48.627(2)(c)(c) The department shall conduct a study to determine the cost-effectiveness of purchasing insurance to provide standard homeowner’s or renter’s liability insurance coverage for applicants who are granted a waiver under par. (b). If the department determines that it would be cost-effective to purchase such insurance, it may purchase the insurance from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd). 48.627(2)(d)(d) The licensing agency shall specify the amounts of liability insurance coverage required under par. (a). 48.627(2c)(2c) The department shall determine the cost-effectiveness of purchasing private insurance that would provide coverage to foster parents for acts or omissions by or affecting a child who is placed in a foster home. If this private insurance is cost-effective and available, the department shall purchase the insurance from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd). If the insurance is unavailable, payment of claims for acts or omissions by or affecting a child who is placed in a foster home shall be in accordance with subs. (2m) to (3). 48.627(2m)(2m) Within the limits of the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd), the department shall pay claims to the extent not covered by any other insurance and subject to the limitations specified in sub. (3), for bodily injury or property damage sustained by a licensed foster parent or a member of the foster parent’s family as a result of the act of a child in the foster parent’s care or as a result of an act or omission of the foster parent in granting permission for a child in the foster parent’s care to participate in an age or developmentally appropriate activity. 48.627(2s)(2s) Within the limits of the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd), the department may pay claims to the extent not covered by any other insurance and subject to the limitations specified in sub. (3), for all of the following: 48.627(2s)(a)(a) Acts or omissions of the foster parent that result in bodily injury to the child who is placed in the foster home or that form the basis for a civil action for damages by the foster child’s parent against the foster parent. 48.627(2s)(am)(am) Acts or omission of the foster parent in granting permission for a child who is placed in the foster home to participate in an age or developmentally appropriate activity. 48.627(2s)(b)(b) Bodily injury or property damage caused by an act or omission of a child who is placed in the foster parent’s care for which the foster parent becomes legally liable. 48.627(3)(b)(b) A claim under sub. (2m) shall be submitted to the department within 90 days after the bodily injury or property damage occurs. A claim under sub. (2s) shall be submitted to the department within 90 days after a foster parent learns that a legal action has been commenced against that parent. No claim may be paid under this subsection unless it is submitted within the time limits specified in this paragraph. 48.627(3)(c)(c) The department shall review and approve in whole or in part or disapprove all claims received under this subsection during each 3-month period beginning with the period from July 1, 1985, to September 30, 1985. 48.627(3)(d)(d) No claim may be approved in an amount exceeding the total amount available for paying claims under this subsection in the fiscal year during which the claim is submitted. No claim for property damage sustained by a foster parent or a member of a foster parent’s family may be approved in an amount exceeding $250,000. 48.627(3)(e)(e) The department may not approve a claim unless the foster parent submits with the claim evidence that is satisfactory to the department of the cause and value of the claim and evidence that insurance coverage is unavailable or inadequate to cover the claim. If insurance is available but inadequate, the department may approve a claim only for the amount of the value of the claim that the department determines is in excess of the amount covered by insurance. 48.627(3)(f)(f) If the total amount of the claims approved during any calendar quarter exceeds 25 percent of the total funds available during the fiscal year for purposes of this subsection plus any unencumbered funds remaining from the previous quarter, the department shall prorate the available funds among the claimants with approved claims. The department shall also prorate any unencumbered funds remaining in the appropriation under s. 20.437 (1) (cf) at the end of each fiscal year among the claimants whose claims were prorated during the fiscal year. Payment of a prorated amount from unencumbered funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year constitutes a complete payment of the claim for purposes of this program, but does not prohibit a foster parent from submitting a claim under s. 16.007 for the unpaid portion. 48.627(3)(g)(g) A claimant whose claim is denied or whose payment is prorated is not entitled to a hearing under ch. 227 on the issue of the denial or proration. 48.627(3)(h)(h) If a claim by a foster parent or a member of the foster parent’s family is approved, the department shall deduct from the amount approved $100 less any amount deducted by an insurance company from a payment for the same claim, except that a foster parent and his or her family are subject to only one deductible for all claims filed in a fiscal year. 48.627(3)(i)(i) The department may enter into a contract for the administration of this subsection. 