Chapter 47

47.03(7) (7) If the department decides that a business under sub. (4) would not be feasible and profitable in any state building, the department may contract with vending machine operators to install vending machines in the building, giving preference to blind operators of vending machines. The department may, under the procedures established as required under sub. (4) (b), charge the net proceeds of each business operating under this subsection. The department shall deposit the moneys from the charges made under this subsection in the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (5) (h) and shall disburse the proceeds to provide services to blind persons under sub. (4) in accordance with 20 USC 107 to 107f.

47.03(8) (8) A blind person participating in the supervised business enterprise program who is aggrieved by an act or omission of the department may commence a grievance proceeding under rules promulgated by the department.

47.03(9) (9) The council on blindness shall make recommendations to the department and to any other state agency concerning procedures, policies, services, activities, programs, investigations and research that affect any problem of blind or visually impaired persons. The department shall consult with the council concerning its programs that affect blind or visually impaired persons; the council may initiate consultations with the department. Upon request the department shall provide information to the council relating to matters concerning blind or visually impaired persons, but only information of a summary or statistical nature.

47.03 History History: 1983 a. 435; 1985 a. 29, 266; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39, 178; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27, 36, 112, 283; 2001 a. 109; 2003 a. 33; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 354.

47.03 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DWD 60, Wis. adm. code.

47.035 47.035 Fiscal agents for persons with disabilities.

47.035(1) (1) Except as authorized in sub. (2) if an individual receives direct funding for personal assistance services that are provided to the individual under s. 47.02 (6) (c), and the services are provided through a county department of human services or social services or an aging unit, the county department or aging unit through which the services are provided shall serve directly as a fiscal agent or contract with a fiscal intermediary to serve as a fiscal agent for that individual for the purposes of performing the responsibilities and protecting the interests of the individual under the unemployment insurance law. The fiscal agent under this subsection is responsible for remitting any federal unemployment compensation taxes or state unemployment insurance contributions owed by the individual, including any interest and penalties which are owed by the individual; for serving as the representative of the individual in any investigation, meeting, hearing or appeal involving ch. 108 or the federal unemployment tax act (26 USC 3301 to 3311) in which the individual is a party; and for receiving, reviewing, completing and returning all forms, reports and other documents required under ch. 108 or the federal unemployment tax act on behalf of the individual.

47.035(2) (2) An individual may make an informed, knowing and voluntary election to waive the right to a fiscal agent under sub. (1). The waiver may be as to all or any portion of the fiscal agent’s responsibilities. The waiver may be rescinded in whole or in part at any time.

47.035 History History: 1993 a. 373; 1997 a. 39, 112; 1999 a. 82.

47.04 47.04 Contractual services. The department may contract with nongovernmental agencies to provide the agencies vocational rehabilitation services.

47.04 History History: 1985 a. 29.

47.05 47.05 Employment First initiative.

47.05(1) (1) In this section:

47.05(1)(a) (a) “Agency” has the meaning given in s. 13.172 (1).

47.05(1)(b) (b) “Competitive integrated employment” has the meaning given in 29 USC 705 (5).

47.05(1)(c) (c) “Working age” means an age that is at least 16 and includes the age at which a child with a disability becomes eligible for transition services under subch. V of ch. 115.

47.05(2) (2) All publicly funded programs that provide services and supports to working age persons with disabilities, when supporting the participation of persons with disabilities in activities outside their homes, shall prioritize the competitive integrated employment of persons with disabilities.

47.05(3) (3) The department shall, with assistance from the department of health services and the department of public instruction, lead a collaboration among all agencies that administer programs that provide services and supports to working age persons with disabilities to promote the competitive integrated employment of those persons while ensuring the self-determination and informed choice of the individual.

47.05(4) (4) 

47.05(4)(a) (a) The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall collaborate and, with the input of stakeholders including the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Council as established under 34 CFR 361.16, jointly develop a plan establishing specific performance improvement targets and describing specific methods used to coordinate efforts to ensure that programs, policies, and procedures support competitive integrated employment as described under sub. (2). The departments shall update the plan at least biennially.

47.05(4)(b) (b)

47.05(4)(b)1. 1. The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall each report on the progress, outcomes, and achievements that each department has made in increasing participation in competitive integrated employment in accordance with the plan under par. (a), including information collected over the most recent period for which data are available. The departments shall make the reports required under this subdivision at least annually.

47.05(4)(b)2. 2. The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall include all of the following in the reports under subd. 1.:

47.05(4)(b)2.a. a. A statement regarding the targets established in the plan under par. (a).

47.05(4)(b)2.b. b. Steps taken by the departments, individually and collectively, to achieve the targets established in the plan under par. (a).

47.05(4)(b)2.c. c. The number of working age persons with disabilities who received publicly funded services through each department during the most recent period for which data are available and the number of those persons identified who are employed in competitive integrated employment during that period.

47.05(4)(b)2.d. d. The percentage change that the numbers under subd. 2. c. represent as compared to the numbers from the previous period.

47.05(4)(b)2.e. e. To the extent available through the departments’ data systems, data on the average number of hours worked and wages earned by persons described in subd. 2. c. who are employed in competitive integrated employment.

47.05(4)(b)2.f. f. Information appropriate to each department related to progress in achieving the targets established under par. (a).

47.05(4)(b)2.g. g. Identified barriers to achieving the goals and objectives established under this section and strategies and policy changes in accordance with this section for each department, acting individually and collectively, to overcome or mitigate those barriers.

47.05(4)(b)2.h. h. A statement or analysis specifically detailing the impact that the collaboration under sub. (3) has had on each department’s progress, outcomes, and achievements in increasing participation in competitive integrated employment.

47.05(4)(b)3. 3. In addition to reporting data under subd. 2. c. to e. on a statewide basis, the departments shall also report the data by region, county, or other geographic subdivision if data are already available on any such basis through the departments’ data systems.

47.05(4)(c) (c)

47.05(4)(c)1. 1. The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall do one or more of the following with respect to the reports described in par. (b):

47.05(4)(c)1.a. a. Prominently publish or otherwise provide access to the reports on each department’s Internet site.

47.05(4)(c)1.b. b. Publish the reports through a single, state-maintained Internet site.

47.05(4)(c)2. 2. The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall, in conjunction with the reports under subd. 1., also prominently publish or otherwise provide access to the current plan developed under par. (a).

47.05(5) (5) The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall share information with other agencies on their progress in supporting competitive integrated employment under sub. (2). The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction shall share with other agencies the number of working age persons with disabilities employed in competitive integrated employment through programs administered by that department.

47.05(6) (6) The department of workforce development, the department of health services, and the department of public instruction may each promulgate rules to implement this section. A department may not promulgate rules in implementing this section that limit access to or choice of allowable services, including prevocational services provided in accordance with 42 CFR parts 440 and 441, in the family care program under ss. 46.2805 to 46.2895, the Family Care Partnership program, and the self-directed services option, as defined in s. 46.2899 (1).

47.05(7) (7) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit access to or choice of allowable services, including prevocational services provided in accordance with 42 CFR parts 440 and 441, in the family care program under ss. 46.2805 to 46.2895, the Family Care Partnership program, and the self-directed services option, as defined in s. 46.2899 (1).

47.05 History History: 2017 a. 178.

47.07 47.07 Project SEARCH.

47.07(1) (1) The department shall allocate for each fiscal year at least $250,000 from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b) for contracts entered into under this section.

47.07(2) (2) The department may enter into contracts to provide services to persons with disabilities under the Project SEARCH program operated by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital or its successor organization.

47.07 History History: 2019 a. 9.