Wisconsin Legislature: DCF 56.13(5)

DCF 56.12(3)(3) Information about caring for children, including:

DCF 56.12(3)(b)(b) Child development.

DCF 56.12(3)(d)(d) Discipline of foster children.

DCF 56.12(3)(e)(e) Independent living and the transfer of independent living skills.

DCF 56.12(4)(4) Information about resources for foster families, including:

DCF 56.12(4)(a)(a) A description of the support services available through the agency, including the availability of respite care services and how foster parents can access those services.

DCF 56.12(4)(b)(b) Contact information for the Wisconsin Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, the National Foster Parent Association, the Wisconsin Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center, and, if available, local foster parent associations or support groups.

DCF 56.12 HistoryHistory: CR 00-020: cr. Register February 2002 No. 554, eff. 3-1-02; EmR0937: emerg. r. and recr. eff. 1-1-10; CR 10-021: r. and recr. Register September 2010 No. 657, eff. 10-1-10; correction to numbering made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register September 2010 No. 657; correction in (1) (e) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register August 2011 No. 668; EmR1633: emerg. cr. (1) (h), eff. 11-18-16; CR 16-051: cr. (1) (h) Register July 2017 No. 739, eff. 8-1-17.

DCF 56.13DCF 56.13 Foster home level of care certification.

DCF 56.13(1)(1) Child specific license.

DCF 56.13(1)(a)(a) In this section, “child-specific license” means a license to operate a foster home that is issued to a relative of a child or an individual who has a previous existing relationship with the child or the child’s family.

DCF 56.13(1)(b)(b) A child-specific license may remain valid with any granted waivers or exceptions for the duration of the licensing period or up to 6 months after the child returns home or is placed elsewhere, whichever occurs first.

DCF 56.13(1)(c)(c) A foster home operated by a foster parent with a child-specific license may be certified at any level of care.

DCF 56.13(2)(2) Certification. A licensing agency shall certify each foster home for a level of care under subs. (3) to (7) commensurate with the foster parent’s knowledge, training, skills, experience, and relationship to the child in accordance with the licensing agency’s programming and capacity.

DCF 56.13(3)(3) Level 1 child-specific foster home.

DCF 56.13(3)(a)(a) Child-specific license. A licensing agency may grant a Level 1 certification only to a foster home operated by a foster parent with a child-specific license.

DCF 56.13(3)(b)(b) Training. Each foster parent who operates a Level 1 foster home shall complete a minimum of 6 hours of pre-placement training under s. DCF 56.14 (6) before or after the placement of a child but no later than 6 months after the date of initial licensure.

DCF 56.13 NoteNote: A foster parent with a child-specific license often does not actually receive this training before placement of the child but it is still referred to as “pre-placement training.”

DCF 56.13(4)(4) Level 2 basic foster home.

DCF 56.13(4)(a)(a) Training.

DCF 56.13(4)(a)1.1.

DCF 56.13(4)(a)1.a.a. Each foster parent who operates a Level 2 foster home shall complete a minimum of 6 hours of pre-placement training under s. DCF 56.14 (6) before or after initial licensure but prior to the placement of any child in the home.

DCF 56.13(4)(a)1.b.b. Notwithstanding subd. 1. a., each foster parent with a child-specific license who operates a Level 2 foster home shall complete the pre-placement training under s. DCF 56.14 (6) before or after the placement of a child but no later than 6 months after the date of initial licensure.

DCF 56.13(4)(a)2.2. Each foster parent who operates a Level 2 foster home shall complete a minimum of 30 hours of initial licensing training under s. DCF 56.14 (7) during the initial licensing period.

DCF 56.13(4)(a)3.3. Each foster parent who operates a Level 2 foster home shall complete 10 hours of ongoing training under s. DCF 56.14 (8) in each 12-month period of licensure subsequent to the initial licensing period.

