Chapter DCF 57

DCF 57.27(3)(d)4. 4. Notwithstanding subd. 3. f., if a resident is biting himself or herself or other persons, a staff member may use a finger in a vibrating motion to stimulate the resident’s upper lip and cause the resident’s mouth to open and may lean into the bite with the least amount of force necessary to open the resident’s jaw.

DCF 57.27(3)(e) (e) After an episode of physical restraint, a debriefing shall take place with the resident and staff that were involved in the physical restraint.

DCF 57.27(3)(f) (f) Each staff member who uses a physical restraint or who witnesses the use of a physical restraint shall, within 24 hours of each incident, give the group home manager a written description of the incident. The group home manager shall document each incident, including date, time, and a description of the circumstances of the incident, and report the incident to the field office that serves the group home and the placing agency as required under s. DCF 57.13 (1) (c) and (5). Each description shall include all of the following:

DCF 57.27(3)(f)1. 1. The name, age, and sex of each resident involved.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)2. 2. The date, time, and location of the incident.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)3. 3. The name and job title of each staff member involved in the restraint and each staff member or volunteer who witnessed the use of the restraint.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)4. 4. Circumstances leading up to the use of restraint, the behavior that prompted the restraint, efforts made to de-escalate the situation and the alternatives to restraint that were attempted.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)5. 5. A description of the administration of the restraint, including the holds used and the reasons the holds were necessary.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)6. 6. The beginning and ending time of the restraint and how the restraint ended.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)7. 7. Behavior of the resident during and after the use of the restraint.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)8. 8. Any injuries sustained by a resident or staff member and any medical care provided, including the name and title of the person providing the care.

DCF 57.27(3)(f)9. 9. Any follow-up debriefing provided to residents and staff.

DCF 57.27 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; correction in (3) (c) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; EmR1106: emerg. cr. (1) (j), (k), r. and recr. (3), eff. 9-16-11; CR 11-026: cr. (1) (j), (k), r. and recr. (3) Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12.

DCF 57.28 DCF 57.28 Clothing.

DCF 57.28(1) (1) The licensee shall ensure that funds allocated by the placing agency for the purchase of clothing for residents are used in such a manner that residents are provided with clothing that is individually selected and fitted, appropriate to the season, and comparable to that of others in the community.

DCF 57.28(2) (2) Whenever possible, each resident shall be given an opportunity to participate in the selection and purchase of his or her clothing.

DCF 57.28(3) (3) Each resident’s clothing shall be regularly laundered and in good repair.

DCF 57.28(4) (4) Clothing purchased for a resident shall be the property of that resident. The group home shall keep a log in each resident’s record of clothing purchases.

DCF 57.28 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.

DCF 57.29 DCF 57.29 Hygiene. Each resident shall be provided with sufficient amounts of individually dispensed soap, clean towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, and other personal hygiene products that are gender specific to the resident population.

DCF 57.29 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.

DCF 57.30 DCF 57.30 Household duties.

DCF 57.30(1) (1) Residents shall have opportunities to share in responsibility for household duties or chores appropriate to the resident’s age, developmental level, health, and ability.

DCF 57.30(2) (2) Household duties of residents may not interfere with school attendance, family visits, sleep, study, or religious practice and may not violate the principles of nurturing care described in s. DCF 57.205.

DCF 57.30 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; correction in (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635.

DCF 57.305 DCF 57.305 Spending money.

DCF 57.305(1) (1) Each resident shall be given a regular, base amount of spending money appropriate to his or her age and maturity. Older residents can be given opportunities to earn extra money above and beyond the base allowance.

DCF 57.305(2) (2) A resident’s spending money may not be withheld as a disciplinary action.

DCF 57.305 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.

DCF 57.31 DCF 57.31 Food and nutrition.

DCF 57.31(1) (1) Food shall be available and provided to residents in sufficient quantities and varieties, and shall provide for nutritional and dietary needs. Food or modified diets ordered by a physician shall be provided for those residents who have special needs. In planning menus, the religious practices and cultural patterns of the residents shall be considered and foods offered accordingly. Menus shall meet the minimum nutritional requirements as found in Appendix B.

DCF 57.31(2) (2) At no time shall food be withheld from a resident.

DCF 57.31(3) (3) Daily menus shall be written, kept on file and available for at least 30 days after meals have been served.

DCF 57.31(4) (4) Spoiled or deteriorated food shall be disposed of immediately.

DCF 57.31(5) (5) Prepared food shall be covered and stored at temperatures that protect against spoilage. Dry foods shall be dated and stored in rigid, covered containers or single use food storage plastic bags with a zip top closure. Food in dented, bulging or leaking cans, or in cans without labels, may not be used.

DCF 57.31(6) (6) Leftover food that is not served shall be marked with the date of preparation and refrigerated or frozen immediately for later use.

DCF 57.31 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.

DCF 57.32 DCF 57.32 Education.

DCF 57.32(1) (1) School age residents shall be enrolled in school as soon as possible after admission to the group home. The licensee shall ensure that each resident meets the school attendance requirements under chs. 115 and 118, Stats., unless otherwise excused by school officials.

DCF 57.32(2) (2) A group home may not provide a home-based private educational program to residents unless the program is approved by the department of public instruction as a private school under s. 118.165, Stats.

DCF 57.32 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.

DCF 57.33 DCF 57.33 Sleeping arrangements.

DCF 57.33(1) (1) Each resident shall be provided with a separate bed. A child of a resident who is a custodial parent shall also have his or her own crib, bed, or bassinet as appropriate for the needs of the child and may not share a bed with his or her parent.

DCF 57.33(2) (2) A resident who is 18 years of age or older may not share a bedroom with a child who is under 18 years of age, unless the resident who is 18 years of age or older is continuing to share a bedroom with a child he or she had already been sharing the bedroom with before turning 18 years of age.

DCF 57.33(3) (3) No resident may share a bedroom with a licensee, staff member, volunteer, household member, or with a visitor to the premises.

DCF 57.33(4) (4) Male and female residents may not share the same bedroom.

DCF 57.33(5) (5) No more than 4 residents shall occupy any bedroom. For a group home initially licensed after January 1, 2006, no more than 2 residents shall occupy a bedroom.

DCF 57.33(6) (6) A room that others must pass through to get to another part of the group home shall not be used as a bedroom for a resident.

DCF 57.33(7) (7) Regular sleeping provisions for residents may not be in any building, apartment, or other structure that is separate from the group home structure or in an unfinished attic, unfinished basement, in a hall or in any other room that is not typically used for sleeping purposes. No household member may be permitted to regularly sleep in any of these areas in order to accommodate a resident.

DCF 57.33 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; EmR1106: emerg. am. (1), eff. 9-16-11; CR 11-026: am. (1) Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12; EmR1414: emerg. am. (2), eff. 8-1-14; CR 14-054: am. (2) Register April 2015 No. 712, eff. 5-1-15.

DCF 57.34 DCF 57.34 Non-ambulatory residents. The licensee shall ensure that non-ambulatory residents receive care and services according to that resident’s treatment plan.

DCF 57.34 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06.

DCF 57.35 DCF 57.35 Additional requirements for group homes providing respite care.

DCF 57.35(1) (1) Applicability. If a group home is licensed under s. DCF 57.51 or approved under s. DCF 57.515 to provide respite care, the licensee shall meet the additional requirements of this section.

DCF 57.35(2) (2) Staff.

DCF 57.35(2)(a) (a) Each staff member who provides care for a respite care resident shall have training or work experience related to any specific condition or need of the resident for whom care is provided. Staff members with no previous training or experience working with the specific condition or need of a respite care resident shall receive at least 8 hours of supervised experience or more if necessary to provide competent care.

DCF 57.35(2)(b) (b) The group home shall designate by name or position a staff member who will have primary responsibility for oversight of respite care residents.

DCF 57.35(3) (3) Program statement and policies. The program statement required under s. DCF 57.05 (1), shall address the purpose for which respite care is provided, compatibility of children with diverse needs and how the respite care program relates to other program components of the group home. The policies and procedures established under s. DCF 57.05 (2), shall include procedures on assessing the medical and dietary needs and behavioral and emotional concerns of a child admitted to the group home for respite care.

DCF 57.35 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; corrections in (1) and (3) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635.

DCF 57.36 DCF 57.36 Additional requirements for group homes providing care for custodial parents and expectant mothers.

DCF 57.36(1) (1) Applicability. If a licensee is licensed under s. DCF 57.51 or approved under s. DCF 57.515 to provide care to custodial parents or expectant mothers, the licensee shall meet the additional requirements of this section.

DCF 57.36(2) (2) Treatment planning. The treatment plan developed under s. DCF 57.23 shall include goals and approaches for all of the following:

DCF 57.36(2)(a) (a) Parenting skills. Parenting skills instruction that includes all of the following:

DCF 57.36(2)(a)1. 1. Prenatal and other health care services.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)2. 2. Child development.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)3. 3. Bathing and hygiene.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)4. 4. Child safety.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)5. 5. Child guidance and behavior management.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)6. 6. Domestic violence issues, sudden infant death syndrome, shaken baby syndrome, and mental health and alcohol and other drug abuse counseling as appropriate.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)7. 7. Nutrition and meal preparation.

DCF 57.36(2)(a)8. 8. Childcare options.

DCF 57.36(2)(b) (b) Life skills. Life skills instruction that includes all of the following:

DCF 57.36(2)(b)1. 1. Family planning and relationships.

DCF 57.36(2)(b)2. 2. Independent living skills, economic self-sufficiency, budgeting and job skills.

DCF 57.36(2)(b)3. 3. Accessing community resources, transportation, and transitional housing.

DCF 57.36(3) (3) Medical care for expectant mothers. An expectant mother shall be provided prenatal and postnatal care from a physician or a nurse-midwife licensed under s. 441.15 (3), Stats. The licensee shall ensure that the expectant mother gives birth in a medical facility.

DCF 57.36(4) (4) Health safety and welfare of children of residents. The licensee shall ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the children of residents and provide care to those children in compliance with this chapter.

DCF 57.36(5) (5) Child care for children of custodial parent.

DCF 57.36(5)(a) (a) If the resident is not on the premises or is otherwise unable to care for his or her child, childcare may be provided on the premises only as follows:

DCF 57.36(5)(a)1. 1. The staff to child ratio may not be less than that specified in Table DCF 57.36. If care is provided to a mixed-age group of children, the staff-to-child ratio in Table DCF 57.36 shall be adjusted on a pro-rata basis pursuant to Appendix D.

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DCF 57.36(5)(a)2. 2. The staff member or volunteer used to meet staff to child ratios as defined in subd. 1. shall have completed the training requirements as set forth under s. DCF 57.37 (4).

DCF 57.36(5)(a)3. 3. If childcare is provided for payment, reimbursement or other compensation to 4 or more children under 7 years of age, the child care program must be licensed under ch. DCF 250 or 251.

DCF 57.36(5)(b) (b) Childcare may be provided off premises only by a child care provider that is licensed or certified under ch. DCF 250, 251, or 252, as applicable.

DCF 57.36(6) (6) Non-custodial parents. The licensee shall give children of residents the opportunity and encouragement to maintain involvement with non-custodial parents.

DCF 57.36(7) (7) Space requirements. In addition to the floor space required for bedrooms under s. DCF 57.40 (6) (b) 3., there shall be at least 35 square feet of additional floor space in a bedroom for each child sharing a bedroom with a parent.

DCF 57.36(8) (8) Water supply. The annual test of private well water under s. DCF 57.40 (3) (a) 2. shall include testing for nitrate levels. If nitrate levels are determined to be over 10 milligrams per liter, the licensee shall give notice to the department field office that serves the group home within 48 hours.

DCF 57.36 History History: CR 04-067: cr. Register September 2005 No. 597, eff. 1-1-06; corrections in (1), (2) (intro.), (5), (7) and (8) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; EmR1106: emerg. am. (8), eff. 9-16-11; CR 11-026: am. (8) Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12.

DCF 57.37 DCF 57.37 Additional requirements for care of children 6 years of age or younger.