Section 54.04. Social services.

 

(1)   General requirements.

(a) The agency shall provide services to children who need and seek its care without discrimination on the basis of race or cultural identification, sex, sexual orientation, age, creed, ancestry, disability, political affiliations, religious beliefs, color, or national origin.

(b) Each agency shall:

1. Develop and follow written intake policies that include asking the referring person or agency to indicate if the child or at least one of the child's biological parents is of American Indian descent.

2. Secure and record information which substantiates the planning for the child.

3. Accept a child for placement only when legally authorized to do so.

4. Obtain from the parent or guardian of every child accepted for care a written authorization for emergency surgical care, for necessary vaccinations and immunizations, for routine medical examinations and treatment.

(c) The agency shall substantiate that continuing social services to the child, to his parents and to the foster parents on a planned basis are provided while the child is in placement.

(d) Adopt written policies for placement and discharge from service.

(e) When the agency is terminating its responsibility to the child release the child only to a person or agency authorized to accept the child.

(f) Requirements to be met by licensee in order to place children in boarding care. A child welfare agency with authority to place children in licensed foster homes and to license foster homes (s. 48.61 (3) and (7) , Stats.) shall:

1. Have a social service supervisory staff of one or more persons who meet the requirements of s. DCF 54.03 (2) (c) 2. and have at least one year's experience in the study of foster homes, licensing, placement and supervision of foster care.

2. License only homes which meet the foster home rules.

3. Place children only in homes which meet the foster home rules.

4. Place and/or supervise a minimum of 5 children a year in foster care, exclusive of adoptive placement.

5. Assign the responsibility for supervision to one staff person when there are fewer than 20 children in foster care.

6. Place no child under the care of the agency in the home of a staff person employed by the agency or a member of the board of directors. This does not pertain to persons whose only employment by the agency is in the foster parent role.

7. Maintain individual foster home records for each home used by the agency which includes signed applications and agreements.

8. Establish an administrative plan for periodic review of children in boarding home placement.

(g) Requirements to be met by licensee in order to accept guardianship. A child welfare agency with authority to accept guardianship and place children for adoption under ss. 48.43 (1) , 48.61 (5) and 48.70 (4) , Stats., shall:

1. Furnish evidence of providing a service to cover a geographic area with no less than a 50 mile radius or 200,000 population base.

2. Have a social service supervisory staff of one or more persons available, who, in addition to meeting the requirements of s. DCF 54.03 (2) (c) 2. , have one year's experience in the study, placement, and postplacement services in an agency authorized to place children for adoption.

3. Place at least 15 children in adoption a year.

4. If fewer than 20 children are under supervision or placed within one year, assign this responsibility to one staff person.

5. Assign to one worker no less than 5 placements a year.

6. Accept applicants only from the geographical area covered by the license.

7. Develop and follow written intake policies for the acceptance of children and prospective adoptive families. Intake policies shall include asking the referring person or agency to indicate if the child or at least one of the child's biological parents is of American Indian descent.

8. Establish an administrative plan for a periodic review of children in the agency's guardianship.

9. When a child is determined ready for placement the child shall be placed within 3 months by the guardianship agency or referred to another agency or resource for placement.

10. Provide postplacement services to the adoptive family for the purpose of effecting a successful integration of the child into the family.

11. Maintain a record of the study of the adoptive home and of the placement and postplacement services.

12. Require workers to inform prospective adoptive parents interested in adopting a special needs child about the subsidized adoption program and that they may submit an application for an adoption subsidy.

13. Comply with ch. DCF 53 regarding adoption information search and disclosure to adoptees and disclosure of medical, genetic and non-identifying social history information to the courts, adoptees, adoptive parents or birth parents.

(2)   Program of child care.

(a) Education. The agency shall be responsible for providing opportunities for academic and vocational training.

(b) Health care. The agency shall:

1. See that each child has a thorough health appraisal and a rehabilitative health program as indicated.

2. Have on file the written authorization from parent or guardian as required in sub. (1) (b) 4.

3. Provide for consultation to staff in the areas of medical, dental, psychological and psychiatric need.

4. Obtain, when needed, psychiatric and psychological services including tests and examinations.

(c) Admission examination—health qualifications. Each child shall have a physical examination from a qualified physician within 90 days prior to the initial acceptance for placement. If the foregoing has not occurred, the examination shall be given within 48 hours after acceptance.

1. Prior to placement the child shall have been observed by a person competent to recognize common signs of communicable diseases.

2. It shall be determined that each child is adequately immunized against the following diseases:

a. Diphtheria

b. Polio

c. Tetanus

d. Whooping cough (if under 5 years)

e. Measles (rubeola)

f. German measles (rubella)

g. Mumps

3. Each child shall have been given a tuberculin test, and chest X-ray if indicated, within 6 months prior to acceptance.

4. All medical reports, i.e., physical examinations, tests and recommendations shall be in writing and filed with the agency.

(d) Medical examinations. Each agency shall provide for each child annually a health examination covering the areas included on a department-prescribed form.

(e) Medical care.

1. Each agency shall have a plan and make provisions for prompt treatment in illnesses and for carrying out corrective measures and treatment of remedial defects or deformities.

2. Procedures for hospitalization shall be established.

(f) Dental care.

1. Each agency shall provide for regular dental examinations and treatment including necessary prophylaxis, repairs and extractions.

2. Each child over 3 shall have a thorough dental examination as soon as practical after acceptance for care and at intervals thereafter not exceeding 6 months after the last examination or completion of treatment.

(g) Eye care. Children who are in need of glasses shall have refractions at a minimum of once every 2 years and shall be supplied with glasses as required.

(h) Special care. Foster parents shall be informed of the expected precautions to be taken in the care of sick children and in the handling of medicines and prescriptions.

(i) Medical records. A health record shall be maintained for each child covering the following health history:

1. Pre-natal and birth history.

2. Developmental history.

3. Previous illness, injuries and surgery.

4. Immunizations and tests.

5. Social, emotional and environmental history of the child.

6. Height and weight record.

7. Health history of the child's family including mental, or emotional problems.

(j) Clothing. The agency shall furnish each child with clothing which is individually selected and fitted, appropriate to the season and comparable to that of other children in the community.

(k) The licensee shall be knowledgeable of and ensure that staff members and volunteers observe the patient rights and grievance resolution procedures in s. 51.61 , Stats., and ch. DHS 94 , for each resident that receives services for treatment of mental illness, a developmental disability, alcoholism or drug dependency. Residents that are not specifically identified as coming under s. 51.61 , Stats., and ch. DHS 94 shall have rights and access to grievance resolution procedures that are comparable to those found in s. 51.61 , Stats., and ch. DHS 94 .

History: Cr. Register, August, 1957, No. 20 , eff. 9-1-57; r. and recr. Register, September, 1970, No. 177 , eff. 4-1-71; am. (2) (c) 1. b., Register, December, 1972, No. 204 , eff. 1-1-73; renum. from PW-CY 40.43 and am. (1) (f) 1., (g) (intro.) and 2. and (2) (b) 2., Register, September, 1982, No. 321 , eff. 10-1-82; cr. (1) (g) 12., Register, January, 1984, No. 337 , eff. 2-1-84; cr. (1) (g) 13., Register, October, 1984, No. 346 , eff. 11-1-84; correction in (1) (g) 9. made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 5., Stats., Register, June, 1986, No. 366 ; emerg. am. (1) (b) 1. eff. 9-5-92 and am. (1) (g) 7. eff. 11-1-92; am. (1) (b) 1. and (g) 7., Register, May, 1993, No. 449 , eff. 6-1-93; CR 04-040 : cr. (2) (k) Register December 2004 No. 588 , eff. 1-1-05; corrections in (1) (f) 1., (g) 2., 13. and (2) (k) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635 ; EmR1106 : emerg. am. (1) (a), eff. 9-16-11; CR 11-026 : am. (1) (a) Register December 2011 No. 672 , eff. 1-1-12.

Note

A health examination form may be obtained by writing or telephoning any field office listed in Appendix A. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1