DCF 56.13(4)(b)(b) References. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 2 foster home shall submit at least 3 favorable reference letters written by persons unrelated to the applicant. A reference letter shall include a statement indicating how long the person giving the reference has known the applicant, under what circumstances the person knows the applicant, and the person’s knowledge of the applicant’s characteristics under s. DCF 56.05 (1) (b).

DCF 56.13(5)(5) Level 3 moderate treatment foster home.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)(a) Licensee experience.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.1. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 3 foster home shall have at least 3 of the following:

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.a.a. A minimum of one year of experience as a foster parent or kinship care provider with a child placed in the applicant’s home for at least one year.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.b.b. A minimum 5 years of experience working with or parenting children.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.c.c. A minimum of 500 hours of experience as a respite care provider for children under the supervision of a human services agency.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.d.d. A high school diploma or the equivalent.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.e.e. A college, vocational, technical, or advanced degree in the area of a child’s treatment needs, such as nursing, medicine, social work, or psychology.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.f.f. A substantial relationship with the child to be placed through previous professional or personal experience.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)1.g.g. Work or personal experience for which the applicant has demonstrated the knowledge, skill, ability, and motivation to meet the needs of a child with a level of need of 3.

DCF 56.13(5)(a)2.2. If an applicant for certification to operate a Level 3 foster home relies on experience that meets the requirements in subd. 1. b. or f. as one of the 3 required criteria in this paragraph, the applicant shall also meet one of the criteria in subd. 1. a., c., e., or g.

DCF 56.13(5)(b)(b) Training.

DCF 56.13(5)(b)1.1. Each foster parent who operates a Level 3 foster home shall complete a minimum of 36 hours of pre-placement training under s. DCF 56.14 (6d) before or after initial licensure but prior to the placement of any child in the home.

DCF 56.13(5)(b)2.2. Each foster parent who operates a Level 3 foster home shall complete a minimum of 24 hours of initial licensing training under s. DCF 56.14 (7e) during the initial licensing period.

DCF 56.13(5)(b)3.3. Each foster parent who operates a Level 3 foster home shall complete 18 hours of ongoing training under s. DCF 56.14 (8) in each 12-month period of licensure subsequent to the initial licensing period.

DCF 56.13(5)(c)(c) References. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 3 foster home shall submit at least 4 favorable reference letters, as follows:

DCF 56.13(5)(c)1.1. ‘From whom.’

DCF 56.13(5)(c)1.a.a. Three of the letters shall be written by persons unrelated to the applicant. At least one of these reference letters shall be regarding the applicant’s qualifications under par. (a) 1., excluding par. (a) 1. d.

DCF 56.13(5)(c)1.b.b. The fourth favorable reference letter shall be from a relative, preferably from an adult child if applicable.

DCF 56.13(5)(c)2.2. ‘Content.’ Each reference letter shall include a statement indicating all of the following:

DCF 56.13(5)(c)2.a.a. How long the person giving the reference has known the applicant.

DCF 56.13(5)(c)2.b.b. Under what circumstances the person knows the applicant.

DCF 56.13(5)(c)2.c.c. The person’s knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications and characteristics under s. DCF 56.05 (1) (b).

DCF 56.13(6)(6) Level 4 specialized treatment foster home.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)(a) Licensee experience.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.1. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 4 foster home shall have at least 4 of the following:

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.a.a. A minimum of one year of experience with children with a level of need of 3 as a foster parent or kinship care provider with a child placed in the applicant’s home for at least one year.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.b.b. A minimum of 5 years of experience working with or parenting children.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.c.c. A minimum of 500 hours of experience as a respite care provider for children under the supervision of a human services agency.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.d.d. A high school diploma or the equivalent.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.e.e. A college, vocational, technical, or advanced degree in the area of a child’s treatment needs, such as nursing, medicine, social work, or psychology.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.f.f. A substantial relationship with the child to be placed through previous professional or personal experience.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)1.g.g. Work or personal experience for which the applicant has demonstrated the knowledge, skill, ability, and motivation to meet the needs of children with a level of need of 4.

