Chapter DCF 52

DCF 52.12(1)(b) (b) A center shall have the following services available for residents, either provided by professionals on staff or under agreement with professionals who are consultants for the center:

DCF 52.12(1)(b)1. 1. Health care needs assessment and supervision of the delivery of center health care services by a physician.

DCF 52.12(1)(b)2. 2. Dental care needs assessment by a dentist.

DCF 52.12(1)(b)3. 3. Services of a psychologist licensed under ch. 455, Stats., or a psychiatrist.

DCF 52.12(1)(b)4. 4. Services of other appropriately qualified professionals such as speech communication or hearing impairment specialists or occupational or physical therapists as necessary to carry out resident treatment plans.

DCF 52.12(1)(c) (c) The work schedule of a resident care worker shall:

DCF 52.12(1)(c)1. 1. Specify the worker’s routine and regular hours.

DCF 52.12(1)(c)2. 2. Not allow for the regular scheduling of more than 40 hours of direct care responsibilities with residents each week, exclusive of resident sleeping time, or more than 50 hours per week exclusive of resident sleeping time when the resident care worker is covering for sick leave, vacations, resignations or terminations of other staff.

DCF 52.12(1)(c)3. 3. Allow each resident care worker working longer than an 8 hour shift to have at least 15 minutes of free time during each additional 2 hour period.

DCF 52.12(2) (2) Staff qualifications. Staff hired or contracted for on or after September 1, 2000, to carry out the responsibilities under sub. (1) (a) shall have the following qualifications:

DCF 52.12(2)(a) (a) The center director under sub. (1) (a) 1. shall be an employee of the center, have a bachelor’s degree from a college or university in business or public administration or a social or behavioral science or in a social services or human services field and have 2 years of successful related work experience in administration or supervision.

DCF 52.12(2)(b) (b) The social work case work supervisor under sub. (1) (a) 2. shall be an employee of the center, have a master’s degree in social work from a school of social work or in a behavioral science with 2 years of supervised work experience in a family or child welfare agency, have experience in working with the kind of populations the center serves and provide evidence of supervisory knowledge and skills.

DCF 52.12(2)(c) (c) The resident services case manager under sub. (1) (a) 3. shall have education and experience which are specifically related to the client population to be served. That education and experience shall consist of the following for the type of population served:

DCF 52.12(2)(c)1. 1. Under this subdivision social or behavioral science field includes a degree in social work, sociology, psychology, speech communication or special education with certification for emotional disturbance or learning disabilities. For work with residents who are receiving services primarily for correctional aftercare or emotional disturbance, the resident services case manager shall have one of the following qualifications:

DCF 52.12(2)(c)1.a. a. A master’s degree in a social or behavioral science field with field work experience or employment experience working with children or families.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)1.b. b. A bachelor’s degree in a social or behavioral science field and either 2 years of employment experience in human services counseling involving children and families or at least 500 hours of supervised family or child contact therapy hours.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)2. 2. Under this subdivision a social or behavioral science field includes a degree in those fields specified under subd. 1. For work with residents who are receiving services primarily for alcohol or drug problems, the resident services case manager shall have one of the following qualifications:

DCF 52.12(2)(c)2.a. a. A bachelor’s degree in a social or behavioral science field and Wisconsin certification as an alcohol and drug counselor or meeting the qualifications of a registered alcohol and drug counselor I from the Wisconsin alcohol council certification board.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)2.b. b. An advanced professional degree in a social or behavioral science field from a college or university with at least 6 credits in courses offering content in alcohol and drug abuse treatment and counseling practicum or field experience.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)2.c. c. A bachelor’s degree in a social or behavioral science field from a college or university and 6 credits in courses offering content in alcohol and drug abuse treatment and counseling practicum or field experience.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)2.d. d. A bachelor’s degree in a social or behavioral science field from a college or university and 2 years of experience working with children in alcohol and drug abuse counseling.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)3. 3. For work with residents who are receiving services primarily for a developmental disability, the resident services case manager shall have the following education and experience qualifications:

DCF 52.12(2)(c)3.a. a. A degree in a social or behavioral science field. Under this subd. 3. a. a social or behavioral science field includes a degree in social work, sociology, psychology, speech communication, special education, physical therapy or occupational therapy.

DCF 52.12(2)(c)3.b. b. Specialized training or one year of employment experience in treating or working with developmentally disabled persons.

DCF 52.12(2)(d) (d) The resident care worker supervisor under sub. (1) (a) 4. shall be an employee of the center and meet one of the following qualifications:

DCF 52.12(2)(d)1. 1. Possess the qualifications described under par. (c) for working with the type of population served.

