Chapter 938

938.57 938.57 Powers and duties of county departments providing juvenile welfare services.

938.57(1) (1) County department duties; powers. Each county department shall administer and expend such amounts as may be necessary out of any moneys which may be appropriated for juvenile welfare purposes by the county board of supervisors or donated by individuals or private organizations. A county department may do any of the following:

938.57(1)(a) (a) Investigate the conditions surrounding delinquent juveniles and juveniles in need of protection or services within the county and 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 juvenile 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 these laws.

938.57(1)(b) (b) Accept legal custody or supervision of juveniles transferred to it by the court under s. 938.355 and provide special treatment or care if ordered by the court. Except as provided in s. 938.505 (2), a court may not order a county department to administer psychotropic medications to juveniles who receive special treatment or care.

938.57(1)(c) (c) Provide appropriate protection and services for juveniles in its care, including providing services for juveniles and their families in their own homes, placing the juveniles in licensed foster homes or licensed group homes in this state or another state within a reasonable proximity to the agency with legal custody, placing the juveniles in the homes of guardians under s. 48.977 (2), contracting for services for them by licensed child welfare agencies, or replacing them in juvenile correctional facilities or secured residential care centers for children and youth in accordance with rules promulgated under ch. 227, 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 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.

938.57(1)(cm) (cm) Provide appropriate services for juveniles who are referred to the county department by a municipal court, except that if the funding, staffing, or other resources of the county department for juvenile welfare services are insufficient to meet the needs of all juveniles who are eligible to receive services from the county department, the county department shall give first priority to juveniles who are referred to it by the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and ch. 48.

938.57(1)(d) (d) Provide for the moral and religious training of juveniles in its care according to the religious beliefs of the juvenile or of his or her parents.

938.57(1)(f) (f) Provide services to the court under s. 938.06.

938.57(1)(g) (g) Upon request of the department of corrections, provide service for any juvenile in the care of that department.

938.57(1)(h) (h) Contract with any parent or guardian or other person for the care and maintenance of any juvenile.

938.57(2) (2) Assistance from private individuals and organizations. In performing the functions under sub. (1), the county department may accept the assistance of an individual or private agency or organization interested in the social welfare of juveniles in the county.

938.57(2m) (2m) Notice of change of county of residence. A county department, as soon as practicable after learning that a person who is receiving juvenile welfare services under sub. (1) from the county department has changed his or her county of residence, shall provide notice of that change to the county department of the person’s new county of residence. The notice shall include a brief, written description of the services offered or provided to the person by the county department and the name, telephone number, and address of a person to contact for more information.

938.57(3) (3) Continuing maintenance for juveniles over 17.

938.57(3)(a) (a) From the reimbursement received under s. 48.569 (1) (d), counties may provide funding for the maintenance of any juvenile who meets all of the following qualifications:

938.57(3)(a)1. 1. Is 17 years of age or older.

938.57(3)(a)2. 2. Is enrolled in and regularly attending a secondary education classroom program leading to a high school diploma.

938.57(3)(a)3. 3. Received funding under s. 48.569 (1) (d) immediately prior to his or her 17th birthday.

938.57(3)(a)4. 4. Is living in a foster home, group home, residential care center for children and youth, or subsidized guardianship home or in a supervised independent living arrangement.

938.57(3)(b) (b) The funding provided for the maintenance of a juvenile under par. (a) shall be in an amount equal to that which the juvenile would receive under s. 48.569 (1) (d) if the juvenile were 16 years of age.

938.57(4) (4) Aftercare supervision. A county department may provide aftercare supervision under s. 938.34 (4n) for juveniles who are released from juvenile correctional facilities or secured residential care centers for children and youth.

938.57 History History: 1995 a. 77; 1997 a. 27, 35; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 38, 59; 2005 a. 25, 293, 344; 2007 a. 20, 97; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 334; 2015 a. 55; 2019 a. 8; 2021 a. 239 s. 74.

938.59 938.59 Examination and records.

