Chapter DCF 50

DCF 50.07(1) (1) Services. The department shall establish or contract with an entity with expertise in adoption issues to establish an adoption information exchange that includes all of the following services:

DCF 50.07(1)(a) (a) An Internet-based photolisting of children who are legally free for public adoption and children who are at legal risk.

DCF 50.07(1)(b) (b) A register of prospective adoptive parents that meets all of the following conditions:

DCF 50.07(1)(b)1. 1. The register includes only prospective adoptive parents whose home study was approved by an adoption agency and was submitted to the adoption information exchange by the approving adoption agency.

DCF 50.07(1)(b)2. 2. The department has reviewed the home study of any prospective adoptive parents whose home study was approved by an adoption agency other than the department and determined that including the prospective adoptive parents on the register is appropriate.

DCF 50.07(1)(b)3. 3. The adoption information exchange removes a registration if any of the following conditions are met:

DCF 50.07(1)(b)3.a. a. The individual’s or couple’s adoption agency notifies the adoption information exchange that the individual or couple is no longer interested in adopting a child.

DCF 50.07(1)(b)3.b. b. The individual or couple listed on the register is not responding to inquiries from the adoption information exchange.

DCF 50.07(1)(c) (c) A matching service that attempts to match children listed in the adoption photolisting under par. (a) and the prospective adoptive parents registered with the adoption information exchange under par. (b) by providing information about registered prospective adoptive parents to public adoption agencies with photolisted children.

DCF 50.07(1)(d) (d) A public relations campaign that promotes public adoptions, provides information to the public, and increases public awareness of adoption and services available from the adoption information exchange by developing and distributing informational materials for the media, professional organizations, community support agencies, and the public.

DCF 50.07(2) (2) Photolisting. All of the following conditions apply to the Internet-based photolisting under sub. (1) (a):

DCF 50.07(2)(a) (a) Children who are legally free for public adoption. The adoption information exchange shall photolist all children who are legally free for public adoption and do not have proposed adoptive parents, except those not submitted to the adoption information exchange under par. (d).

DCF 50.07(2)(b) (b) Children who are at legal risk. The adoption information exchange may photolist children who are at legal risk if any of the following applies:

DCF 50.07(2)(b)1. 1. The court has authorized photolisting.

DCF 50.07(2)(b)2. 2. Written consent has been given by all of the following:

DCF 50.07(2)(b)2.a. a. The child’s placing agency or adoption agency.

DCF 50.07(2)(b)2.b. b. The child’s parent or guardian.

DCF 50.07(2)(b)3. 3. A child age 14 or over has given written consent.

DCF 50.07(2)(c) (c) Out-of-state.

DCF 50.07(2)(c)1. 1. The adoption information exchange may photolist a child with an out-of-state exchange and may use the resources of the out-of-state exchange for the child with written permission from the child’s guardian and the child’s placing agency and, if the child is age 14 or over, the child.

DCF 50.07(2)(c)2. 2. The child photolisted under subd. 1. may be a child who is legally free for public adoption or a child who is at legal risk.

DCF 50.07(2)(d) (d) Deferral.

DCF 50.07(2)(d)1. 1. If a child is legally free for public adoption, a public adoption agency may defer submitting the information required for a photolisting of the child to the adoption information exchange if any of the following circumstances applies:

DCF 50.07(2)(d)1.a. a. The child is in an adoptive placement pursuant to a written placement agreement.

DCF 50.07(2)(d)1.b. b. The child’s foster parent or another individual is considering adoption of the child.

DCF 50.07(2)(d)1.c. c. The child is 14 years of age or older and does not consent to photolisting.

DCF 50.07(2)(d)1.d. d. The child is under the guardianship of a tribal child welfare department.

DCF 50.07(2)(d)2. 2. A deferral is valid until the reason for the deferral no longer exists.

DCF 50.07(2)(e) (e) Child information. A photolisting shall include a photo and information about a child relevant to matching the child to prospective adoptive parents.

DCF 50.07(2)(f) (f) Updating. The adoption information exchange shall keep the photolisting current by doing all of the following:

DCF 50.07(2)(f)1. 1. Reviewing and updating a child’s photograph and information every 6 months.

DCF 50.07(2)(f)2. 2. Updating information about a child as it is received from the child’s placing agency.

DCF 50.07(2)(f)3. 3. Removing a child from the photolisting when the child no longer meets the requirements to be photolisted.

DCF 50.07(2)(g) (g) Records. The adoption information exchange shall destroy all records relating to a child in a confidential manner within one year after the child’s photolisting is withdrawn or the child is adopted.

DCF 50.07 Note Note: Information for families interested in adoption, including the photolisting of Wisconsin children waiting for adoption, is at http://wiadopt.org.

DCF 50.07 History History: CR 18-001: cr. Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18; correction in (2) (b) (intro.), (d) (1) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register August 2018 No. 752.

DCF 50.08 DCF 50.08 Placement for the purpose of a public adoption.

DCF 50.08(1) (1) Best interest of the child.

DCF 50.08(1)(a) (a) The public adoption agency that is responsible for placing a child for adoption or, if the child is at legal risk, the placing agency, shall determine if placement with specific prospective adoptive parents whose home study has been approved is in the best interest of the child.

DCF 50.08(1)(b) (b) A public adoption agency shall consider the availability of a placement for adoption with a relative of the child who is identified in the child’s permanency plan or is otherwise known to the public adoption agency, as required under s. 48.834 (1), Stats.

DCF 50.08(1)(c) (c) If a child has one or more siblings who have been adopted or have been placed for adoption, the public adoption agency shall make reasonable efforts to place the child with an adoptive parent or proposed adoptive parent of such a sibling who is identified in the child’s permanency plan or otherwise known to the public adoption agency, unless the public adoption agency determines that a joint placement would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the child or the sibling, as required under s. 48.834 (2), Stats.

DCF 50.08(1)(d) (d) If the child is an Indian child, the public adoption agency shall comply with the order of placement preference under s. 48.028 (7), Stats., unless there is good cause as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), Stats., for departing from that order.

DCF 50.08(2) (2) Removal from foster home. Before the adoption is final, an agency appointed as guardian of the child under s. 48.427 (3m) (a) 1. to 4., (am), or (b), Stats., may remove the child from the child’s placement under s. 48.437, Stats.

DCF 50.08(3) (3) Placement not guaranteed. Prospective adoptive parents whose home study has been approved are not guaranteed placement or continued placement of a child.

DCF 50.08 History History: CR 18-001: cr. Register August 2018 No. 752, eff. 9-1-18.

DCF 50.09 DCF 50.09 Eligibility for adoption assistance. The department shall determine if all of the following conditions are met before entering into an agreement to provide adoption assistance for a child:

DCF 50.09(1) (1) Eligibility criteria for the child.

DCF 50.09(1)(a) (a) Age. The child is under 18 years of age at the time of adoption.

DCF 50.09(1)(b) (b) Special needs. The child has any of the following special needs at the time of the adoptive placement:

DCF 50.09(1)(b)1. 1. The child is 7 years of age or older if age is the only factor in determining eligibility.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)2. 2. The child is a member of a sibling group of 2 or more children that must be placed together.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)3. 3.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)3.a. a. For an adoption assistance agreement entered into before July 1, 2011, the child exhibits special need characteristics judged to be moderate or intensive under the schedule of difficulty-of-care levels specified in s. DCF 50.12 (3).

DCF 50.09(1)(b)3.b. b. For an adoption assistance agreement entered into on or after July 1, 2011, the child has a total of 5 or more needs that have been identified as moderate or intensive in the areas listed in s. DCF 56.23 (2) (a) 1. a. to e. in the rate schedule under s. DCF 56.23 (2) (a).

DCF 50.09(1)(b)4. 4. The child belongs to a minority race and children of that minority race cannot be readily placed due to a lack of appropriate placement resources.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)5. 5. The child is an Indian child.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)6. 6. The child does not have a documented special need under subds. 1. to 5. but is a child at high risk of developing a moderate or intensive level of special needs described in subd. 3. based on any of the following:

DCF 50.09(1)(b)6.a. a. Either or both of the child’s birth parents have a documented medical diagnosis or medical history that could result in a condition for the child described in subd. 3. at a later time.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)6.b. b. The child’s birth mother received inappropriate prenatal care that could later result in the child developing special needs described in subd. 3., and the inappropriate care is documented in medical or hospital records.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)6.c. c. The child’s birth mother used harmful drugs or alcohol during pregnancy that could later result in the child developing special needs described in subd. 3., and the birth mother’s use of the harmful drugs or alcohol during pregnancy is documented in medical, hospital, law enforcement, or court records; the records of a county department or the department; or the records of an agency under contract with a county department or the department to provide child welfare services.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)6.d. d. The child has experienced 4 or more placements with extended family or in foster homes that could affect the normal attachment process.

DCF 50.09(1)(b)6.e. e. The child experienced neglect in the first 3 years of life or sustained physical injury or physical disease that could have a long-term effect on physical, emotional, or intellectual development.

DCF 50.09(1)(c) (c) Availability for adoption. At the time of placement for adoption, all of the following conditions are met:

DCF 50.09(1)(c)1. 1. The child is under the guardianship of an adoption agency or in a subsidized guardianship under s. 48.623, Stats, if guardianship is transferred to a public or private adoption agency before the child is placed under s. 48.833, Stats.

DCF 50.09(1)(c)2. 2. The court, department, county department, tribal child welfare department, or the child’s adoption agency has determined that the child cannot or should not return to the child’s parents.

DCF 50.09(1)(d) (d) Wisconsin responsibility.

DCF 50.09(1)(d)1. 1. ‘Interstate adoptions.’ Adoption assistance may be provided for a child brought to Wisconsin for adoption from another state under ss. 48.98 and 48.99, Stats., if the public child welfare agency in the child’s previous state of residence does not have responsibility for placement and care of the child under applicable federal law regarding Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, as amended.

DCF 50.09(1)(d)2. 2. ‘Intercountry adoptions.’

DCF 50.09(1)(d)2.a. a. No adoption assistance may be provided for a child that was adopted outside of the United States or was brought to the United States for the purpose of being adopted.

DCF 50.09(1)(d)2.b. b. Notwithstanding subd. 2. a., adoption assistance may be provided for an otherwise eligible child that is placed in out-of-home care subsequent to the failure, as determined by the department, of the initial adoption.

DCF 50.09(2) (2) Reasonable efforts to assure adoption.

DCF 50.09(2)(a) (a) Documented search for suitable adoptive placement.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)1. 1. The adoption agency shall make reasonable efforts to place the child with the best available prospective adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance. The agency shall document the search efforts in the child’s record.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)2. 2. The adoption agency’s search efforts shall include consideration of a number of prospective adoptive parents, including all of the following:

DCF 50.09(2)(a)2.a. a. Relatives of the child.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)2.b. b. The adoptive parents of a sibling or the proposed adoptive parents of a sibling placed with the proposed adoptive parents as required under s. 48.834 (2), Stats.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)2.c. c. A review of approved prospective adoptive parents associated with the adoption agency.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)2.d. d. If the child is an Indian child, the order of placement preference under s. 48.028 (7) (a), Stats., unless there is good cause as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), Stats., for departing from that order.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)3. 3. If 2 or more appropriate prospective adoptive parents are not available, the adoption agency shall make a timely effort to locate additional prospective adoptive parents by doing any of the following:

DCF 50.09(2)(a)3.a. a. Contacting other adoption agencies.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)3.b. b. Photolisting the child with the adoption information exchange.

DCF 50.09(2)(a)3.c. c. Working through the adoption information exchange to photolist the child with a national adoption exchange.

DCF 50.09(2)(b) (b) Disclosure. Once the adoption agency determines that placement with specific prospective adoptive parents would be the most suitable for the child, the agency shall give the identified prospective adoptive parents all relevant information about the child known to the agency, including information on any existing or potential special need described under sub. (1) (b) and a copy of the completed forms for the child that are required under ch. DCF 37.

DCF 50.09(2)(c) (c) Adoption assistance necessary to assure adoption. If the child has a special need described under sub. (1) (b) and the requirements of this subsection are met, the adoption agency shall inform the identified prospective adoptive parents of the adoption assistance program and ask if they are willing to adopt the child without receiving adoption assistance. If the identified prospective adoptive parents are unwilling to adopt the child without receiving adoption assistance, the requirement of reasonable, but unsuccessful, efforts to place the child with appropriate adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance is met. A request for adoption assistance may not be a basis for removing a child from a current adoptive placement.

DCF 50.09(2)(d) (d) Exceptions. The requirements of this subsection do not apply if any of the following conditions is met:

DCF 50.09(2)(d)1. 1. The child has developed significant emotional ties with the child’s foster family and all of the following conditions are met:

DCF 50.09(2)(d)1.a. a. The child identifies as a member of the family.

DCF 50.09(2)(d)1.b. b. The child’s foster parents, foster siblings, community, and school consider the child to be a member of that family.

DCF 50.09(2)(d)1.c. c. If denied permanence with the foster family, the child has a diminished probability of forming new attachments due to the child’s attachment to the foster family and other factors, such as age and number of previous placements.