48.561(2) (2) The department shall employ personnel in a county having a population of 500,000 or more who devote all of their time directly or indirectly to child welfare services. Whenever possible, these personnel shall be social workers certified under ch. 457.

48.561(3)(a)(a) A county having a population of 500,000 or more shall contribute $58,893,500 in each state fiscal year for the provision of child welfare services in that county by the department.

48.561(3)(b) (b) The department of administration and a county having a population of 500,000 or more shall consult to determine the method by which the state will collect the amount specified in par. (a). If the department of administration and a county having a population of 500,000 or more reach an agreement as to that method and if that agreement calls for deducting all or part of that amount from any state payment due that county under s. 79.03, 79.04, 79.058, 79.06 or 79.08 or for adding a special charge to the amount of taxes apportioned to and levied on that county under s. 70.60, the department of administration shall notify the department of revenue, by September 15 of each year, of the amount to be deducted from those state payments due or to be added as that special charge. If the department of administration and a county having a population of 500,000 or more do not reach an agreement as to that method by September 15 of each year, the department of administration shall determine that method without the agreement of that county. The department of administration shall credit all amounts collected under this paragraph to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (3) (kw) and shall notify the county from which those amounts are collected of that collection.

48.57(1) (1) Each county department shall administer and expend such amounts as may be necessary out of any moneys which may be appropriated for child welfare purposes by the county board of supervisors or by the legislature, which may be donated by individuals or private organizations or which may be otherwise provided. The department shall have the authority specified in s. 48.48 (17). A county department shall have the authority:

48.57(1)(a) (a) To investigate the conditions surrounding nonmarital children, children in need of protection or services, including developmentally disabled children, and unborn children in need of protection or services within the county and to take every reasonable action within its power to secure for them the full benefit of all laws enacted for their benefit. Unless provided by another agency, the county department shall offer social services to the caretaker of any child, and to the expectant mother of any unborn child, who is referred to it under the conditions specified in this paragraph. This duty shall be discharged in cooperation with the court and with the public officers or boards legally responsible for the administration and enforcement of those laws.

48.57(1)(b) (b) To accept legal custody of children transferred to it by the court under s. 48.355, to accept supervision over expectant mothers of unborn children who are placed under its supervision under s. 48.355 and to provide special treatment and care for children and expectant mothers if ordered by the court. A court may not order a county department to administer psychotropic medications to children and expectant mothers who receive special treatment or care under this paragraph.

48.57(1)(c) (c) To provide appropriate protection and services for children and the expectant mothers of unborn children in its care, including providing services for those children and their families and for those expectant mothers in their own homes, placing those children in licensed foster homes, treatment foster homes or group homes in this state or another state within a reasonable proximity to the agency with legal custody or contracting for services for those children by licensed child welfare agencies, except that the county department may not purchase the educational component of private day treatment programs unless the county department, the school board as defined in s. 115.001 (7) and the state superintendent of public instruction all determine that an appropriate public education program is not available. Disputes between the county department and the school district shall be resolved by the state superintendent of public instruction.

48.57(1)(d) (d) To provide for the moral and religious training of children in its care according to the religious belief of the child or of his or her parents.

48.57(1)(e) (e) If a county department in a county with a population of 500,000 or more and if contracted to do so by the department, to place children in a county children's home in the county under policies adopted by the county board of supervisors, to accept guardianship of children when appointed by the court and to place children under its guardianship for adoption.

48.57(1)(f) (f) To provide services to the court under s. 48.06.

48.57(1)(g) (g) Upon request of the department of health and family services or the department of corrections, to provide service for any child or expectant mother of an unborn child in the care of those departments.

48.57(1)(h) (h) To contract with any parent or guardian or other person for the care and maintenance of any child.

48.57(1)(hm) (hm) If a county department in a county with a population of less than 500,000, to accept guardianship, when appointed by the court, of a child whom the county department has placed in a foster home or treatment foster home under a court order or voluntary agreement under s. 48.63 and to place that child under its guardianship for adoption by the foster parent or treatment foster parent.