938.59(1) (1) Investigation and examination. The county department shall investigate the personal and family history and environment of any juvenile transferred to its legal custody or placed under its supervision under s. 938.34 (2), (4d), (4m), or (4n) and make any physical or mental examinations of the juvenile considered necessary to determine the type of care necessary for the juvenile. The county department shall screen a juvenile who is examined to determine whether the juvenile is in need of special treatment or care because of alcohol or other drug abuse, mental illness, or severe emotional disturbance. The county department shall keep a complete record of the information received from the court, the date of reception, all available data on the personal and family history of the juvenile, the results of all tests and examinations given the juvenile, and a complete history of all placements of the juvenile while in the legal custody or under the supervision of the county department.

938.59(2) (2) Report to the department. At the department’s request, the county department shall report to the department regarding juveniles in the legal custody or under the supervision of the county department.

938.59 History History: 1995 a. 77, 352; 2005 a. 344; 2017 a. 185.

938.595 938.595 Duration of control of county departments over delinquents. A juvenile who has been adjudged delinquent and placed under the supervision of a county department under s. 938.34 (2), (4d), (4m), or (4n) shall be discharged as soon as the county department determines that there is a reasonable probability that it is no longer necessary either for the rehabilitation and treatment of the juvenile or for the protection of the public that the county department retain supervision.

938.595 History History: 1995 a. 77, 352; 2013 a. 334; 2017 a. 185.

subch. XVII of ch. 938 SUBCHAPTER XVII

GENERAL PROVISIONS ON RECORDS

938.78 938.78 Confidentiality of records.

938.78(1) (1) Definition. In this section, unless otherwise qualified, “agency” means the department of children and families, the department of corrections, a county department, or a licensed child welfare agency.

938.78(2) (2) Confidentiality; exceptions.

938.78(2)(a) (a) No agency may make available for inspection or disclose the contents of any record kept or information received about an individual who is or was in its care or legal custody, except as provided under sub. (2m) or (3) or s. 48.396 (3) (bm) or (c) 1r., 938.371, 938.38 (5) (b) or (d) or (5m) (d), 938.396 (2m) (c) 1r., 938.51, or 938.57 (2m) or by order of the court.

938.78(2)(ag) (ag) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from making available for inspection or disclosing the contents of a record, upon the request of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the juvenile who is the subject of the record or upon the request of the juvenile, if 14 years of age or older, to the parent, guardian, legal custodian, or juvenile, unless the agency finds that inspection of the record by the juvenile, parent, guardian, or legal custodian would result in imminent danger to anyone.

938.78(2)(am) (am) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from making available for inspection or disclosing the contents of a record, upon the written permission of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the juvenile who is the subject of the record or upon the written permission of the juvenile, if 14 years of age or older, to the person named in the permission if the parent, guardian, legal custodian, or juvenile specifically identifies the record in the written permission, unless the agency determines that inspection of the record by the person named in the permission would result in imminent danger to anyone.

938.78(2)(b) (b)

938.78(2)(b)1. 1. Paragraph (a) does not apply to the confidential exchange of information between an agency and another agency, a social welfare agency, a law enforcement agency, the victim-witness coordinator, a fire investigator under s. 165.55 (15), a health care provider, as defined in s. 146.81 (1) (a) to (p), a public school district or a private school regarding an individual in the care or legal custody of the agency. A social welfare agency that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as required under this section and s. 48.78. A law enforcement agency, victim-witness coordinator, or fire investigator, that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as required under ss. 48.396 (1) and 938.396 (1). A health care provider that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as provided under s. 146.82. A public school that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as required under s. 118.125, and a private school that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential in the same manner as is required of a public school under s. 118.125. Paragraph (a) does not apply to the confidential exchange of information between an agency and officials of a tribal school regarding an individual in the care or legal custody of the agency if the agency determines that enforceable protections are provided by a tribal school policy or tribal law that requires tribal school officials to keep the information confidential in a manner at least as stringent as is required of a public school official under s. 118.125.

938.78(2)(b)1m. 1m. An agency may enter into an interagency agreement with a school board, a private school, a tribal school, a law enforcement agency, or another social welfare agency providing for the routine disclosure of information under subd. 1. to the school board, private school, tribal school, law enforcement agency, or other social welfare agency.

938.78(2)(b)2. 2. On petition of an agency to review pupil records, as defined in s. 118.125 (1) (d), other than pupil records that may be disclosed without court order under s. 118.125 (2) or (2m), for the purpose of providing treatment or care for an individual in the care or legal custody of the agency, the court may order the school board of the school district, or the governing body of the private school, in which an individual is enrolled to disclose to the agency the pupil records of the individual as necessary for the agency to provide that treatment or care. The court may request the governing body of the tribal school in which an individual is enrolled to disclose to the agency the pupil records of the individual as necessary for the agency to provide that treatment or care. The agency may use the pupil records only for the purpose of providing treatment or care and may make the pupil records available only to employees of the agency who are providing treatment or care for the individual.

938.78(2)(d) (d) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the department of health services or a county department from disclosing information about an individual formerly in the legal custody or under the supervision of that department under s. 48.34 (4m), 1993 stats., or formerly under the supervision of that department or county department under s. 48.34 (4n), 1993 stats., or s. 938.34 (4d) or (4n) to the department of corrections, if the individual is at the time of disclosure any of the following:

938.78(2)(d)1. 1. The subject of a presentence investigation under s. 972.15.

938.78(2)(d)2. 2. Under sentence to the Wisconsin state prisons under s. 973.15.

938.78(2)(d)3. 3. Subject to an order under s. 938.183 and placed in a state prison under s. 938.183.

938.78(2)(d)4. 4. On probation to the department of corrections under s. 973.09.

938.78(2)(d)5. 5. On parole under s. 302.11 or ch. 304 or on extended supervision under s. 302.113 or 302.114.

938.78(2)(e) (e) Notwithstanding par. (a), an agency shall, upon request, disclose information to authorized representatives of the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of justice, or a district attorney for use in the prosecution of any proceeding or any evaluation conducted under ch. 980, if the information involves or relates to an individual who is the subject of the proceeding or evaluation. The court in which the proceeding under ch. 980 is pending may issue any protective orders that it determines are appropriate concerning information disclosed under this paragraph. Any representative of the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of justice, or a district attorney may disclose information obtained under this paragraph for any purpose consistent with any proceeding under ch. 980.

938.78(2)(g) (g) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from disclosing information about an individual in its care or legal custody on the written request of the department of safety and professional services or of any interested examining board or affiliated credentialing board in that department for use in any investigation or proceeding relating to any alleged misconduct by any person who is credentialed or who is seeking credentialing under ch. 448, 455 or 457. Unless authorized by an order of the court, the department of safety and professional services and any examining board or affiliated credentialing board in that department shall keep confidential any information obtained under this paragraph and may not disclose the name of or any other identifying information about the individual who is the subject of the information disclosed, except to the extent that redisclosure of that information is necessary for the conduct of the investigation or proceeding for which that information was obtained.

938.78(2)(h) (h) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the department of children and families, a county department, or a licensed child welfare agency from entering the content of any record kept or information received by that department, county department, or licensed child welfare agency into the statewide automated child welfare information system established under s. 48.47 (7g) or the department of children and families from transferring any information maintained in that system to the court under s. 48.396 (3) (bm). If the department of children and families transfers that information to the court, the court and the director of state courts may allow access to that information as provided in s. 48.396 (3) (c) 2.

938.78(2)(i) (i) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from disclosing information to a relative of a juvenile placed outside of his or her home only to the extent necessary to facilitate the establishment of a relationship between the juvenile and the relative or a placement of the juvenile with the relative or from disclosing information under s. 938.21 (5) (e), 938.355 (2) (cm), or 938.357 (2v) (d). In this paragraph, “relative” includes a relative whose relationship is derived through a parent of the juvenile whose parental rights are terminated.

938.78(2)(L) (L)

938.78(2)(L)1. 1. In this paragraph, “qualified independent researcher” means a faculty member of a university who satisfies all of the following:

938.78(2)(L)1.a. a. The faculty member has an approved protocol from an institutional review board for human subjects research to work with data containing personal information for the purposes of evaluating the program under s. 119.23.

