Section 56.15. Supervising agency.

 

(1)   Agency responsibilities.

(a) A supervising agency shall do, or contract for, all of the following for each child in the agency's care:

1. Ensure that every child is assigned a supervising agency caseworker, in coordination with the placing agency, if different.

2. Provide the foster parent with the telephone number of a social worker or supervising agency caseworker who will provide crisis intervention, emergency counseling, and related services on a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week basis for the foster parent.

3. Support and assist the foster parent to effectively fulfill responsibilities in this chapter and to the child's team or treatment team.

4. Notify the clerk of the school district in which a foster home is located when a school-age child is placed in that foster home, as required under s. 48.64 (1r) , Stats. The notification shall include all of the following:

a. The name, address, and phone number of the foster parent.

b. The name of the foster child.

c. Information about the child required by the school, as allowed under any applicable confidentiality laws.

5. Advocate for the child with the child's school, medical facility, or any other program in which the child is involved to ensure that services provided to the child are consistent with the case plan; permanency plan; and treatment plan, if applicable.

6. Assist the foster parents with any necessary arrangements in an emergency situation.

7. Arrange for care of a foster child in the event that the foster parent is unavailable to provide care on a temporary basis, in conjunction with the foster parent.

(b) In addition to the requirements under par. (a) , a licensing or supervising agency shall do all of the following for each child with a level of need of 3 or higher in the agency's care who is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification:

1. Provide the foster parent with the telephone number of a supervising agency caseworker, counselor, clinical consultant, or clinical staff member who will provide crisis intervention, emergency counseling, and related services to the foster parent on a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week basis.

2. Respond to a request from a foster parent for crisis intervention, emergency counseling, and related services within one hour.

3. Provide or arrange for additional child care personnel during stressful or critical periods, as determined by the treatment team.

4. Assist and support the foster parent in obtaining any medical supplies and services required for the child. If required medical supplies and services are not included in the treatment plan, the supervising agency and placing agency shall revise the treatment plan to include the required medical supplies and services and to determine financial responsibility.

5. Ensure that a child with a severe emotional disturbance has a clinical consultant assigned to the case. A social worker, caseworker, or other professional involved with the case may also serve as the clinical consultant. The clinical consultant shall have all of the following qualifications:

a. A master's degree in social work, psychology, child development, or counseling.

b. A license or certification under ch. 457 , Stats. , and ch. MPSW 3 , 6 , 11 , 12 , or 17 .

c. A minimum of 2 years of experience working with seriously disturbed adolescents.

d. Knowledge of the neurological, biological, and psychiatric components of emotional disturbances.

6. Evaluate the child's progress and provide services identified in the aftercare plan following termination of a placement. The child's treatment team shall determine how long these services shall be provided. The aftercare plan shall identify follow-up support services for the child, the child's parent, or other care providers, including any of the following:

a. Phone contact.

b. Consultations by professionals in the child's home to assist the child's family implement the permanency plan, provide skill training for specific problems, and provide support for the child's family.

c. Participation in parent groups.

d. Crisis intervention.

e. For youth who will live independently, follow-up support services may include housing assistance, job location, and individual support.

(1m)   Multiple agencies. If more than one agency is performing supervising responsibilities under subs. (1) and (3) , the agencies shall specify in writing which agency is responsible for each requirement.

(2)   Qualifications for supervising agency caseworker for Level 3 to 5. A supervising agency caseworker shall have all of the following qualifications to perform the responsibilities under sub. (3) for a child with a level of need of 3 or higher in the agency's care who is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification:

(a) One of the following:

1. A master's degree or higher in a social work or related field.

2. A bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2 years of post-degree experience in a social work-related field.

(b) Licensed or certified under ch. 457 , Stats. , and ch. MPSW 3 , 6 , 11 , 12 , or 17 .

(3)   Responsibilities of supervising agency caseworker for Levels 3 to 5. A caseworker employed by or under contract to the supervising agency shall do all of the following regarding a child with a level of need of 3 or higher in the agency's care who is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification:

(a) Coordinate assessments of the child.

(b) Select the appropriate foster home for a child after careful consideration of how well a prospective foster family will do all of the following:

1. Meet the child's specific needs.

2. Address concerns of the child's birth or adoptive parents.

3. Accomplish the goals of the child's permanency plan.

(c) Form the child's treatment team and serve as the team coordinator.

(d) Provide foster parents with information about the child under ch. DCF 37 .

(e) Educate a child's treatment team members on services and procedures for a child's specific needs.

(f) Develop appropriate interventions and services for the child with the child's treatment team.

(g) Be available or have a designee who is available for the foster parents to consult on a 24-hour per day basis.

(h) Assist in the training of foster parents.

(i) Comply with agency contact requirements with the foster parent and foster child in ss. DCF 56.18 and 56.19 .

(j) Supervise a child's case plan, permanency plan, and treatment plan.

(k) Keep written progress notes.

(L) Coordinate provided or purchased services for the child and the child's family.

(m) Arrange for the assistance of appropriate specialists.

(n) Perform necessary court responsibilities as appropriate.

(o) Perform liaison activities with other agencies.

(p) Coordinate educational and community services.

(q) Advocate for the best interests and rights of the child.

(r) Organize treatment team meetings under s. DCF 56.17 (2) (g) .

(4)   Substitute for caseworker responsibilities. Notwithstanding sub. (3) (intro.) , the supervisory agency may assign specific duties in sub. (3) to another person who meets the same qualifications as the supervisory agency caseworker or to a person who is an intern or in a field placement for a higher education program and is supervised by a person meeting the same qualifications as a supervisory agency caseworker.

EmR0937 : emerg. cr. eff. 1-1-10; CR 10-021 : cr. Register September 2010 No. 657 , eff. 10-1-10; EmR1050 : emerg. r. and recr., eff. 1-1-11; CR 10-148 : r. and recr. Register August 2011 No. 668 , eff. 9-1-11.

Note

An example of a stressful or critical period might be the time from the end of the school day until bedtime. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1