DCF 57.14(4)(a)2.b. b. Participate in developing, reviewing, and updating resident assessments and treatment planning.

DCF 57.14(4)(a)2.c. c. Provide technical assistance to the resident care staff and agencies.

DCF 57.14(4)(a)2.d. d. Periodically review and update group home policies and procedures.

DCF 57.14 Note Note: A sponsoring agency is defined in s. DCF 57.04 (39) to mean a child welfare agency licensed to place children in group homes; county agency specified in ch. 48.56 (1), Stats.; or the department, which enters into a written contract with the licensee.

DCF 57.14(4)(b) (b) Group home manager. A licensee shall staff each group home with a group home manager who oversees the day-to-day operations of the group home. The group home manager shall have the qualifications specified in par. (c). A group home manager may also function as the program director if the group home manager meets the requirements specified in par. (a).

DCF 57.14(4)(c) (c) Resident care staff. A licensee shall staff each group home with resident care staff in numbers sufficient to meet the staff to resident ratios specified in ss. DCF 57.21 and 57.36 (5) and for any off-premise activities. Resident care staff shall be responsible for the daily supervision of residents and direct care to residents to ensure their safety and well-being. Resident care staff shall have at least one of the following qualifications:

DCF 57.14(4)(c)1. 1. A bachelor or associate degree from a college or university in any one of the majors specified in sub. (2).

DCF 57.14(4)(c)2. 2. At least one year of full-time experience working in a formal program with the type of resident population served by the group home.

DCF 57.14(4)(c)3. 3. Certification as a child and youth care worker under the standards of the Wisconsin Association of Child and Youth Care Professionals or other department-recognized certifying authority.

DCF 57.14 Note Note: A copy of the standards of the Wisconsin Association of Child and Youth Care Professionals can be obtained from http://www.wacycp.org or by contacting WACYCP at 161 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202; telephone [phone]. Information regarding other recognized certifying authorities may be obtained by contacting any field office listed in Appendix A.

DCF 57.14(4)(c)4. 4. Completion of a traineeship program in which the resident care staff has worked with qualified, experienced resident care staff for at least the first 80 hours of employment and received orientation training as specified under s. DCF 57.16 (1), before working independently with residents.

DCF 57.14(4m) (4m) Automated external defibrillator training. All staff members of a group home who provide care for the residents of the group home shall have 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 57.14(5) (5) Relief help. The licensee may use relief help to temporarily provide care and supervise residents when the number of resident care staff is not sufficient to meet the staff to resident ratios specified under s. DCF 57.21 or 57.36 (5).

DCF 57.14(6) (6) Volunteers. Each volunteer used by the group home shall be supervised by a staff member. Before a volunteer may begin performing activities, the licensee shall do all of the following:

DCF 57.14(6)(a) (a) Orient the volunteer to the activities that the volunteer may perform as specified in the group home’s personnel policies and procedures.

DCF 57.14(6)(b) (b) Provide each volunteer with the confidentiality requirements specified under s. DCF 57.39 and the child abuse and neglect reporting requirements specified under s. DCF 57.18 (1).

DCF 57.14 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; corrections in (4) (c) (intro.), 4., (5) and (6) (b) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; EmR1106: emerg. am. (4) (a), (b), (c) (intro.), cr. (4m), eff. 9-16-11; CR 11-026: am. (4) (a), (b), (c) (intro.), cr. (4m) Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12; EmR1414: emerg. renum. (2) (intro.) to (2) (a), (b) and am., renum. (2) (a) to (g) to (2) (b) 1. to 7., cr. (2) (c), am. (4) (a) 1., eff. 8-1-14; CR 14-054: renum. (2) (intro.) to (2) (a), (b) and am., renum. (2) (a) to (g) to (2) (b) 1. to 7., cr. (2) (c), am. (4) (a) 1. Register April 2015 No. 712, eff. 5-1-15.

DCF 57.15 DCF 57.15 Hiring and employment.

DCF 57.15(1) (1) In this section a “physician’s assistant” has the meaning in s. 448.971 (2), Stats.

DCF 57.15(2) (2) Before an applicant begins employment, the licensee shall do all of the following:

DCF 57.15(2)(a) (a) Conduct and document a caregiver background check pursuant to s. 48.685, Stats., and ch. DCF 12, on each applicant.

DCF 57.15 Note Note: DCF-F-2978-E, Background Information Disclosure, is available in the forms section of the department website, http://dcf.wisconsin.gov or by calling or writing any field office in Appendix A.

DCF 57.15(2)(b) (b) Obtain favorable references from at least 3 non-relatives, with documentation by letter from the reference or by documentation in the record of verbal contact with a reference. Documentation shall include the date contact was made, the name of the individual conducting the reference, the name of the individual contacted, and a summary of the response.

DCF 57.15(2)(c) (c) Upon hire and before working with residents, require each staff member, except relief help to have a tuberculosis test and provide certification from a physician, physician assistant, or a HealthCheck provider that the staff member meets the minimum physical requirements of the position and that the staff member is in general good health.

DCF 57.15 Note Note: A HealthCheck form may be obtained by contacting the local public health department. Physical examination report forms can be obtained by contacting the field office listed in Appendix A.

DCF 57.15(2)(d) (d) Make a determination of whether the applicant is fit and qualified.

DCF 57.15 Note Note: The term “fit and qualified” is defined in s. DCF 57.04 (15) to mean a person who displays the capacity to successfully nurture and care for children and who does not have a history of a civil action or criminal conviction or administrative rule violation that substantially relates to the care of a child, or who exercises unsound judgment or who abuses alcohol or drugs. For help in determining whether a civil action, criminal conviction, or administrative rule violation substantially relates to the care of children, consult s. DCF 12.06.

DCF 57.15(2)(e) (e) Nothing in this section requires a licensee to hire an applicant for employment or to retain any staff member.

DCF 57.15(3) (3) The licensee shall require each staff member to complete a background information disclosure form and shall conduct a caregiver background check on each staff member every 4 years or at any time within that period.