Section 57.14. Personnel requirements.

 

(1)   Definitions. In this section, "college" or "university" means an institution which is accredited on a degree granting level by an accrediting agency which is listed by the United States department of education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

(2)   Age requirement.

(a) A hired or contracted staff member shall be at least 21 years old and 2 years older than the oldest resident.

(b) Notwithstanding par. (a) , a staff member who is 19 to 21 years old and 2 years older than the oldest resident may be hired or employed for any position except program director under sub. (4) (a) if during the individual's course of employment the individual is enrolled in and regularly attends a college or university with a major in any of the following:

1. Social work.

2. Sociology.

3. Special education.

4. Psychology.

5. Counseling and guidance.

6. Criminal justice.

7. Any other area in the human services field as approved by the department.

(c) Notwithstanding par. (a) or (b) , a staff member who is 19 years of age or over may retain employment or contract if the staff member is hired or contracted for before a new resident who is 18 years of age or over is admitted to the group home.

(3)   Health.

(a) Each staff member and volunteer shall be physically, mentally and emotionally able to provide responsible care for residents and shall not pose an imminent threat of harm to residents or to the quality and manner of their care.

(b) If the department has reason to believe that the physical or mental health of a staff member or an applicant for employment may endanger a resident, the department may require that a written statement be submitted by a physician or, if appropriate, by a licensed mental health professional that certifies the condition of the individual and the possible effect of that condition on the group home or the residents in care.

(4)   Required staff.

(a) A program director. A licensee shall staff each group home with a program director who complies with all of the following:

1. `Qualifications.' A program director shall be at least 21 years old, have a 4-year college degree in one of the major fields of study specified in sub. (2) (b) 1. to 7., and have 2 years of supervised child welfare work experience.

2. `Program operation and development.' The program director function can be provided by a sponsoring agency. The program director or sponsoring agency shall oversee program operation and development and do all of the following:

a. Review the appropriateness of admission of each child to the group home.

b. Participate in developing, reviewing, and updating resident assessments and treatment planning.

c. Provide technical assistance to the resident care staff and agencies.

d. Periodically review and update group home policies and procedures.

(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) .

(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:

1. A bachelor or associate degree from a college or university in any one of the majors specified in sub. (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.

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.

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.

(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.

(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) .

(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:

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

(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) .

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.

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. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 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. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1