49.136(7)(a)(a) The department shall establish guidelines for eligibility for a grant under this section. The department need not promulgate those guidelines as rules under
ch. 227.
49.136(7)(b)
(b) The department may administer the grant application process under this section or contract for the administration of that process.
49.137
49.137
Child care quality improvement. 49.137(1)(c)
(c) "Family child care system" means a centralized administrative unit that offers technical assistance and support to a group of child care providers with the goal of improving child care services.
49.137(2)(a)(a) From the allocation under
s. 49.155 (1g) (b), the department may award grants to child care providers that meet the quality of care standards established under
s. 49.155 (1d) (b) to improve the retention of skilled and experienced child care staff. In awarding grants under this subsection, the department shall consider the applying child care provider's total enrollment of children and average enrollment of children who receive or are eligible for publicly funded care from the child care provider.
49.137(2)(b)
(b) A child care provider that is awarded a grant under this subsection shall contribute matching funds equal to 25% of the amount awarded under this subsection. The match may be in the form of money or in-kind goods or services, or both.
49.137(2)(c)
(c) A child care provider that is awarded a grant under this subsection may use the funds to provide advanced training for the child care provider's child care staff, to improve the salaries and benefits provided to the child care provider's child care staff and to undertake other activities or projects to improve the retention of the child care provider's child care staff.
49.137(3)(a)(a) From the allocation under
s. 49.155 (1g) (b), the department may award grants to child care providers for assistance in meeting the quality of care standards established under
s. 49.155 (1d) (b).
49.137(3)(b)
(b) A child care provider that is awarded a grant under this subsection shall contribute matching funds equal to 25% of the amount awarded under this subsection. The match may be in the form of money or in-kind goods or services, or both.
49.137(3)(c)
(c) A child care provider that is awarded a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to attempt to meet the quality of care standards established under s.
49.132 (4) (e), 1995 stats., within 24 months after receipt of the grant.
49.137(4)
(4) Training and technical assistance contracts. From the allocation under
s. 49.155 (1g) (b), the department may contract with one or more agencies for the provision of training and technical assistance to improve the quality of child care provided in this state. The training and technical assistance activities contracted for under this subsection may include any of the following activities:
49.137(4)(a)
(a) Developing and recommending to the department a system of higher reimbursement rates or a program of grants for child care providers that meet the quality of care standards established under s.
49.132 (4) (e), 1995 stats.
49.137(4)(b)
(b) Developing a plan for a uniform, statewide system of career development, credentialing and training for individuals who provide child care.
49.137(4)(c)
(c) Disseminating to the public information about child care that meets the quality of care standards established under s.
49.132 (4) (e), 1995 stats.
49.137(4)(d)
(d) Providing informational resources to child care providers.
49.137(4)(e)
(e) Providing advanced training to child care providers and the staff of child care providers.
49.137(4)(g)
(g) Developing resources to provide child care in a generic setting for children with special needs.
49.137(4)(gm)
(gm) Providing training to child care providers in providing child care for children with special needs and developing a network of child care providers who are qualified to provide child care for children with special needs.
49.137(4)(h)
(h) Providing any other services to improve the availability and quality of child care in this state.
49.137(4m)
(4m) Local pass-through grant program. The department shall award grants to local governments and tribal governing bodies for programs to improve the quality of child care. The department shall promulgate rules to administer the grant program, including rules that specify the eligibility criteria and procedures for awarding the grants.
49.137(5)
(5) Limit on expenditure of funds. No funds provided under this section may be used for the purchase or improvement of land or for the purchase, construction or permanent improvement, other than minor remodeling, of any building or facility.
49.137(6)
(6) Grant administration. The department may administer the grant application processes under
subs. (2) and
(3) or contract for the administration of that process.
49.137 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also chs.
DWD 58 and
59, Wis. adm. code.
49.1375
49.1375
Early childhood excellence initiative. 49.1375(1)
(1) The department shall establish a grant program to develop at least 5 early childhood centers for children under the age of 5 who are eligible to receive temporary assistance to needy families under
42 USC 601 et seq. Centers awarded a grant under this subsection shall provide outreach and training for parents of the children served by the center and training for child care providers. The centers shall emphasize stimulation of the child's language skills and senses of vision and touch. A person who is awarded a grant under this subsection shall contribute matching funds from local or private sources equal to 25% of the amount awarded under this subsection.
49.1375(2)
(2) The department shall establish a grant program under which a child care provider that receives training at a center that is awarded a grant under
sub. (1) may apply for a grant to establish an early childhood program that serves children specified under
sub. (1). The program developed under a grant received under this subsection shall emphasize stimulation of the children's language skills and senses of vision and touch. A person who is awarded a grant under this subsection shall contribute matching funds from local or private sources equal to 25% of the amount awarded under this subsection.
49.1375 History
History: 1999 a. 9.
49.138
49.138
Emergency assistance for families with needy children. 49.138(1d)(a)
(a) "Administering agency" means the department or, if the department has contracted with a Wisconsin works agency under
sub. (3), the Wisconsin works agency.
49.138(1d)(b)
(b) "Needy person" has the meaning specified by the department by rule.
49.138(1m)
(1m) The department shall implement a program of emergency assistance to needy persons in cases of fire, flood, natural disaster, homelessness or impending homelessness, or energy crisis. The department shall establish the maximum amount of aid to be granted, except for cases of energy crisis, per family member based on the funding available under
s. 20.445 (3) (dz) and
(md). The department need not establish the maximum amount by rule under
ch. 227. The department shall publish the maximum amount and annual changes to it in the Wisconsin administrative register. Emergency assistance provided to needy persons under this section in cases of fire, flood, natural disaster, or energy crisis may only be provided to a needy person once in a 12-month period. Emergency assistance provided to needy persons under this section in cases of homelessness or impending homelessness may be used only to obtain or retain a permanent living accommodation and, except as provided in
sub. (2), may only be provided to a needy person once in a 36-month period. For the purposes of this section, a family is considered to be homeless, or to be facing impending homelessness, if any of the following applies:
49.138(1m)(a)
(a) The family must leave its current housing because it is uninhabitable as determined by a local building inspector, a local health department or another appropriate local authority.
49.138(1m)(am)
(am) The family is experiencing a financial crisis that makes it very difficult for the family to make a rent payment, mortgage payment or property tax payment and the family has been notified that it will be required to leave its current housing if it does not make that payment immediately.
49.138(1m)(b)
(b) The family has a current residence that is a shelter designed for temporary accommodation such as a motel, hotel, shelter facility or transitional shelter facility.
49.138(1m)(d)
(d) The family is without a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.
49.138(1m)(e)
(e) The family is living in a place that is not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation.
49.138(2)
(2) Emergency assistance provided to a person under
sub. (1m) (c) may be provided once in a 12-month period.
49.138(3)
(3) The department may contract with a Wisconsin works agency to administer this section.
49.138(4)(a)(a) Any individual whose application for emergency assistance under this section is not acted upon with reasonable promptness after the filing of the application, as defined by the department by rule, or is denied in whole or in part, or who believes that the assistance amount was calculated incorrectly, may petition the administering agency for a review of such action. Review is unavailable if the action by the administering agency occurred more than 45 days prior to submission of the petition for review.
49.138(4)(b)
(b) Upon a timely petition under
par. (a), the administering agency shall give the petitioner reasonable notice and opportunity for a review. The administering agency shall render its decision as soon as possible after the review and shall send by 1st class mail a certified copy of its decision to the petitioner. The administering agency shall deny a petition for a review or shall refuse to grant relief if the petitioner does any of the following:
49.138(4)(b)2.
2. Abandons the petition. Abandonment occurs if the petitioner fails to appear in person or by representative at a scheduled review without good cause, as defined by the department by rule.
49.138(4)(c)
(c) If the administering agency is a Wisconsin works agency, the department may review the decision of the Wisconsin works agency if, within 14 days after the date on which the certified copy of the decision of the Wisconsin works agency is mailed, the applicant or participant petitions the department for a review of that decision.
49.138 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
DWD 16, Wis. adm. code.
49.141
49.141
Wisconsin works; general provisions. 49.141(1)(a)
(a) "Community service job" means a work component of Wisconsin works administered under
s. 49.147 (4).
49.141(1)(b)
(b) "Custodial parent" means, with respect to a dependent child, a parent who resides with that child and, if there has been a determination of legal custody with respect to the dependent child, has legal custody of that child. For the purposes of this paragraph, "legal custody" has the meaning given in
s. 767.001 (2) (a).
49.141(1)(c)
(c) "Dependent child" means a person who resides with a parent and who is under the age of 18 or, if the person is a full-time student at a secondary school or a vocational or technical equivalent and is reasonably expected to complete the program before attaining the age of 19, is under the age of 19.
49.141(1)(d)
(d) "Financial and employment planner" means a caseworker employed by a Wisconsin works agency who provides financial or employment counseling services to a participant.
49.141(1)(g)
(g) "Minimum wage" means the state minimum hourly wage under
ch. 104 or the federal minimum hourly wage under
29 USC 206 (a) (1), whichever is applicable.
49.141(1)(h)
(h) "Noncustodial parent" means, with respect to a dependent child, a parent who is not the custodial parent.
49.141(1)(i)
(i) "Nonmarital coparent" means, with respect to an individual and a dependent child, a parent who is not married to the individual, resides with the dependent child and is either an adjudicated parent or a parent who has signed and filed with the state registrar under
s. 69.15 (3) (b) 3. a statement acknowledging paternity.
49.141(1)(j)2.
2. A person who has consented to the artificial insemination of his wife under
s. 891.40.
49.141(1)(j)4.
4. A man adjudged in a judicial proceeding to be the biological father of a child if the child is a nonmarital child who is not adopted or whose parents do not subsequently intermarry under
s. 767.60.
49.141(1)(k)
(k) "Participant" means an individual who participates in any component of the Wisconsin works program.
49.141(1)(m)
(m) "Transitional placement" means a work component of Wisconsin works administered under
s. 49.147 (5).
49.141(1)(p)
(p) "Wisconsin works" means the assistance program for families with dependent children, administered under
ss. 49.141 to
49.161.
49.141(1)(s)
(s) "Wisconsin works group" means an individual who is a custodial parent, all dependent children with respect to whom the individual is a custodial parent and all dependent children with respect to whom the individual's dependent child is a custodial parent. "Wisconsin works group" includes any nonmarital coparent or any spouse of the individual who resides in the same household as the individual and any dependent children with respect to whom the spouse or nonmarital coparent is a custodial parent. "Wisconsin works group" does not include any person who is receiving benefits under
s. 49.027 (3) (b).
49.141(3)
(3) Applications. Any individual may apply for any component of Wisconsin works. Application for each component of Wisconsin works shall be made on a form prescribed by the department. The individual shall submit a completed application form to a Wisconsin works agency in the geographical area specified by the department under
s. 49.143 (6) in which the individual lives and in the manner prescribed by the department.
49.141(4)
(4) Nonentitlement. Notwithstanding fulfillment of the eligibility requirements for any component of Wisconsin works, an individual is not entitled to services or benefits under Wisconsin works.
49.141(5)(am)(am) No Wisconsin works employment position may be operated so as to do any of the following:
49.141(5)(am)1.
1. Have the effect of filling a vacancy created by an employer terminating a regular employee or otherwise reducing its work force for the purpose of hiring an individual under
s. 49.147 (3),
(4) or
(5).
49.141(5)(am)2.
2. Fill a position when any other person is on layoff or strike from the same or a substantially equivalent job within the same organizational unit.
49.141(5)(am)3.
3. Fill a position when any other person is engaged in a labor dispute regarding the same or a substantially equivalent job within the same organizational unit.