48.975(5)(c)
(c) A rule defining the substantial change in circumstances under which adoptive or proposed adoptive parents may request that an agreement made under
sub. (4) be amended to increase the amount of adoption assistance for maintenance. The definition shall include all of the following:
48.975(5)(c)1.
1. Situations in which a child who was defined as a child with special needs based solely on being at high risk of developing moderate or intensive difficulty-of-care problems has developed those problems.
48.975(5)(c)2.
2. Situations in which a child's difficulty-of-care problems have increased from the moderate level to the intensive level as set forth in the department's schedule of difficulty-of-care levels promulgated by rule.
48.975(5)(d)
(d) Rules establishing requirements for submitting a request under
sub. (4) (b), criteria for determining the amount of the increase in adoption assistance for maintenance that the department shall offer if there has been a substantial change in circumstances and if there has been no substantiated report of abuse or neglect of the child by the adoptive or proposed adoptive parents, and the procedure to appeal the decision of the department regarding the request.
48.975(5)(dm)
(dm) Rules establishing the criteria for determining the amount of the decrease in adoption assistance for maintenance that the department shall offer under
sub. (4) (bm) if a substantial change in circumstances no longer exists and the procedure to appeal the decision of the department regarding the decrease. The criteria shall provide that the amount of the decrease offered by the department under
sub. (4) (bm) may not result in an amount of adoption assistance for maintenance that is less than the initial amount of adoption assistance for maintenance provided for the child under
sub. (3) (a) 1.,
2. or
3.
48.975(5)(e)
(e) A rule regarding when a child must be photolisted with the adoption information exchange under
s. 48.55 in order to be eligible for adoption assistance. The rule may not require photolisting under any circumstances in which photolisting is not required by federal statutes, regulations or guidelines as a prerequisite for the state to receive federal matching funds for adoption assistance.
48.975 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
HFS 50, Wis. adm. code.
48.977
48.977
Appointment of guardians for certain children in need of protection or services. 48.977(2)
(2)
Type of guardianship. This section may be used for the appointment of a guardian of the person for a child if the court finds all of the following:
48.977(2)(a)
(a) That the child has been adjudged to be in need of protection or services under
s. 48.13 (1),
(2),
(3),
(3m),
(4),
(5),
(8),
(9),
(10),
(10m),
(11), or
(11m) or
938.13 (4) and been placed, or continued in a placement, outside of his or her home pursuant to one or more court orders under
s. 48.345,
48.357,
48.363,
48.365,
938.345,
938.357,
938.363, or
938.365 or that the child has been so adjudged and placement of the child in the home of a guardian under this section has been recommended under
s. 48.33 (1) or
938.33 (1).
48.977(2)(b)
(b) That the person nominated as the guardian of the child is a person with whom the child has been placed or in whose home placement of the child is recommended under
par. (a) and that it is likely that the child will continue to be placed with that person for an extended period of time or until the child attains the age of 18 years.
48.977(2)(c)
(c) That, if appointed, it is likely that the person would be willing and able to serve as the child's guardian for an extended period of time or until the child attains the age of 18 years.
48.977(2)(d)
(d) That it is not in the best interests of the child that a petition to terminate parental rights be filed with respect to the child.
48.977(2)(e)
(e) That the child's parent is neglecting, refusing or unable to carry out the duties of a guardian or, if the child has 2 parents, both parents are neglecting, refusing or unable to carry out the duties of a guardian.
48.977(2)(f)
(f) That the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the child under a court order has made reasonable efforts to make it possible for the child to return to his or her home, while assuring that the child's health and safety are the paramount concerns, but that reunification of the child with the child's parent or parents is unlikely or contrary to the best interests of the child and that further reunification efforts are unlikely to be made or are contrary to the best interests of the child or that the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the child under a court order has made reasonable efforts to prevent the removal of the child from his or her home, while assuring the child's health and safety, but that continued placement of the child in the home would be contrary to the welfare of the child, except that the court is not required to find that the agency has made those reasonable efforts with respect to a parent of the child if any of the circumstances specified in
s. 48.355 (2d) (b) 1. to
5. applies to that parent. The court shall make the findings specified in this paragraph on a case-by-case basis based on circumstances specific to the child and shall document or reference the specific information on which those findings are based in the guardianship order. A guardianship order that merely references this paragraph without documenting or referencing that specific information in the order or an amended guardianship order that retroactively corrects an earlier guardianship order that does not comply with this paragraph is not sufficient to comply with this paragraph.
48.977(3)
(3) Designation as a permanent placement. If a court appoints a guardian for a child under
sub. (2), the court may designate the child's placement with that guardian as the child's permanent foster placement, but only for purposes of
s. 48.368 (2) or
938.368 (2).
48.977(3r)
(3r) Subsidized guardianship. Subject to
s. 48.62 (5) (d), if a county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department has determined under
s. 48.62 (5) (a) 2. that appointing a guardian under
sub. (2) for a child who does not meet the conditions specified under
s. 48.62 (5) (a) 1. and providing monthly subsidized guardianship payments to the guardian are in the best interests of the child, the petitioner under
sub. (4) (a) shall include in the petition under
sub. (4) (b) a statement of that determination and a request for the court to include in the court's findings under
sub. (4) (d) a finding confirming that determination. If the court confirms that determination and appoints a guardian for the child under
sub. (2), the county department or department shall provide monthly subsidized guardianship payments to the guardian under
s. 48.62 (5).
48.977(4)(a)(a)
Who may file petition. Any of the following persons may file a petition for the appointment of a guardian for a child under
sub. (2):
48.977(4)(a)1.
1. The child or the child's guardian or legal custodian.
48.977(4)(a)4.
4. The person with whom the child is placed or in whose home placement of the child is recommended as described in
sub. (2) (a), if the person is nominated as the guardian of the child in the petition.
48.977(4)(a)6.
6. A county department under
s. 46.22 or
46.23 or, if the child has been placed pursuant to an order under
ch. 938 or the child's placement with the guardian is recommended under
ch. 938, a county department under
s. 46.215,
46.22, or
46.23.
48.977(4)(a)7.
7. A licensed child welfare agency that has been assigned primary responsibility for providing services to the child under a court order.
48.977(4)(b)
(b) Contents of petition. A proceeding for the appointment of a guardian for a child under
sub. (2) shall be initiated by a petition which shall be entitled "In the interest of .... (child's name), a person under the age of 18" and shall set forth all of the following with specificity: