Section DCF 57.19 - Admissions(1) A child may not be admitted to a group home except under a written voluntary agreement or court order.(2) Except as provided in sub. (2m), admission of a child under a voluntary agreement may not exceed 15 days from the date the child was removed from the home and may not be extended.(2m) An admission of a custodial parent or expectant mother may be under a voluntary placement agreement for no longer than 180 days from the date on which the child was removed from the home under the agreement. A placement agreement under this subsection may be extended if an independent reviewing agency, such as an agency licensed under s. 48.61(3), Stats., or a county department, determines that the extension would be in the best interests of the resident and if the resident and the resident's parent or guardian consent to the extension.(3) If a placing agency places a child in a group home, the agency shall enter a written agreement with the licensee. The agreement shall include all of the following pursuant to s. 48.64(1m), Stats.: (a) That the agency shall have access at all times to the child and the group home.(b) That the child will be released to the placing agency whenever the agency or the department finds that the best interest of the child requires it.(4) Admission decisions shall be in accordance with the group home program statement, the compatibility of the child with the group home and the policies and procedures of the group home, and this chapter.(5)(a) Except as provided in par. (b), there shall be no more than 4 years difference in the ages of the children admitted to the group home as residents.(b) The age difference limitation stated in par. (a) does not apply to children admitted to a group home licensed for respite care or for homeless and runaway youth.(6) A group home may admit a child 18 years of age or over, but under 21 years of age, if any of the following circumstances exist: (a) The group home will not have more than 2 children 18 years of age or over, but under 21 years of age.(b) The group home has a license to serve a resident population that is 18 years of age or over, but under 21 years of age, and is transitioning to independence. Note: A licensee of an existing group home may request a license amendment under s. DCF 57.515(2).
(c) The department has granted an exception under s. DCF 57.02 to allow the group home to admit or continue the admission of the child. If the group home does not have a license specified in par. (b), an exception is required before the group home may admit or provide care for more than 2 children 18 years of age or over, but under 21 years of age.(7) Each child admitted to a group home as a resident shall have had a health examination performed by an individual licensed to perform the examination no more than one year before being admitted to the group home or shall have the examination within 30 days after the date of admission if the consent required under s. DCF 57.25(1) has been obtained. Documentation of the examination shall be maintained in the resident's record as required in s. DCF 57.38(1) (i) 3.(8) Before or upon admission to a group home each resident shall be provided with all of the following: (a) Information on exits and evacuation routes.(b) Oral notification and a written copy of the resident rights specified in s. DCF 57.24. If the resident is 17 years of age or younger, a copy shall also be made available to the resident's parent or guardian, and legal custodian, if available.(c) A copy of the house rules developed under s. DCF 57.05(2) (k). A copy of the house rules shall also be provided to the resident's parent, guardian, or legal custodian, as appropriate.(9) Upon receipt of a notice of revocation of the group home license and during any revocation proceedings that may result, the licensee may not admit a child as a resident except as provided in s. DCF 57.56(2).Wis. Admin. Code Department of Children and Families DCF 57.19
CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; corrections in (7), (8) (b), (c) and (9) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635.Amended by, CR 14-054: r. and recr. (6) Register April 2015 No. 712, eff.5/1/2015.Amended by, CR 16-051: am. (6) (a), (c) Register July 2017 No. 739, eff. 8/1/2017