DCF 52.12(2)(d)2. 2. Have 3 years of experience in public or private institutional child care for the type of population the center serves, and have one year of experience as a supervisor or satisfactory completion of at least one course for credit in supervisory skill development and personnel management or have 40 hours of documented in-service training involving supervisory skill development and personnel management.

DCF 52.12(2)(d)3. 3. Have 2 years of experience in licensed institutional child care and be certified as a child and youth care worker meeting standards of the national organization of child and youth care workers association.

DCF 52.12(2)(e) (e) A resident care worker under sub. (1) (a) 5. shall be an employee of the center, have a high school diploma or equivalent and be at least 18 years old and at least 2 years older than the oldest resident. The resident care worker shall also meet one of the following qualifications:

DCF 52.12(2)(e)1. 1. Have a bachelor’s or associate degree from a college or university with a focus on child and youth care work or in a social or behavioral science field.

DCF 52.12(2)(e)2. 2. Have at least one year of successful experience working in a recognized child welfare residential setting for the type of resident population served by the center.

DCF 52.12(2)(e)3. 3. Be certified as a child and youth care worker under the standards of the national organization of child and youth care workers association or other department-recognized certifying authority.

DCF 52.12(2)(e)4. 4. Have completed a supervised traineeship program under sub. (5) (g).

DCF 52.12(2)(f) (f) A person under sub. (1) (a) 6. responsible for center recreational programming under s. DCF 52.41 (4) shall meet the qualifications of a resident care worker under par. (e) and have demonstrated proficiency and at least 3 months experience conducting activities in one or more recreational program areas appropriate for populations served by the center.

DCF 52.12(2)(g) (g) Education staff under sub. (1) (a) 7., shall meet Wisconsin department of public instruction qualifications for the students served.

DCF 52.12(2)(h) (h) Each staff person working for a center shall, where a college or university degree is required under this subsection, have the degree from an accredited college or university.

DCF 52.12 Note Note: For a list of accredited institutions of higher education in the Midwest, see “NCA Quarterly - Accredited Institutions of Post-Secondary Education” available from the North Central Associates of Colleges and Schools, 159 North Dearborn St., Chicago, Illinois 60601.

DCF 52.12(2)(i) (i) A center that hires or contracts for staff not identified under sub. (1) (a) having direct care or service involvement with residents shall, for those staff, also meet the requirements for employment applications under sub. (3), job descriptions and standards and confidentiality notification under sub. (4), staff training under sub. (5), staff supervision under sub. (6), child abuse and neglect reporting under sub. (9) and personnel records under sub. (10).

DCF 52.12(3) (3) Employment applications and general qualifications.

DCF 52.12(3)(a) (a) Before a center hires or contracts for any new staff, the center shall verify and document the qualifications of applicants considered for employment or service.

DCF 52.12(3)(b) (b) A center shall require an applicant for employment to complete and sign an application form. From the required application materials, the center shall obtain:

DCF 52.12(3)(b)1. 1. The names of 2 persons not related to the prospective staff person who can vouch for the good character of the prospective staff person.

DCF 52.12(3)(b)2. 2. Employment references. The center shall verify that the applicant was employed by persons listed as employers during the past 5 years.

DCF 52.12(3)(b)3. 3. A completed background information disclosure form and background record checks as required under s. 48.685, Stats., and ch. DCF 12.

DCF 52.12 Note Note: DCF-F-2978-E, Background Information Disclosure, is available in the forms section of the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/ or by writing or telephoning any field office listed in Appendix D.

DCF 52.12(3)(b)4. 4. Educational background information.

DCF 52.12(3)(c) (c) Upon receipt of an application, a center shall check references either by letter or phone and shall document the date of contact, the person making the contact and the person contacted and shall summarize the conversation concerning the character and experience of the person that would permit a judgment to be made about hiring or contracting, and what the relationship of the reference is to the prospective staff person or how the reference knows that person.

DCF 52.12(3)(d) (d) The center shall comply with the background records check provisions under ch. DCF 12 for the hiring or contracting of center staff who will have access to residents, including, as applicable, not hiring or contracting with a person to work in any position where the person would have direct, regular contact with residents if the person answers “yes” to any question on the DCF-F-2978-E background information form which would bar that person.

DCF 52.12 Note Note: Caregiver background check requirements are also in s. 48.685, Stats.

DCF 52.12 Note Note: Refer to s. DCF 52.62 (1), General Conditions for Approval of License, with regard to the applicant or licensee being found fit and qualified to provide care to children.

DCF 52.12(3)(e) (e) A center shall require that each staff person before working with residents present a statement from a physician covering at least the areas included in a form prescribed by the department indicating that the staff person does not have a communicable disease, illness or disability that would interfere with the staff person’s ability to work with or care for residents.