48.627(4)(4) Except as provided in s. 895.485, the department is not liable for any act or omission by or affecting a child who is placed in a foster home, but shall, as provided in this section, pay claims described under sub. (2m) and may pay claims described under sub. (2s) or may purchase insurance to cover such claims as provided for under sub. (2c), within the limits of the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd). 48.627(5)(5) The attorney general may represent a foster or family-operated group home parent in any civil action arising out of an act or omission of the foster or family-operated group home parent while acting in his or her capacity as a foster or family-operated group home parent. 48.6348.63 Restrictions on placements. 48.63(1)(a)(a) Acting under court order or voluntary agreement, the child’s parent, guardian, or Indian custodian, or the department, the department of corrections, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, or a child welfare agency licensed to place children in foster homes or group homes may place a child or negotiate or act as intermediary for the placement of a child in a foster home or group home. Voluntary agreements under this paragraph may not be used for placements in facilities other than foster homes or group homes and may not be extended. A foster home placement under a voluntary agreement may not exceed 180 days from the date on which the child was removed from the home under the voluntary agreement. A group home placement under a voluntary agreement may not exceed 15 days from the date on which the child was removed from the home under the voluntary agreement, except as provided in sub. (5). These periods do not apply to placements made under s. 48.345, 938.183, 938.34, or 938.345. 48.63(1)(b)(b) Acting under a voluntary agreement, a child’s parent, guardian, or Indian custodian, the department, the department of corrections, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, or a child welfare agency licensed to place children in shelter care facilities, may place the child or negotiate or act as intermediary for the placement of the child in a shelter care facility that the department has approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) for use for placements under this paragraph. A voluntary agreement under this paragraph may not be used for placement in a facility other than an approved shelter care facility. A shelter care facility placement under a voluntary agreement may not exceed 20 days from the date on which the child was placed in the shelter care facility under the voluntary agreement and may not be extended. 48.63(1)(bm)(bm) Acting under a voluntary agreement, a child’s parent, the department, or a county department may place the child in a qualifying residential family-based treatment facility with a parent, if such a placement is recommended in the child’s permanency plan under s. 48.38 (4) (em) before the placement is made. A placement under this paragraph cannot exceed 180 days from the date on which the child was removed from the home under the voluntary agreement. 48.63(1)(c)(c) Voluntary agreements may be made only under par. (a), (b), or (bm) or sub. (5) (b), shall be in writing, shall state whether the child has been adopted, and shall specifically state that the agreement may be terminated at any time by the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian or by the child if the child’s consent to the agreement is required. In the case of an Indian child who is placed under par. (a), (b), or (bm) by the voluntary agreement of the Indian child’s parent or Indian custodian, the voluntary consent of the parent or Indian custodian to the placement shall be given as provided in s. 48.028 (5) (a). The child’s consent to an agreement under par. (a), (b), or (bm) is required whenever the child is 12 years of age or older. 48.63(1)(d)(d) If a county department, the department, or the department of corrections places a child or negotiates or acts as intermediary for the placement of a child under par. (a) or (b), the voluntary agreement shall also specifically state that the county department, department, or department of corrections has placement and care responsibility for the child as required under 42 USC 672 (a) (2) and has primary responsibility for providing services to the child. 48.63(2)(2) No person may place a child or offer or hold himself or herself out as able to place a child, except as provided in this section. Enrollment of a child by a parent or guardian in an educational institution and delegation of care and custody of a child to an agent under s. 48.979 do not constitute a placement for the purposes of this section. 48.63(3)(b)1.1. At the request of a parent having custody of a child and the proposed adoptive parent or parents of the child, the department, a county department under s. 48.57 (1) (e) or (hm), or a child welfare agency licensed under s. 48.60 may place the child in the home of the proposed adoptive parent or parents prior to termination of parental rights to the child as provided in subd. 2. or 3., whichever is applicable, and subd. 4. In placing an Indian child for adoption under this subdivision, the department, county department, or child welfare agency shall comply with the order of placement preference under s. 48.028 (7) (a) or, if applicable, s. 48.028 (7) (c), unless the department, county department, or child welfare agency finds good cause, as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), for departing from that order. 48.63(3)(b)2.2. The department, a county department under s. 48.57 (1) (e) or (hm), or a child welfare agency licensed under s. 48.60 may place a child under subd. 1. in the home of a proposed adoptive parent or parents who reside in this state if that home is licensed as a foster home under s. 48.62 and the investigation made under s. 48.75 (3) has been supplemented to evaluate whether the home is suitable for the child. 48.63(3)(b)3.3. The department, a county department under s. 48.57 (1) (e) or (hm), or a child welfare agency licensed under s. 48.60 may place a child under subd. 1. in the home of a proposed adoptive parent or parents who reside outside this state if the placement is made in compliance with s. 48.98, 48.988, or 48.99, whichever is applicable, if the home meets the criteria established by the laws of the state where the proposed adoptive parent or parents reside for a preadoptive placement of a child in the home of a nonrelative, and if an appropriate agency in that state has completed an investigation of the home and filed a report and recommendation concerning the home with the department, county department, or licensed child welfare agency. 48.63(3)(b)4.4. Before a child may be placed under subd. 1., the department, county department, or child welfare agency making the placement and the proposed adoptive parent or parents shall enter into a written agreement that specifies who is financially responsible for the cost of providing care for the child prior to the finalization of the adoption and for the cost of returning the child to the parent who has custody of the child if the adoption is not finalized. Under the agreement, the department, county department, or child welfare agency or the proposed adoptive parent or parents, but not the birth parent of the child or any alleged or presumed father of the child, shall be financially responsible for those costs. 48.63(3)(b)5.5. Prior to termination of parental rights to the child, no person may coerce a birth parent of the child or any alleged or presumed father of the child into refraining from exercising his or her right to withdraw consent to the transfer or surrender of the child or to termination of his or her parental rights to the child, to have reasonable visitation or contact with the child, or to otherwise exercise his or her parental rights to the child. 48.63(4)(4) A permanency plan under s. 48.38 is required for each child placed in a foster home under sub. (1). If the child is living in a foster home under a voluntary agreement, the agency that negotiated or acted as intermediary for the placement shall prepare the permanency plan within 60 days after the date on which the child was removed from his or her home under the voluntary agreement. A copy of each plan shall be provided to the child if he or she is 12 years of age or over and to the child’s parent, guardian, or Indian custodian. If the agency that arranged the voluntary placement intends to seek a court order to place the child outside of his or her home at the expiration of the voluntary placement, the agency shall prepare a revised permanency plan and file that revised plan with the court prior to the date of the hearing on the proposed placement. 48.63(5)(a)(a) Subsection (1) does not apply to the voluntary placement under par. (b) of a child in a group home described in s. 48.625 (1m). Such placements may be made only as provided in par. (b). 48.63(5)(b)(b) If a child who is at least 14 years of age, who is a custodial parent, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (b), or an expectant mother, and who is in need of a safe and structured living arrangement and the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child consent, a child welfare agency licensed to place children in group homes may place the child or arrange the placement of the child in a group home described in s. 48.625 (1m). Before placing a child or arranging the placement of a child under this paragraph, the child welfare agency shall report any suspected abuse or neglect of the child as required under s. 48.981 (2). A voluntary agreement to place a child in a group home described in s. 48.625 (1m) may be made only under this paragraph, shall be in writing, and shall specifically state that the agreement may be terminated at any time by the parent, guardian, Indian custodian, or child. In the case of an Indian child who is placed in a group home under this paragraph by the voluntary agreement of the Indian child’s parent or Indian custodian, the voluntary consent of the parent or Indian custodian to the placement shall be given as provided in s. 48.028 (5) (a). An initial placement under this paragraph may not exceed 180 days from the date on which the child was removed from the home under the voluntary agreement, but may be extended as provided in par. (d) 3. to 6. An initial placement under this paragraph of a child who is under 16 years of age on the date of the initial placement may be extended as provided in par. (d) 3. to 6. no more than once. 48.63(5)(c)(c) A permanency plan under s. 48.38 is required for each child placed in a group home under par. (b) and for any child of that child who is residing with that child. The agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child shall prepare the plan within 60 days after the date on which the child was removed from his or her home under the voluntary agreement and shall provide a copy of the plan to the child and the child’s parent, guardian, or Indian custodian. 48.63(5)(d)1.1. In this paragraph, “independent reviewing agency” means a person contracted with under subd. 2. to review permanency plans and placements under subds. 3. to 6. 48.63(5)(d)2.2. An agency that places children under par. (b) or that arranges those placements shall contract with another agency licensed under s. 48.61 (3) to place children or with a county department to review the permanency plans and placements of those children and of any children of those children who are residing with those children as provided in subds. 3. to 6. 48.63(5)(d)3.3. If the agency that has placed a child under par. (b) or that has arranged the placement of the child wishes to extend the placement of the child, the agency shall prepare a revised permanency plan for that child and for any child of that child who is residing with that child and submit the revised permanency plan or plans, together with a request for a review of the revised permanency plan or plans and the child’s placement, to the independent reviewing agency before the expiration of the child’s placement. The request shall include a statement that an extension of the child’s placement would be in the best interests of the child, together with reliable and credible information in support of that statement, a statement that the child and the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child consent to the extension of the child’s placement, and a request that the independent reviewing agency approve an extension of the child’s placement. On receipt of a revised permanency plan or plans and a request for review, the independent reviewing agency shall set a time and place for the review and shall advise the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child of the time and place of the review. 48.63(5)(d)4.4. Not less than 10 days before the review, the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child shall provide a copy of the revised permanency plan or plans and the request for review submitted under subd. 3. and notice of the time and place of the review to the child, the parent, guardian, Indian custodian, and legal custodian of the child, and the operator of the group home in which the child is placed, together with notice of the issues to be determined as part of the permanency review and notice of the fact that those persons shall have a right to be heard at the review by submitting written comments to that agency or the independent reviewing agency before the review or by participating at the review. 48.63(5)(d)5.5. At the review, any person specified in subd. 4. may present information relevant to the issue of extension and information relevant to the determinations specified in s. 48.38 (5) (c). After receiving that information, the independent reviewing agency shall make the determinations specified in s. 48.38 (5) (c) and determine whether an extension of the child’s placement is in the best interests of the child and whether the child and the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child consent to the extension. If the independent reviewing agency determines that the extension is in the best interests of the child and that the child and the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child consent to the extension, the independent reviewing agency shall approve, in writing, an extension of the placement for a specified period of time not to exceed 6 months, stating the reason for the approval, and the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child may extend the child’s placement for the period of time approved. If the independent reviewing agency determines that the extension is not in the best interests of the child or that the child and the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child do not consent to the extension, the independent reviewing agency shall, in writing, disapprove an extension of the placement, stating the reason for the disapproval, and the agency that placed the child or that arranged the placement of the child may not extend the placement of the child past the expiration date of the voluntary placement unless the agency obtains a court order placing the child in the group home after the expiration date of the voluntary placement. Notwithstanding the approval of an extension under this subdivision, the child or the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child may terminate the placement at any time during the extension period. 48.63(5)(d)6.6. Within 30 days after the review, the agency that prepared the revised permanency plan or plans shall prepare a written summary of the determinations specified in s. 48.38 (5) (c) that were made under subd. 5. and shall provide a copy of that summary to the independent reviewing agency, the child, the parent, guardian, Indian custodian, and legal custodian of the child, and the operator of the group home in which the child was placed. 48.63 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 354, 449; 1979 c. 300; 1981 c. 81; 1983 a. 351, 399; 1985 a. 176; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1993 a. 446; 1995 a. 27 ss. 2594, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 77; 2001 a. 69, 109; 2007 a. 20, 186, 199; 2009 a. 28, 79, 94, 339; 2011 a. 87, 181, 258; 2013 a. 335; 2015 a. 378, 381; 2019 a. 9. 48.6448.64 Placement of children in out-of-home care. 48.64(1)(1) Definition. In this section, “agency” means the department, the department of corrections, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, or a licensed child welfare agency authorized to place children in foster homes, group homes, or shelter care facilities approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c), in the homes of relatives other than a parent, or in the homes of like-kin. 48.64(1m)(1m) Out-of-home care agreements. If an agency places a child in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin under a court order or places a child in a foster home, group home, or shelter care facility approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) under a voluntary agreement under s. 48.63, the agency shall enter into a written agreement with the head of the home or facility. The agreement shall provide that the agency shall have access at all times to the child and the home or facility, and that the child will be released to the agency whenever, in the opinion of the agency placing the child or the department, the best interests of the child require release to the agency. If a child has been in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin for 6 months or more, the agency shall give the head of the home written notice of intent to remove the child, stating the reasons for the removal. The child may not be removed from a foster home, group home, or home of a relative other than a parent or the home of like-kin before completion of the hearing under sub. (4) (a) or (c), if requested, or 30 days after the receipt of the notice, whichever is later, unless the safety of the child requires it or, in a case in which the reason for removal is to place the child for adoption under s. 48.833, unless all of the persons who have the right to request a hearing under sub. (4) (a) or (c) sign written waivers of objection to the proposed removal. If the safety of the child requires earlier removal, s. 48.19 applies. If an agency removes a child from an adoptive placement, the head of the home shall have no claim against the placing agency for the expense of care, clothing, or medical treatment. 48.64(1r)(1r) Notification of school district and school. When an agency places a school-age child in out-of-home care, the agency shall give notification of the out-of-home care placement to the school district in which the child has been placed and the school in which the child will enroll after the placement is made, unless the child will remain enrolled in his or her school and school district of origin. If the child will remain enrolled in his or her school and school district of origin, the agency shall give notification of the out-of-home care placement to the child’s school district and school of origin. The notice to the child’s school district and school shall also include the name and contact information for the caseworker or social worker assigned to the child’s case. 48.64(2)(2) Supervision of out-of-home care placements. Every child who is placed in a foster home, group home, or shelter care facility approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) shall be under the supervision of an agency. Every child who is placed in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin under a court order shall be under the supervision of an agency. 48.64(4)(4) Orders affecting the head of home or the children. 48.64(4)(a)(a) Except as provided in par. (d), any decision or order issued by an agency that affects the head of a foster home or group home, the head of the home of a relative other than a parent or the home of like-kin in which a child is placed, or the child involved may be appealed to the department under fair hearing procedures established under rules promulgated by the department. Upon receipt of an appeal, the department shall give the head of the home reasonable notice and an opportunity for a fair hearing. The department may make any additional investigation that the department considers necessary. The department shall give notice of the hearing to the head of the home and to the departmental subunit, county department, or child welfare agency that issued the decision or order. Each person receiving notice is entitled to be represented at the hearing. At all hearings conducted under this paragraph, the head of the home, or a representative of the head of the home, shall have an adequate opportunity, notwithstanding s. 48.78 (2) (a), to examine all documents and records to be used at the hearing at a reasonable time before the date of the hearing as well as during the hearing, to bring witnesses, to establish all pertinent facts and circumstances, and to question or refute any testimony or evidence, including an opportunity to confront and cross-examine adverse witnesses. The department shall grant a continuance for a reasonable period of time when an issue is raised for the first time during a hearing. This requirement may be waived with the consent of the parties. The decision of the department shall be based exclusively on evidence introduced at the hearing. A transcript of testimony and exhibits, or an official report containing the substance of what transpired at the hearing, together with all papers and requests filed in the proceeding, and the findings of the hearing examiner shall constitute the exclusive record for decision by the department. The department shall make the record available at any reasonable time and at an accessible place to the head of the home or his or her representative. Decisions by the department shall specify the reasons for the decision and identify the supporting evidence. No person participating in an agency action being appealed may participate in the final administrative decision on that action. The department shall render its decision as soon as possible after the hearing and shall send a certified copy of its decision to the head of the home and to the departmental subunit, county department, or child welfare agency that issued the decision or order. The decision shall be binding on all parties concerned. 48.64(4)(b)(b) Judicial review of the department’s decision may be had as provided in ch. 227. 48.64(4)(c)(c) Except as provided in par. (d), the circuit court for the county where the dispositional order placing a child in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin was entered or the voluntary agreement under s. 48.63 placing a child in a foster home or group home was made has jurisdiction upon petition of any interested party over the child who is placed in the foster home, group home, or home of the relative or like-kin. The circuit court may call a hearing, at which the head of the home and the supervising agency under sub. (2) shall be present, for the purpose of reviewing any decision or order of that agency involving the placement and care of the child. If the child has been placed in a foster home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin, the foster parent, relative, or like-kin may present relevant evidence at the hearing. The petitioner has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the decision or order issued by the agency is not in the best interests of the child. 48.64(4)(d)(d) No decision or order to change the placement of a child who is in out-of-home care under a voluntary transition-to-independent-living agreement under s. 48.366 (3) or 938.366 (3) may be appealed to the department under par. (a) or reviewed by the circuit court under par. (c). Effective date noteNOTE: This section is shown as amended by 2023 Wis. Act 119 eff. 7-1-25 or on the date specified in the Department of Children and Families notice published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register under 2023 Wis. Act 119, section 122 (1), whichever is earlier. Prior to that date this section reads: 48.64 Note48.64 Placement of children in out-of-home care. (1) Definition. In this section, “agency” means the department, the department of corrections, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, or a licensed child welfare agency authorized to place children in foster homes, group homes, or shelter care facilities approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) or in the homes of relatives other than a parent.
Effective date text(1m) Out-of-home care agreements. If an agency places a child in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent under a court order or places a child in a foster home, group home, or shelter care facility approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) under a voluntary agreement under s. 48.63, the agency shall enter into a written agreement with the head of the home or facility. The agreement shall provide that the agency shall have access at all times to the child and the home or facility, and that the child will be released to the agency whenever, in the opinion of the agency placing the child or the department, the best interests of the child require release to the agency. If a child has been in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent for 6 months or more, the agency shall give the head of the home written notice of intent to remove the child, stating the reasons for the removal. The child may not be removed from a foster home, group home, or home of a relative other than a parent before completion of the hearing under sub. (4) (a) or (c), if requested, or 30 days after the receipt of the notice, whichever is later, unless the safety of the child requires it or, in a case in which the reason for removal is to place the child for adoption under s. 48.833, unless all of the persons who have the right to request a hearing under sub. (4) (a) or (c) sign written waivers of objection to the proposed removal. If the safety of the child requires earlier removal, s. 48.19 applies. If an agency removes a child from an adoptive placement, the head of the home shall have no claim against the placing agency for the expense of care, clothing, or medical treatment.
Effective date text(1r) Notification of school district and school. When an agency places a school-age child in out-of-home care, the agency shall give notification of the out-of-home care placement to the school district in which the child has been placed and the school in which the child will enroll after the placement is made, unless the child will remain enrolled in his or her school and school district of origin. If the child will remain enrolled in his or her school and school district of origin, the agency shall give notification of the out-of-home care placement to the child’s school district and school of origin. The notice to the child’s school district and school shall also include the name and contact information for the caseworker or social worker assigned to the child’s case.
Effective date text(2) Supervision of out-of-home care placements. Every child who is placed in a foster home, group home, or shelter care facility approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) shall be under the supervision of an agency. Every child who is placed in the home of a relative other than a parent under a court order shall be under the supervision of an agency.
Effective date text(4) Orders affecting the head of home or the children. (a) Except as provided in par. (d), any decision or order issued by an agency that affects the head of a foster home or group home, the head of the home of a relative other than a parent in which a child is placed, or the child involved may be appealed to the department under fair hearing procedures established under rules promulgated by the department. Upon receipt of an appeal, the department shall give the head of the home reasonable notice and an opportunity for a fair hearing. The department may make any additional investigation that the department considers necessary. The department shall give notice of the hearing to the head of the home and to the departmental subunit, county department, or child welfare agency that issued the decision or order. Each person receiving notice is entitled to be represented at the hearing. At all hearings conducted under this paragraph, the head of the home, or a representative of the head of the home, shall have an adequate opportunity, notwithstanding s. 48.78 (2) (a), to examine all documents and records to be used at the hearing at a reasonable time before the date of the hearing as well as during the hearing, to bring witnesses, to establish all pertinent facts and circumstances, and to question or refute any testimony or evidence, including an opportunity to confront and cross-examine adverse witnesses. The department shall grant a continuance for a reasonable period of time when an issue is raised for the first time during a hearing. This requirement may be waived with the consent of the parties. The decision of the department shall be based exclusively on evidence introduced at the hearing. A transcript of testimony and exhibits, or an official report containing the substance of what transpired at the hearing, together with all papers and requests filed in the proceeding, and the findings of the hearing examiner shall constitute the exclusive record for decision by the department. The department shall make the record available at any reasonable time and at an accessible place to the head of the home or his or her representative. Decisions by the department shall specify the reasons for the decision and identify the supporting evidence. No person participating in an agency action being appealed may participate in the final administrative decision on that action. The department shall render its decision as soon as possible after the hearing and shall send a certified copy of its decision to the head of the home and to the departmental subunit, county department, or child welfare agency that issued the decision or order. The decision shall be binding on all parties concerned.
Effective date text(b) Judicial review of the department’s decision may be had as provided in ch. 227.
Effective date text(c) Except as provided in par. (d), the circuit court for the county where the dispositional order placing a child in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent was entered or the voluntary agreement under s. 48.63 placing a child in a foster home or group home was made has jurisdiction upon petition of any interested party over the child who is placed in the foster home, group home, or home of the relative. The circuit court may call a hearing, at which the head of the home and the supervising agency under sub. (2) shall be present, for the purpose of reviewing any decision or order of that agency involving the placement and care of the child. If the child has been placed in a foster home or in the home of a relative other than a parent, the foster parent or relative may present relevant evidence at the hearing. The petitioner has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the decision or order issued by the agency is not in the best interests of the child.
Effective date text(d) No decision or order to change the placement of a child who is in out-of-home care under a voluntary transition-to-independent-living agreement under s. 48.366 (3) or 938.366 (3) may be appealed to the department under par. (a) or reviewed by the circuit court under par. (c).
48.64 HistoryHistory: 1971 c. 40; 1973 c. 328; 1977 c. 271, 354, 418, 447, 449; 1985 a. 176; 1985 a. 292 s. 3; 1985 a. 332; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1993 a. 395, 446, 491; 1995 a. 27 ss. 2595, 9126 (19); 1997 a. 104; 2001 a. 69; 2005 a. 293; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28, 81; 2013 a. 334, 335; 2017 a. 251; 2023 a. 119. 48.64 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also ch. DCF 57, Wis. adm. code. 48.64 AnnotationFoster parents’ rights were violated by the Department of Health and Social Services’ failure to give mandatory written notice under sub. (1) [now sub. (1m)], but, since adoptive placement was found to be in the children’s best interest, the foster parents’ rights were subordinated to the paramount interest of the children. Allen v. DHSS, 81 Wis. 2d 194, 260 N.W.2d 246 (1977). 48.64 AnnotationA foster parent is entitled to a hearing under sub. (4) (a) regarding the person’s interest as a foster parent even when placement of the child cannot be affected by the hearing outcome. Bingenheimer v. DHSS, 129 Wis. 2d 100, 383 N.W.2d 898 (1986). 48.64 AnnotationSub. (4) (a) requires a hearing when an adoption agency removes a child from an adoptive placement within six months. Thelen v. DHSS, 143 Wis. 2d 574, 422 N.W.2d 146 (Ct. App. 1988). 48.64 AnnotationFoster children have a constitutional right under the due process clause to safe and secure placement in a foster home. Whether a public official violates that right is determined based on a professional judgment standard. Kara B. v. Dane County, 205 Wis. 2d 140, 555 N.W.2d 630 (1996), 94-1081. See also Estate of Cooper v. Milwaukee County, 103 F. Supp. 2d 1124 (2000). 48.64 AnnotationThe best interest of the child standard under sub. (4) (c) must be read in conjunction with the children’s code directive that a child’s best interest is generally served by being reunited with the child’s family. Sallie T. v. Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services, 212 Wis. 2d 694, 570 N.W.2d 46 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-3147. 48.64 AnnotationSallie T., 219 Wis. 2d 296 (1998), does not require that the trial court be blind to events preceding the most recent dispositional order. Constitutional protections of a parent’s right to the parent’s child do not prevent the application of the best interests of the child standard as the central focus of determining where the child shall live. “Best interests” and “safety” are not synonymous. Richard D. v. Rebecca G., 228 Wis. 2d 658, 599 N.W.2d 90 (Ct. App. 1999), 99-0433. 48.64 AnnotationWhile prospective adoptive parents have a limited protected liberty interest in the family unit during the first six months of placement, that interest does not require a pre-removal hearing. Thelen v. Catholic Social Services, 691 F. Supp. 1179 (1988). 48.64 AnnotationConstitutional Law—Due Process—Family Law—Family Liberty Interest of Foster Parents. Conrad. 1978 WLR 510.
48.64 AnnotationIn the Best Interest of Children: When Foster Parents May Keep Placement. Neary. Wis. Law. Sept. 2007.
48.645(1)(1) Definition. In this section, “dependent child” means a child under the age of 18 or, if the child is a full-time student at a secondary school or its vocational or technical equivalent and is reasonably expected to complete the program before reaching 19 years of age, is under the age of 19, or, if the child is a full-time student at a secondary school or its vocational or technical equivalent for whom an individualized educational program under s. 115.787 is in effect, is under 21 years of age, who meets all of the following conditions: 48.645(1)(a)(a) The child is living in a foster home licensed under s. 48.62 if a license is required under that section, in a foster home located within the boundaries of a reservation in this state and licensed by the tribal governing body of the reservation, in a group home licensed under s. 48.625, in a subsidized guardianship home under s. 48.623, in a residential care center for children and youth licensed under s. 48.60, with a parent in a qualifying residential family-based treatment facility, or in a supervised independent living arrangement and has been placed in that home, center, or arrangement by a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, by the department, or by a governing body of an Indian tribe in this state under an agreement with a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23. 48.645(2)(a)(a) The department or a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 shall grant aid on behalf of a dependent child to any of the following: 48.645(2)(a)1.1. A nonrelative who cares for the dependent child in a foster home having a license under s. 48.62, in a foster home located within the boundaries of a reservation in this state and licensed by the tribal governing body of the reservation or in a group home licensed under s. 48.625, a subsidized guardian or interim caretaker under s. 48.623 who cares for the dependent child, or a minor custodial parent who cares for the dependent child, regardless of the cause or prospective period of dependency. The state shall reimburse counties pursuant to the procedure under s. 48.569 (2) and the percentage rate of participation set forth in s. 48.569 (1) (d) for aid granted under this section except that if the child does not have legal settlement in the granting county, state reimbursement shall be at 100 percent. The county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 or the department under s. 48.48 (17) shall determine the legal settlement of the child. A child under one year of age shall be eligible for aid under this subsection irrespective of any other residence requirement for eligibility within this section. 48.645(2)(a)2.2. A county or, in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the department, on behalf of a child in the legal custody of a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 or the department under s. 48.48 (17) or on behalf of a child who was removed from the home of a relative as a result of a judicial determination that continuance in the home of a relative would be contrary to the child’s welfare for any reason when the child is placed in a licensed residential care center for children and youth or a qualifying residential family-based treatment center by the county department or the department. Reimbursement shall be made by the state as provided in subd. 1. 48.645(2)(a)3.3. A county or, in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the department, when the child is placed in a licensed foster home, group home, residential care center for children and youth, or a qualifying residential family-based treatment facility, in a subsidized guardianship home, or in a supervised independent living arrangement by a licensed child welfare agency or by a governing body of an Indian tribe in this state or by its designee, if the child is in the legal custody of the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 or the department under s. 48.48 (17) or if the child was removed from the home of a relative as a result of a judicial determination that continuance in the home of the relative would be contrary to the child’s welfare for any reason and the placement is made under an agreement with the county department or the department.