938.78(2)(L)1.b. b. The faculty member has received from the state and properly managed data containing personal information for the purposes of evaluating the program under s. 119.23 before January 1, 2016.

938.78(2)(L)2. 2. Notwithstanding par. (a), the department of children and families shall permit a qualified independent researcher to have access to any database maintained by the department of children and families for the purpose of cross-matching information contained in any such database with a database that both is in the possession of the qualified independent researcher and contains information regarding pupils participating in the program under s. 119.23. The department of children and families may charge a fee to the qualified independent researcher for the information that does not exceed the cost incurred by the department of children and families to provide the information.

938.78(2m) (2m) Release of information when juvenile is missing.

938.78(2m)(a) (a) If an agency that has responsibility for the placement, care, or supervision of a juvenile, as determined by the department of children and families under par. (d), determines that the juvenile is missing, the agency shall do all of the following:

938.78(2m)(a)1. 1. Within 8 hours after making that determination, report that determination to a local law enforcement agency for entry of that information into the national crime information databases, as defined in 28 USC 534 (f) (3) (A).

938.78(2m)(a)2. 2. Within 24 hours after making that determination, report that determination to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

938.78(2m)(a)3. 3. Share information about a missing juvenile reported under subds. 1. and 2. with law enforcement agencies, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and other agencies that are involved in efforts to locate the missing juvenile.

938.78(2m)(b) (b) An agency that has responsibility for the placement, care, or supervision of a juvenile may photograph the juvenile and maintain the photograph in the statewide automated child welfare information system. A report under par. (a) 1. or 2. shall be accompanied by a recent photograph of the missing juvenile, if available.

938.78(2m)(c) (c) If permitted under s. 48.47 (7g), an agency may use the statewide automated child welfare information system to provide electronic information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children under par. (a) 2. or 3.

938.78(2m)(d) (d) The department of children and families shall provide guidance to agencies as to the scope of the juveniles to whom this subsection applies. Notwithstanding s. 227.10 (1), that guidance need not be promulgated as rules.

938.78(2m)(e) (e) The department of children and families, the department of corrections, and the department of health services may promulgate rules to implement this subsection.

938.78(3) (3) Release of information when escape or absence; rules. If a juvenile adjudged delinquent under s. 48.12, 1993 stats., or s. 938.12 or found to be in need of protection or services under s. 48.13 (12) or (14), 1993 stats., or s. 938.13 (12) or (14) on the basis of a violation of s. 943.23 (1m) or (1r), 1999 stats., or s. 943.23 (1g), 2021 stats., or s. 941.10, 941.11, 941.20, 941.21, 941.23, 941.231, 941.235, 941.237, 941.26, 941.28, 941.295, 941.298, 941.30, 941.31, 941.32, 941.325, 943.02, 943.03, 943.04, 943.10 (2) (a), 943.231 (1), 943.32 (2), 948.02, 948.025, 948.03, 948.05, 948.055, 948.085 (2), 948.60, 948.605, or 948.61 or any crime specified in ch. 940 has escaped from a juvenile correctional facility, residential care center for children and youth, secured residential care center for children and youth, inpatient facility, as defined in s. 51.01 (10), juvenile detention facility, or juvenile portion of a county jail, or from the custody of a peace officer or a guard of such a facility, center, or jail, or has been allowed to leave a juvenile correctional facility, residential care center for children and youth, secured residential care center for children and youth, inpatient facility, juvenile detention facility, or juvenile portion of a county jail for a specified time period and is absent from the facility, center, home, or jail for more than 12 hours after the expiration of the specified period, the department of corrections or county department, whichever has supervision over the juvenile, may release the juvenile’s name and any information about the juvenile that is necessary for the protection of the public or to secure the juvenile’s return to the facility, center, home, or jail. The department of corrections shall promulgate rules establishing guidelines for the release of the juvenile’s name or information about the juvenile to the public.

938.78 History History: 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19); 1995 a. 77, 230, 352; 1997 a. 205, 207, 283; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 38, 59, 109; 2003 a. 292, 321; 2005 a. 25, 277, 293, 344, 406, 434; 2007 a. 20 ss. 3834, 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 97; 2009 a. 79, 302, 338; 2011 a. 32, 270; 2013 a. 20, 334; 2015 a. 55, 149, 368; 2017 a. 365; 2019 a. 8; 2021 a. 238 s. 45; 2023 a. 10.

938.78 Annotation As a juvenile has a constitutional right to both inspect and reply to a hearing examiner’s report on the revocation of aftercare supervision, s. 48.78 does not prevent a juvenile from having access to the report. State ex rel. R.R. v. Schmidt, 63 Wis. 2d 82, 216 N.W.2d 18 (1974).

938.78 Note NOTE: The above annotation cites to s. 48.78, the predecessor statute to s. 938.78.

938.78 Annotation The juvenile court must make a threshold relevancy determination by an in camera review when confronted with: 1) a discovery request under s. 48.293(2); 2) an inspection request of juvenile records under ss. 48.396 (2) and 938.396 (2); or 3) an inspection request of agency records under ss. 48.78 (2) (a) and 938.78(2) (a). The test for permissible discovery is whether the information sought appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. Courtney F. v. Ramiro M.C., 2004 WI App 36, 269 Wis. 2d 709, 676 N.W.2d 545, 03-3018.

subch. XVIII of ch. 938 SUBCHAPTER XVIII

COMMUNITY SERVICES

938.795 938.795 Powers of the department. The department may do all of the following:

938.795(1) (1) Collect statistics and information. Collect and collaborate with other agencies in collecting statistics and information useful in determining the cause and amount of delinquency and crime in this state or in carrying out the powers and duties of the department relating to delinquency and crime.

938.795(2) (2) Assist communities. Assist communities in their efforts to combat delinquency and social breakdown likely to cause delinquency and crime and assist them in setting up programs for coordinating a total community program relating to delinquency and crime, including the improvement of law enforcement.

938.795(3) (3) Assist schools. Assist schools in extending their particular contribution in identifying and helping juveniles vulnerable to delinquency and crime and in improving school services for all youth.

938.795(4) (4) Enlighten public opinion. Develop and maintain an enlightened public opinion in support of any program to control delinquency and crime.

938.795 History History: 1995 a. 77; 2005 a. 344.

subch. XX of ch. 938 SUBCHAPTER XX

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

938.988 938.988 Interstate placement of juveniles. Sections 48.988 and 48.989 apply to the interstate placement of juveniles, except that s. 48.99, rather than those sections, applies to the interstate placement of juveniles following withdrawal from the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children as described in s. 48.9895.

938.988 History History: 1995 a. 77; 2009 a. 339.

938.999 938.999 Interstate Compact for Juveniles.

938.999(1) (1) Article I — Purpose.

938.999(1)(a) (a) The compacting states to this interstate compact recognize that each state is responsible for the proper supervision or return of juveniles, delinquents, and status offenders who are on probation or parole and who have absconded, escaped, or run away from supervision and control and in so doing have endangered their own safety and the safety of others. The compacting states also recognize that each state is responsible for the safe return of juveniles who have run away from home and in doing so have left their state of residence. The compacting states also recognize that the U.S. Congress, by enacting the Crime Control Act, 4 USC 112, has authorized and encouraged compacts for cooperative efforts and mutual assistance in the prevention of crime.

938.999(1)(b) (b) It is the purpose of this compact, through means of joint and cooperative action among the compacting states, to do all of the following:

938.999(1)(b)1. 1. Ensure that the adjudicated juveniles and status offenders who are subject to this compact are provided with adequate supervision and services in the receiving state as ordered by the adjudicating judge or parole authority in the sending state.

938.999(1)(b)2. 2. Ensure that the public safety interests of the citizens, including the victims of juvenile offenders, in both the sending and receiving states are adequately protected.

938.999(1)(b)3. 3. Return juveniles who have run away, absconded, or escaped from supervision or control or who have been accused of an offense to the state requesting their return.

938.999(1)(b)4. 4. Make contracts for the cooperative institutionalization in public facilities in member states of delinquent youth needing special services.

938.999(1)(b)5. 5. Provide for the effective tracking and supervision of juveniles.