49.134(2)
(2) Resource and referral service grants. 49.134(2)(a)(a) From the allocation under
s. 49.155 (1g), the department shall make grants to local agencies to fund child care resource and referral services provided by those local agencies. The department shall provide an allocation formula to determine the amount of a grant awarded under this section.
49.134(2)(c)
(c) A local agency that is awarded a grant under this section shall contribute matching funds equal to 25% of the amount awarded under this section. The match may be in the form of money or in-kind goods or services, or both.
49.134(2)(d)
(d) The department may award a grant under this section to a local agency only if that local agency meets any of the following requirements:
49.134(2)(d)1.
1. The local agency is solely in the business of providing child care resource and referral services.
49.134(2)(d)2.
2. If the local agency provides services, or is affiliated with a person who provides services, other than child care resource and referral services, the local agency, or the person with whom the local agency is affiliated, is not a provider of child care services or of early childhood education services and the local agency has an advisory committee to provide oversight for the portion of the local agency's services that are child care resource and referral services.
49.134(3)(a)(a) A local agency that is awarded a grant under this section may use the funds to provide any of the following services:
49.134(3)(a)1.
1. Technical assistance and support to child care providers.
49.134(3)(a)2.
2. Recruitment of child care providers in areas of need.
49.134(3)(a)3.
3. Information on the child care service options that are available in the community served by the local agency.
49.134(3)(a)4.
4. A data resource file that identifies the child care service options that are available in the community served by the local agency and that documents the requests and needs of parents in that community for child care services.
49.134(3)(a)5.
5. Programs or information on continuing education and training for child care providers.
49.134(3)(a)6.
6. Any other information regarding the availability and quality of child care services in the community served by the local agency.
49.134(3)(b)
(b) A local agency that is awarded a grant under this section may not use the funds to supplant any other funds that the local agency uses to provide child care resource and referral services at the time of the awarding of the grant.
49.134(4)
(4) Department responsibilities. The department shall do all of the following:
49.134(4)(a)
(a) Administer, or contract for the administration of, the grant program under this section, provide an application procedure for that program and disburse funds awarded under that program.
49.134(4)(b)
(b) Provide consultation and technical assistance to local agencies in the preparation of grant applications and the operation of child care resource and referral services programs funded under this section.
49.134(4)(c)
(c) Monitor the child care resource and referral services provided by a grant recipient.
49.136
49.136
Child care start-up and expansion. 49.136(1)(ad)
(ad) "Child care center" means a facility operated by a child care provider that provides care and supervision for 4 or more children under 7 years of age for less than 24 hours a day.
49.136(1)(am)
(am) "Child care program" means a program established and provided by a school board under
s. 120.13 (14) or purchased by a school board from a provider licensed under
s. 48.65, which combines care for a child who resides with a student parent who is a parent of that child with parenting education and experience for that student parent.
49.136(1)(g)
(g) "Employer" means a person who engages the services of an employee, and includes the state, its political subdivisions and any office, department, independent agency, authority, institution, association, society or other body in state or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the courts and the legislature.
49.136(1)(j)
(j) "Family child care center" means a child care center that provides care and supervision for not less than 4 nor more than 8 children.
49.136(1)(k)
(k) "Group child care center" means a child care center that provides care and supervision for 9 or more children.
49.136(1)(m)
(m) "Parent" means a parent, guardian, foster parent, legal custodian, or a person acting in the place of a parent.
49.136(1)(n)
(n) "Student parent" means a pupil who is enrolled in a middle school, junior high school or senior high school and who is a parent.
49.136(2)(a)(a) From the allocation under
s. 49.155 (1g), the department may award grants for the start-up or expansion of child care services.
49.136(2)(b)
(b) If the department awards grants under this section, the department shall attempt to award the grants to head start agencies designated under
42 USC 9836, employers that provide or wish to provide child care services for their employees, family child care centers, group child care centers and child care programs for the children of student parents, organizations that provide child care for sick children, and child care providers that employ participants or former participants in a Wisconsin Works employment position under
s. 49.147 (3) to
(5).
49.136(2)(cm)
(cm) A person who 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.
49.136(6)
(6) 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.
49.136(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), 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), 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), 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 payment 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. From the allocation under
s. 49.155 (1g), 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.
DCF 203 and
204, 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 amounts of aid to be granted. The department need not establish the maximum amounts by rule under
ch. 227. The department shall publish the maximum amounts in the Wisconsin administrative register if the department does not establish the maximum amounts by rule. Emergency assistance provided to needy persons under this section 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. 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(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:
