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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.
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.
(b) Training.
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.
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.
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.
(c) References. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 3 foster home shall submit at least 4 favorable reference letters, as follows:
1. ‘From whom.’
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.
b. The fourth favorable reference letter shall be from a relative, preferably from an adult child if applicable.
2. ‘Content.’ Each reference letter shall include a statement indicating all of the following:
a. How long the person giving the reference has known the applicant.
b. Under what circumstances the person knows the applicant.
c. The person’s knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications and characteristics under s. DCF 56.05 (1) (b).
(6)Level 4 specialized treatment foster home.
(a) Licensee experience.
1. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 4 foster home shall have at least 4 of the following:
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.
b. A minimum of 5 years of experience working with or parenting children.
c. A minimum of 500 hours of experience as a respite care provider for children under the supervision of a human services agency.
d. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
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.
f. A substantial relationship with the child to be placed through previous professional or personal experience.
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.
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.
(b) Training.
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.
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.
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.
(c) References. An applicant for certification to operate a Level 4 foster home shall submit at least 4 favorable reference letters as follows:
1. ‘From whom.’
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.
b. The fourth favorable reference letter shall be from a relative, preferably from an adult child if applicable.
2. ‘Content.’ Each reference letter shall include a statement indicating all of the following:
a. How long the person giving the reference has known the applicant.
b. Under what circumstances the person knows the applicant.
c. His or her knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications and characteristics under s. DCF 56.05 (1) (b).
(7)Level 5 exceptional treatment foster home.
(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:
1. A placement is needed for a child with the following conditions:
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.
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.
c. The child is expected to need long-term care or has needs agreed to by the department.
2. All other community placement options have been investigated and determined to be unavailable or not in the best interest of the child.
Note: 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.
(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.
(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:
1. A program description, information on personnel, and information on a specific child or the population to be served.
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.
Note: 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.
(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:
1. Live in a residence that is not the foster home.
2. Provide less than 50 percent of a child’s care.
(e) Program manager.
1. ‘Responsibilities.’ A licensing agency shall ensure that each Level 5 foster home has a program manager who is the foster parent and licensee for the Level 5 foster home. In conjunction with the program manager, a licensing, placing, or supervising agency shall oversee program operation and development of a Level 5 foster home and do all of the following:
a. Review the appropriateness of admission of each child to the Level 5 foster home with the licensing agency.
b. Participate in developing, reviewing, and updating child assessments and treatment plans.
c. Provide technical assistance to program staff and the licensing, placing, and supervisory agencies, including supervision, support, consultation, coaching, staff development, and staff monitoring.
d. Periodically review and update the Level 5 foster home policies and procedures.
e. Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Level 5 foster home, including hiring, training, and evaluating program staff.
f. Participate in the child treatment team as the foster parent.
g. Ensure that the program staff are promoting normalcy for each child placed in the home by applying the reasonable and prudent parent standard when making decisions concerning a child’s participation in age or developmentally appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities under s. DCF 56.09 (2m).
h. Ensure that program staff have access to the information needed to make decisions concerning a child’s participation in age or developmentally appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities under s. DCF 56.09 (2m).
3. ‘Management skills.’ An applicant to be a program manager of a Level 5 foster home shall have either of the following:
a. Previous employment as a manager or supervisor.
b. A professional development plan to develop management and supervisory skills.
4. ‘Education or experience in human services.’ An applicant for a program manager position for a Level 5 foster home shall have at least one of the following:
a. A 4-year college degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social work; sociology; special education; psychology; counseling and guidance; criminal justice; nursing, certified nursing assistant, or other health related field; education; or any other area in a human services field as approved by the department.
b. Two years of supervised full-time work experience in an out-of-home care program or assisted living program with adults.
c. Personal experience with a family member who has needs similar to the population to be served.
5. ‘Pre-placement training.’ A program manager for a Level 5 foster home shall complete a minimum of 40 hours of pre-placement training under s. DCF 56.14 (6p) before or after initial licensure but prior to the placement of any child in the home.
6. ‘Initial licensing training.’ A program manager for a Level 5 foster home shall complete a minimum of 30 hours of initial licensing training under s. DCF 56.14 (7s) during the initial licensing period.
7. ‘Ongoing training.’ A program manager for a Level 5 foster home shall complete a minimum of 24 hours of ongoing training under s. DCF 56.14 (8) in each 12-month period of licensure subsequent to the initial licensing period.
(f) Program staff.
1. ‘Staff ratios.’ A Level 5 foster home shall have program staff in sufficient numbers to meet the following staff ratios:
a. One program staff person for every 2 children during waking hours.
b. One program staff person for every 4 children during sleeping hours.
2. ‘Ratios are minimum.’ A licensing, placing, or supervising agency or the department may require the number of program staff on duty to be higher than the minimum requirements in subd. 1. as necessary to meet the needs of the children placed and to ensure their safety and welfare.
3. ‘Responsibilities.’ Program staff shall be responsible for daily supervision of the children and direct care to the children to ensure their safety and well-being, including promoting normalcy under s. DCF 56.09 (2m).
4. ‘Qualifications.’ An applicant for a program staff position shall have at least one of the following qualifications:
a. A bachelor or associates degree from an accredited college or university with a major in a field specified in par. (e) 4. a.
b. Current enrollment in and regularly attending an accredited college or university with a major in a field specified in par. (e) 4. a.
c. At least one year of full-time experience working in a formal program with the type of child population served by the Level 5 foster home where the applicant is applying for employment.
d. Certification as a child and youth care worker under the standards of the Wisconsin Association of Child and Youth Care Professionals or other department-recognized certifying authority.
Note: A copy of the standards of the Wisconsin Association of Child and Youth Care Professionals can be obtained from the www.wacycp.org or 161 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202; telephone (414) 227-3130.
e. Completion of a traineeship program in which program staff work with qualified, experienced program staff for at least the first 120 hours of employment before working independently with a child.
Note: This is an additional 40 hours to the 80 hours required under s. DCF 56.13 (7) (f) 10. b.
5. ‘Age.’ A program staff person who is hired or contracted for on or after January 1, 2011, shall be at least 21 years old.
6. ‘Hiring and employment.’ Before an applicant for a program staff position in a Level 5 foster home begins employment, the program manager shall do all of the following regarding the applicant:
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Published under s. 35.93, Stats. Updated on the first day of each month. Entire code is always current. The Register date on each page is the date the chapter was last published.