Subchapter IV — Resident Care
DCF 57.205 Principles for nurturing care.
DCF 57.21 Staff to resident ratios and supervision.
DCF 57.215 Communication log.
DCF 57.22 Resident activities.
DCF 57.23 Treatment planning and assessment.
DCF 57.24 Resident rights.
DCF 57.245 Promoting normalcy.
DCF 57.27 Behavior intervention.
DCF 57.30 Household duties.
DCF 57.305 Spending money.
DCF 57.31 Food and nutrition.
DCF 57.33 Sleeping arrangements.
DCF 57.34 Non-ambulatory residents.
DCF 57.35 Additional requirements for group homes providing respite care.
DCF 57.36 Additional requirements for group homes providing care for custodial parents and expectant mothers.
DCF 57.37 Additional requirements for care of children 6 years of age or younger.
DCF 57.38 Resident records.
DCF 57.39 Confidentiality.
Subchapter V — Physical Environment and Safety
DCF 57.40 Physical plant and environment.
DCF 57.41 General safety precautions.
DCF 57.425 Carbon monoxide detector.
DCF 57.43 Furnishings and appliances.
Subchapter VI — Licensing and Enforcement
DCF 57.45 Group home location.
DCF 57.46 Other licenses and uses.
DCF 57.47 Group home capacity limits.
DCF 57.48 General conditions for approval of application.
DCF 57.485 Determination of need.
DCF 57.49 License application.
DCF 57.50 Licensure prohibited.
DCF 57.51 Probationary and regular license.
DCF 57.515 License provisions.
DCF 57.52 Corporate licensure.
DCF 57.53 Transferability of license.
DCF 57.54 Posting of license and citations.
DCF 57.55 Sanctions and penalties.
DCF 57.56 License revocation.
DCF 57.57 Summary suspension of a license.
DCF 57.58 Appeal procedure.
Subchapter VII — Rate Regulation
DCF 57.60 Rate determination.
DCF 57.61 Allowable costs.
DCF 57.62 Rate methodology.
DCF 57.63 Rate resolution.
DCF 57.64 Extraordinary payments.
DCF 57.65 Advisory committee.
Ch. DCF 57 Note
Note: Ch. HSS 57 was renumbered to ch. HFS 57 under 13.93 (2m) (b) 1., Stats. and corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 6. and 7., Stats.,
Register, December, 1999, No. 528; Chapter HFS 57 as it existed on December 31, 2005, was repealed and a new chapter HFS 57 was created
Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06. Chapter HFS 57 was renumbered to chapter DCF 57 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635.
DCF 57.01
DCF 57.01
Authority and purpose. This chapter is promulgated under the authority of s.
48.67, Stats., to carry out licensing duties authorized under s.
48.66, Stats., and the authority of s.
49.343, Stats., to establish the per client rate that a group home may charge for its services. The purpose of this chapter is to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of children placed in group homes and promote efficient provision of services.
DCF 57.01 History
History: CR 04-067: cr.
Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06;
EmR1106: emerg. am., eff. 9-16-11;
CR 11-026: am.
Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12.
DCF 57.015
DCF 57.015 Compliance with administrative rules and laws. A person who is licensed under this chapter shall operate the group home in compliance with this chapter, the provisions of the license, and applicable state, federal, and local law.
DCF 57.015 History
History: CR 04-067: cr.
Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.
DCF 57.02(1)(1)
The department may grant an exception to a non-statutory requirement of this chapter if the department determines that the exception will not jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of any child served by the group home.
DCF 57.02(2)
(2) A request for an exception to a non-statutory rule requirement shall be made to the department on a form prescribed by the department and shall justify each reason for requesting an exception. The request shall also describe an alternative that meets the intent of the requirement.
DCF 57.02 Note
Note: Form DCF-F-5023-E,
Child Welfare Request for Exception, is available in the forms section of the department website,
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov. Requests for an exception should be sent to the field office listed in Appendix A that serves the group home.
DCF 57.02 History
History: CR 04-067: cr.
Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06;
EmR1414: emerg. am. (2), eff. 8-1-14;
CR 14-054: am. (2)
Register April 2015 No. 712, eff. 5-1-15.
DCF 57.04
DCF 57.04
Definitions. In this chapter:
DCF 57.04(1)
(1) “Age or developmentally appropriate activities” means activities that are generally accepted as suitable for children of a given chronological age or level of maturity or that are determined to be developmentally appropriate for a child based on the cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities that are typical for children of a given age or age group or, in the case of a specific resident, activities that are suitable for the resident based on the cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities of that resident.
DCF 57.04(1m)
(1m) “Agency-operated group home" means a group home for which the licensee is a public agency other than the department.
DCF 57.04(2)
(2) “Background information disclosure form" means the department form on which a person provides certain information concerning the person's background.
DCF 57.04 Note
Note: DCF-F-2978-E,
Background Information Disclosure, is available in the forms section of the department's website at
http://dcf.wisconsin.gov or from the filed office listed in Appendix A that serves the group home.
DCF 57.04(3)
(3) “Behavior intervention" means any containment, management or treatment technique or procedure used to intervene in a resident's behavior when that behavior poses a clear and present danger of serious physical harm to the resident or to others.
DCF 57.04(6)
(6) “Child" is a person who is under 21 years of age and is under juvenile court jurisdiction or other court order, is being provided services by a child welfare or juvenile justice agency, or is placed under an agreement.
DCF 57.04(9)
(9) “Corporation-operated group home" means a home for which the licensee is a non-profit or proprietary corporation that operates one or more group homes.
DCF 57.04(9m)
(9m) “County department" or “county" means a county department of social services under s.
46.215 or
46.22, Stats.; a county department of human services under s.
46.23, Stats.; or a county department under s.
51.42 or
51.437, Stats.
DCF 57.04(10)
(10) “Custodial parent" means a resident whose child resides in the group home with the resident.
DCF 57.04(11)
(11) “Department" means the department of children and families.
DCF 57.04(12)
(12) “Emergency" means serious medical incidents, fire, tornadoes, flooding, and loss of services to the group home such as electricity, heat, water or telephone, or threats to the premises or its occupants.
DCF 57.04(13)
(13) “EPSDT" means early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment of persons under s.
DHS 107.22.
DCF 57.04(13m)
(13m) “Family interaction plan” means a plan developed by a placing agency to promote a resident's interaction with members of the resident's family and includes interaction by face-to-face contact; telephone calls; letters; emails; and attendance at routine activities, such as counseling sessions, medical appointments, school events, and faith-related activities.
DCF 57.04(14)
(14) “Family-operated group home" means a home for which the licensee is one or more individuals who operate not more than one group home.
DCF 57.04(15)
(15) “Fit and qualified" means displaying the capacity to successfully nurture and care for children and shall not include a history of a civil action, criminal conviction or administrative rule violation that substantially relates to the care of a child; a history of exercising unsound judgment or abuse of alcohol or drugs.
DCF 57.04 Note
Note: For help in determining whether a civil action, criminal conviction, or administrative rule violation substantially relates to the care of children, consult s.
DCF 12.06.
