.13(5)(c) (c) Name of each person that conducted the training.

DCF 57.13(5)(d) (d) Length of the training session.

DCF 57.13 Note Note: A licensee may use the voluntary Form DCF-F-CFS2380-E, Orientation Documentation – Group Homes, for documentation of orientation training. The form is available at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cwlicensing/forms.

DCF 57.13(6) (6) If applicable, authorization from the program director or group home manager to administer medication under s. DCF 57.29 (4) (b).

DCF 57.13(7) (7) Any disciplinary actions issued to the staff member.

DCF 57.13 History History: CR 26-005: cr. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26.

DCF 57.14 DCF 57.14 Other employees or contractors who are not staff members. The following provisions apply regarding an employee or contractor who works in a group home, but is not a staff member:

DCF 57.14(1) (1) Hiring. The licensee shall abide by the hiring requirements in s. DCF 57.11, except s. DCF 57.11 (4).

DCF 57.14(2) (2) Transporting a resident. If the employee or contractor drives a vehicle transporting a resident, the conditions of s. DCF 57.10 (6) apply.

DCF 57.14(3) (3) Background reporting and information disclosure. The employee or contractor shall abide by the background reporting requirements in s. DCF 57.10 (8) and shall complete a background information disclosure every 4 years under s. DCF 57.10 (9).

DCF 57.14(4) (4) Child abuse and neglect reporting; confidentiality. The licensee shall provide the employee or contractor with a copy of s. 48.981, Stats., and the group home’s procedures on confidentiality and require them to do all of the following:

DCF 57.14(4)(a) (a) Make reports of child abuse or neglect using the procedures in s. 48.981 (2) and (3) (a), Stats.

DCF 57.14(4)(b) (b) Comply with requirements on the confidentiality of resident records and personally identifiable information under s. DCF 57.22 and group home procedures.

DCF 57.14(5) (5) Personnel records. The licensee shall maintain on the premises a personnel record that contains the documentation specified in s. DCF 57.13 (1), (3), and (4) as applicable to employees and contractors under this section.

DCF 57.14 History History: CR 26-005: cr. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26; correction in (4) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register May 2026 No. 845.

DCF 57.15 DCF 57.15 Volunteers.

DCF 57.15(1) (1) Each licensee shall create a written policy on what activities a volunteer may perform for the group home.

DCF 57.15(2) (2) A volunteer for a group home shall be at least 18 years old.

DCF 57.15(3) (3) Before a volunteer may begin performing activities, the licensee shall do all of the following:

DCF 57.15(3)(a) (a) Require the volunteer to submit an application that includes the volunteer’s name, address, date of birth, and a completed background information disclosure form.

DCF 57.15(3)(b) (b) Conduct a background check on the volunteer following the requirements in s. DCF 57.11 (1), except a fingerprint-based check under s. 48.685 (2) (ba), Stats., is not required.

DCF 57.15(3)(c) (c) Orient the volunteer to the activities that the volunteer may perform under the policy created under sub. (1).

DCF 57.15(4) (4) The licensee shall require each volunteer to complete a background information disclosure form every 4 years.

DCF 57.15(5) (5) The licensee and volunteer shall abide by the requirements in ss. DCF 57.10 (6) and (8) and 57.14 (4).

DCF 57.15(6) (6) The licensee shall maintain a file on the premises for each volunteer. The file shall contain all of the following information:

DCF 57.15(6)(a) (a) The volunteer’s application information under sub. (3) (a) and the volunteer’s start date.

DCF 57.15(6)(b) (b) A background information disclosure form completed by the volunteer within the past 4 years.

DCF 57.15(6)(c) (c) Information obtained for the background check.

DCF 57.15(6)(d) (d) Documentation that the conditions in s. DCF 57.10 (6) are met if the volunteer drives a motor vehicle to transport a resident.

DCF 57.15 History History: CR 26-005: cr. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26.

subch. III of ch. DCF 57 Subchapter III — Admission and Discharge

DCF 57.16 DCF 57.16 Admissions.

DCF 57.16(1) (1) Court order or voluntary placement agreement. A resident may only be admitted for placement in a group home under a court order or a voluntary placement agreement.

DCF 57.16(2) (2) Voluntary placement agreement. Except for care specified in s. DCF 57.38 and s. 48.63 (5), Stats., a resident may not be placed in a group home under a voluntary placement agreement for more than 15 days from the date of removal from their home that is specified in the agreement.

DCF 57.16(3) (3) Out-of-home care agreement. The licensee shall enter into and obtain a written agreement under s. 48.64 (1m), Stats., from any placing agency that places a resident in the group home. The agreement shall include all of the following provisions:

DCF 57.16(3)(a) (a) The licensee will allow the placing agency access to the resident and the group home at all times.

DCF 57.16(3)(b) (b) The resident will be released to the placing agency whenever the placing agency or the department finds that the best interest of the resident requires it.

DCF 57.16(4) (4) Admissions decision. The licensee shall make an admission decision in accordance with this chapter and the group home’s program statement and ability to meet the needs of the resident.

DCF 57.16(5) (5) Information to resident at intake.

DCF 57.16(5)(a) (a) During a resident’s initial intake meeting, the responsible staff member shall provide in writing and discuss with the resident all of the following:

DCF 57.16(5)(a)1. 1. Exits and evacuation routes.

DCF 57.16(5)(a)2. 2. The house rules created under s. DCF 57.24.

DCF 57.16(5)(a)3. 3. Resident rights under s. DCF 57.25.

DCF 57.16(5)(a)4. 4. Name and contact information for the group home manager.

DCF 57.16(5)(a)5. 5. Documentation of any known scheduled court hearings, family interactions, or other appointments.

DCF 57.16(5)(a)6. 6. A description of the daily activities available to the resident.

DCF 57.16(5)(b) (b) The responsible staff member shall document in the resident record that the resident received all of the information specified in par. (a).

DCF 57.16 Note Note: DCF-F-CFS2381, Resident Orientation Documentation – Group Home, is a voluntary form that can be used to comply with this paragraph. The form is available at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cwlicensing/forms.

DCF 57.16(5)(c) (c) The licensee shall also provide the information specified in par. (a) 2. to 4. to the resident’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian.

DCF 57.16(6) (6) Medical consent. A licensee shall obtain from the placing agency a copy of the consent for medical care and administration of medication signed by a resident’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian and retain a copy of the consent in the resident’s record.

DCF 57.16(7) (7) Schedule medical and dental examinations.

DCF 57.16(7)(a) (a) The licensee shall complete the act of scheduling a medical examination and a dental examination within 30 days after the resident’s admission unless the resident has already had the specified exam within the recommended periodicity schedule.

DCF 57.16(7)(b) (b) Documentation of par. (a) in the resident’s record shall include the date that the act of scheduling the exam is completed or a statement as to when the resident’s next medical and dental examination is required.

DCF 57.16 History History: CR 26-005: cr. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26.

DCF 57.17 DCF 57.17 Discharge.

DCF 57.17(1) (1) Planned. At least 30 days prior to a planned discharge of a resident, the licensee shall provide a copy of the resident’s treatment plan to the placing agency, resident, and the resident’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian.

DCF 57.17(2) (2) Unplanned. If a resident’s discharge from the group home is not planned, the licensee shall update the treatment plan under s. DCF 57.18 (4) within 15 days after the discharge date and shall provide a copy of the resident’s treatment plan to the placing agency, resident, and the resident’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian.