DCF 56.19(1) (1) Contact requirements.

DCF 56.19(1)(a) (a) Level of care 1 or 2. A licensing agency, placing agency, or supervising agency shall have at least one in-person contact with a child each full calendar month that the child is placed in a foster home with a Level 1 or 2 certification.

DCF 56.19(1)(b) (b) Level of care 3 or 4.

DCF 56.19(1)(b)1. 1. A licensing agency, placing agency, supervisory agency shall have an in-person contact with a child placed in a foster home with a Level 3 or 4 certification at least every other week. At least one contact per month shall be in the child’s foster home.

DCF 56.19(1)(b)2. 2. Notwithstanding subd. 1., if a child with a level of need below 3 is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 or 4 certification, the licensing agency, placing agency, or supervising agency shall have at least one in-person contact with the child each full calendar month that the child is in the foster home.

DCF 56.19(1)(c) (c) Level of care 5.

DCF 56.19(1)(c)1. 1. A licensing agency, placing agency, supervisory agency representative other than a program manager shall have an in-person contact with a child at least every other week that the child is placed in a Level 5 foster home.

DCF 56.19(1)(c)2. 2. A program manager shall have an in-person contact with a child who is placed in a Level 5 foster home at least every week that the child is placed in the foster home.

DCF 56.19(2) (2) Multiple agencies. If the licensing agency, placing agency, and supervisory agency under sub. (1) are different agencies, those agencies shall determine a contact plan.

DCF 56.19(3) (3) In foster home. More than 50 percent of the agency in-person contacts with a child between October 1 of one year and September 30 of the following year shall be in the child’s foster home.

DCF 56.19(4) (4) Combine with foster parent contact. One agency contact with a child per month may be combined with an agency contact with a foster parent under s. DCF 56.18.

DCF 56.19(5) (5) Purpose of contact. An agency contact with a child shall do all of the following:

DCF 56.19(5)(a) (a) Focus on the safety, permanence, and well-being of the child.

DCF 56.19(5)(b) (b) Be of sufficient duration and substance to address the goals of the child’s case plan; permanency plan; or treatment plan, if applicable.

DCF 56.19(5)(c) (c) Provide an opportunity for the child to speak privately with the agency representative.

DCF 56.19 History History: EmR1050: emerg. cr., eff. 1-1-11; CR 10-148: cr. Register August 2011 No. 668, eff. 9-1-11.

DCF 56.20 DCF 56.20 Evaluation of Level 3 to 5. At least annually, a foster parent who operates a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification and the licensing, placing, and supervising agencies shall develop written evaluations of the care and supervision provided to a child and the overall performance of all individuals involved in the child’s care. The evaluations shall be used to improve the quality of the child’s care and the foster care program. Copies of any evaluations shall be maintained at the licensing agency and at the foster home.

DCF 56.20 History History: EmR1050: emerg. cr., eff. 1-1-11; CR 10-148: cr. Register August 2011 No. 668, eff. 9-1-11.

DCF 56.21 DCF 56.21 Respite care for foster parents.

DCF 56.21(1) (1) Applicability. This section applies to care provided in either of the following circumstances:

DCF 56.21(1)(a) (a) Services or emergency care provided to a foster child during a planned absence of the foster parent for more than 48 hours.

DCF 56.21(1)(b) (b) Care for a foster child during the foster parent’s absence that is paid for by a licensing, supervising, or placing agency.

DCF 56.21(2) (2) Licensing agency responsibilities. A licensing agency shall do all of the following:

DCF 56.21(2)(a) (a) Develop policies and procedures to govern the agency’s respite care program.

DCF 56.21(2)(b) (b) Inform a foster parent of the process to be used to fund respite care prior to the first placement of a child in a foster home.

DCF 56.21(2)(c) (c) Assist and intervene when issues arise between a foster parent and the respite care provider if the parties are not able to resolve those issues.

DCF 56.21(2)(d) (d) Keep documentation of a respite care provider’s qualifications in the foster parent’s file at the licensing agency.

DCF 56.21(2)(e) (e) For respite care in foster homes with a Level 3 or 4 certification, the licensing agency shall do all of the following:

DCF 56.21(2)(e)1. 1. Develop, in consultation with foster parents, a pool of respite care providers that will be used when respite care is provided. If the respite care is to be provided in a foster home, the foster parent may approve the use of a particular respite care provider.