DCF 56.13(6)(a)2.2. If an applicant for certification to operate a Level 4 foster home relies on experience that meets the requirements in subd. 1. b. or f. as one of the 4 required criteria in this paragraph, the applicant shall also meet one of the criteria in subd. 1. a., c., e., or g.

DCF 56.13(6)(b)(b) Training.

DCF 56.13(6)(b)1.1. Each foster parent who operates a Level 4 foster home shall complete a minimum of 40 hours of pre-placement training under s. DCF 56.14 (6h) before or after initial licensure but prior to the placement of any child in the home.

DCF 56.13(6)(b)2.2. Each foster parent who operates a Level 4 foster home shall complete a minimum of 30 hours of initial licensing training under s. DCF 56.14 (7e) during the initial licensing period.

DCF 56.13(6)(b)3.3. Each foster parent who operates a Level 4 foster home shall complete 24 hours of ongoing training under s. DCF 56.14 (8) in each 12-month period of licensure subsequent to the initial licensing period.

DCF 56.13(6)(c)(c) References. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 4 foster home shall submit at least 4 favorable reference letters as follows:

DCF 56.13(6)(c)1.1. ‘From whom.’

DCF 56.13(6)(c)1.a.a. Three of the letters shall be written by persons unrelated to the applicant. At least one of these reference letters shall be regarding the applicant’s qualifications under par. (a) 1., excluding par. (a) 1. d.

DCF 56.13(6)(c)1.b.b. The fourth favorable reference letter shall be from a relative, preferably from an adult child if applicable.

DCF 56.13(6)(c)2.2. ‘Content.’ Each reference letter shall include a statement indicating all of the following:

DCF 56.13(6)(c)2.a.a. How long the person giving the reference has known the applicant.

DCF 56.13(6)(c)2.b.b. Under what circumstances the person knows the applicant.

DCF 56.13(6)(c)2.c.c. His or her knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications and characteristics under s. DCF 56.05 (1) (b).

DCF 56.13(7)(7) Level 5 exceptional treatment foster home.

DCF 56.13(7)(a)(a) Need for Level 5. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 5 foster home, in conjunction with a licensing agency, may apply to the department exceptions panel if all of the following circumstances exist:

DCF 56.13(7)(a)1.1. A placement is needed for a child with the following conditions:

DCF 56.13(7)(a)1.a.a. The child has behaviors or conditions that require a high degree of supervision and overnight awake care that is provided by program staff who rotate shifts within a 24-hour period.

DCF 56.13(7)(a)1.b.b. The child will benefit from a home-like environment that has fewer children than a group home or residential care center for children and youth.

DCF 56.13(7)(a)1.c.c. The child is expected to need long-term care or has needs agreed to by the department.

DCF 56.13(7)(a)2.2. All other community placement options have been investigated and determined to be unavailable or not in the best interest of the child.

DCF 56.13 NoteNote: A foster home with a Level 4 or lower certification level and additional staff that provide less than 50% of a child’s care should be considered as the first option when the child needs additional treatment or services.

DCF 56.13(7)(b)(b) Clarify specific and limited circumstances before submitting an application. Prior to submitting an application to operate a Level 5 foster home, a licensing agency shall inform the department exceptions panel chairperson of the agency’s intent, discuss the agency’s plans, and clarify department requirements for certification of a Level 5 foster home.

DCF 56.13(7)(c)(c) Application. An application for certification to operate a Level 5 foster home shall be on a form prescribed by the department and shall include all of the following:

DCF 56.13(7)(c)1.1. A program description, information on personnel, and information on a specific child or the population to be served.

DCF 56.13(7)(c)2.2. If for a specific child, letters on the appropriateness of a Level 5 foster home for the child from parents, therapists, social workers, physicians, and other professionals who are currently working with the child.

DCF 56.13 NoteNote: An application for certification of a Level 5 foster home, DCF-F-2559-E-E, can be found on the department website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cwportal/fc/forms.

DCF 56.13(7)(d)(d) Level 5 is the only shift-staffed foster home. A foster parent may do any of the following only if the foster home has a Level 5 certification: