Chapter 51

51.62(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

51.62(1)(ag) (ag) “Abuse” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (a).

51.62(1)(am) (am) “Developmental disability” means a severe, chronic disability of a person that is characterized by all of the following:

51.62(1)(am)1. 1. Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of a mental and a physical impairment.

51.62(1)(am)2. 2. Is manifested before the person has attained the age of 22.

51.62(1)(am)3. 3. Is likely to continue indefinitely.

51.62(1)(am)4. 4. Results in substantial functional limitation in at least 3 of the following areas of major life activity:

51.62(1)(am)4.a. a. Self-care.

51.62(1)(am)4.b. b. Receptive and expressive language.

51.62(1)(am)4.c. c. Learning.

51.62(1)(am)4.d. d. Mobility.

51.62(1)(am)4.e. e. Self-direction.

51.62(1)(am)4.f. f. Capacity for independent living.

51.62(1)(am)4.g. g. Economic self-sufficiency.

51.62(1)(am)5. 5. Requires a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary or generic care, treatment or other services that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

51.62(1)(ar) (ar) “Financial exploitation” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (ed).

51.62(1)(b) (b) “Inpatient health care facility” has the meaning provided under s. 50.135 (1), except that it does include community-based residential facilities as defined under s. 50.01 (1g).

51.62(1)(bm) (bm) “Mental illness” means mental disease to such extent that a person so afflicted requires care and treatment for his or her welfare, or the welfare of others, or of the community and is an inpatient or resident in a facility rendering care or treatment or has been discharged from the facility for not more than 90 days.

51.62(1)(br) (br) “Neglect” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (f).

51.62(1)(c) (c) “Protection and advocacy agency” means an entity designated by the governor to implement a system to protect and advocate the rights of persons with developmental disabilities, as authorized under 42 USC 6012 or mental illness, as authorized under 42 USC 10801 to 10851.

51.62(2) (2) Designation.

51.62(2)(a) (a) The governor shall designate as the protection and advocacy agency a private, nonprofit corporation that is independent of all of the following:

51.62(2)(a)1. 1. A state agency.

51.62(2)(a)2. 2. The board for people with developmental disabilities and the council on mental health.

51.62(2)(a)3. 3. An agency that provides treatment, services or habilitation to persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness.

51.62(2)(b) (b) After the governor has designated a protection and advocacy agency under par. (a), the protection and advocacy agency so designated shall continue in that capacity unless and until the governor redesignates the protection and advocacy agency to another private, nonprofit corporation that meets the requirements of par. (a). The governor may redesignate this private, nonprofit corporation the protection and advocacy agency only if all of the following conditions are met:

51.62(2)(b)1. 1. Good cause exists for the redesignation.

51.62(2)(b)2. 2. Prior notice and an opportunity to comment on a proposed redesignation has been given to all of the following:

51.62(2)(b)2.a. a. The board for people with developmental disabilities and the council on mental health.

51.62(2)(b)2.b. b. Major organizations, in the state, of persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness and families and representatives of these persons.

51.62(2)(c) (c) If the governor has designated a protection and advocacy agency before July 20, 1985, that entity shall continue in that capacity unless and until the governor redesignates the protection and advocacy agency to another private, nonprofit corporation that meets the requirements of par. (a).

51.62(3) (3) Agency powers and duties.

51.62(3)(a) (a) The protection and advocacy agency may:

51.62(3)(a)1. 1. Pursue legal, administrative and other appropriate remedies to ensure the protection of the rights of persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness and to provide information on and referral to programs and services addressing the needs of persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness.

51.62(3)(a)2. 2. Have access to records as specified under ss. 51.30 (4) (b) 18. and 146.82 (2) (a) 9.

51.62(3)(a)2m. 2m. Have immediate access to any individual with mental illness or developmental disability, regardless of age, who has requested services or on whose behalf services have been requested from the protection and advocacy agency or concerning whom the protection and advocacy agency has reasonable cause to believe that abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or a violation of rights of the individual has occurred.

51.62(3)(a)3. 3. Contract with a private, nonprofit corporation to confer to that corporation the powers and duties specified for the protection and advocacy agency under this subsection, except that the corporation may have access to records as specified under ss. 51.30 (4) (b) 18. and 146.82 (2) (a) 9. only if all of the following conditions are met:

51.62(3)(a)3.a. a. The contract of the corporation with the protection and advocacy agency so provides.

51.62(3)(a)3.b. b. The department has approved the access.

51.62(3)(b) (b) The protection and advocacy agency shall pay reasonable costs related to the reproducing or copying of patient health care or treatment records.

51.62(3m) (3m) Funding. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (7) (md), the department shall distribute $75,000 in each fiscal year to the protection and advocacy agency for performance of community mental health protection and advocacy services.

51.62(4) (4) Departmental duties. The department shall provide the protection and advocacy agency with copies of annual surveys and plans of correction for intermediate care facilities for persons with an intellectual disability on or before the first day of the 2nd month commencing after completion of the survey or plan.

51.62 History History: 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 161 s. 13m; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 27; 1995 a. 27, 169; 1997 a. 27, 35; 2005 a. 388; 2007 a. 20, 153; 2009 a. 180; 2011 a. 126.

51.62 Annotation The Wisconsin statutory scheme does not give an agency express authority to investigate incidents of abuse and neglect or to obtain patient records, but under federal law any state system established to protect the rights of persons with developmental disabilities has that authority. Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, Inc. v. Czaplewski, 131 F. Supp. 2d 1039 (2001).

51.63 51.63 Private pay for patients. Any person may pay, in whole or in part, for the maintenance and clothing of any mentally ill, developmentally disabled, alcoholic or drug dependent person at any institution for the treatment of persons so afflicted, and his or her account shall be credited with the sums paid. The person may also be likewise provided with such special care in addition to those services usually provided by the institution as is agreed upon with the director, upon payment of the charges therefor.

51.63 History History: 1975 c. 430.

51.64 51.64 Reports of death required; penalty; assessment.

51.64(1) (1) In this section:

51.64(1)(a) (a) “Physical restraint” includes all of the following:

51.64(1)(a)1. 1. A locked room.

51.64(1)(a)2. 2. A device or garment that interferes with an individual’s freedom of movement and that the individual is unable to remove easily.

51.64(1)(a)3. 3. Restraint by a treatment facility staff member of a person admitted or committed to the treatment facility, by use of physical force.

51.64(1)(b) (b) “Psychotropic medication” means an antipsychotic, antidepressant, lithium carbonate or a tranquilizer.

51.64(2) (2) 

51.64(2)(a) (a) No later than 24 hours after the death of a person admitted or committed to a treatment facility, the treatment facility shall report the death to the department if one of the following applies:

51.64(2)(a)1. 1. There is reasonable cause to believe that the death was related to the use of physical restraint or a psychotropic medication.

51.64(2)(a)3. 3. There is reasonable cause to believe that the death was a suicide.

51.64 History History: 1989 a. 336.

51.65 51.65 Segregation of tuberculosis patients. The department shall make provision for the segregation of tuberculosis patients in the state-operated and community-operated facilities, and for that purpose may set apart facilities and equip facilities for the care and treatment of such patients.

51.65 History History: 1975 c. 430.

51.67 51.67 Alternate procedure; protective services. If, after a hearing under s. 51.13 (4) or 51.20, the court finds that commitment under this chapter is not warranted and that the subject individual is a fit subject for guardianship and protective placement or services, the court may, without further notice, appoint a temporary guardian for the subject individual and order temporary protective placement or services under ch. 55 for a period not to exceed 30 days. Temporary protective placement for an individual in a center for the developmentally disabled is subject to s. 51.06 (3). Any interested party may then file a petition for permanent guardianship or protective placement or services, including medication, under ch. 55. If the individual is in a treatment facility, the individual may remain in the facility during the period of temporary protective placement if no other appropriate facility is available. The court may order psychotropic medication as a temporary protective service under this section if it finds that there is probable cause to believe the individual is not competent to refuse psychotropic medication and that the medication ordered will have therapeutic value and will not unreasonably impair the ability of the individual to prepare for and participate in subsequent legal proceedings. An individual is not competent to refuse psychotropic medication if, because of serious and persistent mental illness, and after the advantages and disadvantages of and alternatives to accepting the particular psychotropic medication have been explained to the individual, one of the following is true:

51.67(1) (1) The individual is incapable of expressing an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of accepting treatment and the alternatives.

51.67(2) (2) The individual is substantially incapable of applying an understanding of the advantages, disadvantages and alternatives to his or her serious and persistent mental illness in order to make an informed choice as to whether to accept or refuse psychotropic medication.

51.67 History History: 1975 c. 430; 1977 c. 187, 428; 1979 c. 89, 336; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 366; 1995 a. 268; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 264.

51.72 51.72 Suicide prevention programming grants.

51.72(1) (1) From the federal funds set aside under sub. (2), the department shall award grants to organizations or coalitions of organizations, which may include a city, village, town, county, or federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state, for suicide prevention programming.

51.72(2) (2) Each fiscal year, the department shall set aside $250,000 from the federal funds received under 42 USC 300x to 300x-9 for the purpose of awarding grants under sub. (1). The department may not encumber the federal funds set aside under this subsection during the fiscal year in which the funds are set aside for any purpose other than awarding grants under sub. (1).

51.72(3) (3) The department may not award a grant under sub. (1) unless the recipient contributes matching funds or in-kind services having a value equal to at least 20 percent of the grant.

51.72(4) (4) The department may award a grant to a recipient under sub. (1) for an amount up to $25,000 in a particular fiscal year.

51.72 History History: 2023 a. 85.

51.75 51.75 Interstate compact on mental health. The interstate compact on mental health is enacted into law and entered into by this state with all other states legally joining therein substantially in the following form:

THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON

MENTAL HEALTH.

The contracting states solemnly agree that:

51.75(1) (1) Article I. The party states find that the proper and expeditious treatment of the mentally ill and mentally deficient can be facilitated by cooperative action, to the benefit of the patients, their families and society as a whole. Further, the party states find that the necessity of and desirability for furnishing such care and treatment bears no primary relation to the residence or citizenship of the patient but that, on the contrary, the controlling factors of community safety and humanitarianism require that facilities and services be made available for all who are in need of them. Consequently, it is the purpose of this compact and of the party states to provide the necessary legal basis for the institutionalization or other appropriate care and treatment of the mentally ill and mentally deficient under a system that recognizes the paramount importance of patient welfare and to establish the responsibilities of the party states in terms of such welfare.

51.75(2) (2) Article II. As used in this compact:

51.75(2)(a) (a) “Aftercare” means care, treatment and services provided a patient, as defined herein, on convalescent status or conditional release.

51.75(2)(b) (b) “Institution” means any hospital or other facility maintained by a party state or political subdivision thereof for the care and treatment of mental illness or mental deficiency.

51.75(2)(c) (c) “Mental deficiency” means mental deficiency as defined by appropriate clinical authorities to such extent that a person so afflicted is incapable of managing himself or herself and his or her affairs, but shall not include mental illness as defined herein.

51.75(2)(d) (d) “Mental illness” means mental disease to such extent that a person so afflicted requires care and treatment for the person’s welfare, or the welfare of others, or of the community.

51.75(2)(e) (e) “Patient” means any person subject to or eligible as determined by the laws of the sending state, for institutionalization or other care, treatment or supervision pursuant to the provisions of this compact.

51.75(2)(f) (f) “Receiving state” means a party state to which a patient is transported pursuant to the provisions of the compact or to which it is contemplated that a patient may be so sent.

51.75(2)(g) (g) “Sending state” means a party state from which a patient is transported pursuant to the provisions of the compact or from which it is contemplated that a patient may be so sent.

51.75(2)(h) (h) “State” means any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

51.75(3) (3) Article III.

51.75(3)(a) (a) Whenever a person physically present in any party state is in need of institutionalization by reason of mental illness or mental deficiency, the person shall be eligible for care and treatment in an institution in that state irrespective of the person’s residence, settlement or citizenship, qualifications.

51.75(3)(b) (b) The provisions of par. (a) to the contrary notwithstanding any patient may be transferred to an institution in another state whenever there are factors based upon clinical determinations indicating that the care and treatment of said patient would be facilitated or improved thereby. Any such institutionalization may be for the entire period of care and treatment or for any portion thereof. The factors referred to in this paragraph include the patient’s full record with due regard for the location of the patient’s family, character of the illness and probable duration thereof, and such other factors as are considered appropriate.

51.75(3)(c) (c) No state is obliged to receive any patient under par. (b) unless the sending state has given advance notice of its intention to send the patient, furnished all available medical and other pertinent records concerning the patient and given the qualified medical or other appropriate clinical authorities of the receiving state an opportunity to examine the patient if said authorities so wish, and unless the receiving state agrees to accept the patient.

51.75(3)(d) (d) If the laws of the receiving state establish a system of priorities for the admission of patients, an interstate patient under this compact shall receive the same priority as a local patient and shall be taken in the same order and at the same time that the interstate patient would be taken if the interstate patient were a local patient.