DCF 52.12 Note Note: Form CFS0384, Child Welfare Facility Staff Health Report, is available in the forms section of the department website at http://dcf.wisconsin.gov or by writing or calling any field office listed in Appendix D.

DCF 52.12(3)(f) (f) All staff shall have the ability and emotional stability to carry out their assigned functions and duties. Center staff whose behavior or mental or physical condition gives reasonable concern for safety of residents may not be in contact with residents in care. If, at any time, a center suspects or has reason to believe that the physical or mental health of a center employee or other person on the premises may pose a threat to the health, safety, or welfare of a resident in care, the center shall require an alcohol or drug abuse assessment or a physical or mental health evaluation of the person.

DCF 52.12(4) (4) Job descriptions and standards. A center shall provide each new staff member under sub. (1) (a) or (2) (i) with all of the following materials and place copies dated and signed by the staff member in the staff member’s personnel record:

DCF 52.12(4)(a) (a) A job description specifying the staff member’s roles and responsibilities.

DCF 52.12(4)(b) (b) Individual performance standards, including expected staff conduct toward residents.

DCF 52.12(4)(c) (c) A copy of a department form for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect.

DCF 52.12(4)(d) (d) A statement calling attention to requirements under s. 48.78 or 938.78, Stats., and s. 51.30, Stats., for maintaining resident confidentiality.

DCF 52.12(5) (5) Staff training.

DCF 52.12(5)(a) (a) Approved by department. At the time of initial licensure and every 2 years thereafter, a center, prior to implementing training required under this subsection, shall submit to the department, for approval, a description of the process and content of orientation and initial training, including the number of training hours for all new staff who work with residents and a plan for establishing and meeting ongoing training needs for all staff who work with residents.

DCF 52.12(5)(b) (b) Orientation. Before a new staff member is permitted to work independently with residents, the center shall provide orientation training for the new staff member covering at least all of the following areas:

DCF 52.12(5)(b)1. 1. Overall center philosophy and program goals.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)2. 2. Organization and management of the center, including administrative procedures.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)3. 3. The nature of residents’ emotional and physical needs.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)4. 4. Expected staff conduct toward residents, expected resident conduct, the center’s house rules for residents required under s. DCF 52.42 (3) (f) and center behavior management techniques.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)5. 5. Observing and reporting resident behavior.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)6. 6. Resident rights and grievance procedures.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)7. 7. Identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)8. 8. Laws on confidentiality of personally identifiable information.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)9. 9. Center procedures for reporting missing persons.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)10. 10. Fire safety and evacuation procedures.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)11. 11. Emergency medical procedures and center emergency security measures and procedures.

DCF 52.12(5)(b)12. 12. Sanitation and hygiene practices including the nature, causes, transmission and prevention of hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the legal, social and psychological aspects of those conditions.

DCF 52.12(5)(c) (c) Initial training. A center shall document that a new staff member who works with residents has already received training in the following areas or the center shall provide at least 40 hours of training covering those subjects within 6 months after the staff member begins work at the center:

DCF 52.12(5)(c)1. 1. Developmental care.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)2. 2. Creating a therapeutic milieu.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)3. 3. Human sexuality.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)4. 4. Teamwork.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)5. 5. Working with groups.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)6. 6. Emergency safety intervention.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)7. 7. Family relationships and the impact of separation from the family.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)8. 8. Suicide prevention, including identification of signs and center response measures.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)9. 9. Fire safety and evacuation, with training provided by a Wisconsin vocational, technical and adult education college.

DCF 52.12(5)(c)10. 10. Sensitivity to racial and cultural differences among residents.

DCF 52.12(5)(cm) (cm) Automated external defibrillator training. A residential care center for children and youth shall have in each building housing residents when those residents are present at least one staff member who has current proficiency in the use of an automated external defibrillator, as defined in s. 256.15 (1) (cr), Stats., achieved through instruction provided by an individual, organization, or institution of higher education that is approved under s. 46.03 (38), Stats., to provide such instruction.

DCF 52.12(5)(d) (d) Working with monitor. A newly hired resident care worker who meets one of the qualifications under sub. (2) (e) 1. to 3. may not assume independent responsibility for residents until completing 80 hours of work with residents during which assistance and guidance is provided by an experienced center resident care worker.

DCF 52.12(5)(e) (e) Educational program orientation. A center shall provide orientation training on the center’s educational program required under s. DCF 52.41 (1) (b) to center staff responsible for resident educational services before staff provide those services to residents.

DCF 52.12(5)(f) (f) Continuing training. A center shall provide or arrange for continuing training for staff so that staff competencies necessary to meet the needs of residents are maintained and enhanced. The center shall do all of the following:

DCF 52.12(5)(f)1. 1. Determine continuing training needs through staff performance reviews and assessments.