DCF 52.59(8) (8) Discharge. When a child is discharged from respite care, the residential care center shall document all of the following in the child’s respite care record:

DCF 52.59(8)(a) (a) The dates of the child’s stay, a summary of the child’s stay with any significant incidents noted, and the name of the person to whom the child was discharged.

DCF 52.59(8)(b) (b) A list of all personal belongings, medications, and medical equipment that went with the child upon discharge.

DCF 52.59(9) (9) Training and evaluation.

DCF 52.59(9)(a) (a) Training.

DCF 52.59(9)(a)1. 1. Training for staff of a respite care services program shall include training in the areas of arranging for transitional care and transitional placement planning principles and methods.

DCF 52.59(9)(a)2. 2. Staff shall have respite care training designed around the specific needs of individuals for which care is provided, such as autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities. As part of this training, staff who have not already had some experience working with the type of individual to be cared for shall have at least 8 hours of supervised experience by someone who is knowledgeable in working with the type of individual or more than 8 hours if necessary to ensure the provision of competent care.

DCF 52.59(9)(b) (b) Evaluation. After each respite care episode, a residential care center shall evaluate the care provided through a survey to be completed by the parent or other regular caregiver and, if possible, the child. The center shall use the survey information to improve, as necessary, its respite care services program and shall keep these surveys on file for one year from their completion.

DCF 52.59(10) (10) Client records. A center with a respite care services program shall meet the resident record requirements found under this section and under s. DCF 52.49, except requirements under s. DCF 52.49 (2) (b) 1. a. to g. and 3. A respite care resident’s record shall include all documentation required under this section.

DCF 52.59 History History: Cr. Register, February, 2000, No. 530, eff. 9-1-00; corrections in (3), (5) (e), (6) and (10) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635; CR 14-054: am. (2) (a) to (c), (4) (b), (5) (a), (b), (d) 1., 2., (e), (f), (i), (7) (a), (b), (8), (9) (b) Register April 2015 No. 712, eff. 5-1-15; correction in (7) (b) 2. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register September 2017 No. 741; 2019 Wis. Act 1: am. (9) (a) 2. Register May 2019 No. 761, eff. 6-1-19; CR 20-003: am. (5) (a) Register July 2020 No. 775, eff. 8-1-20; CR 21-107: am. (5) (d) 2., (7) (b) 2. Register June 2022 No. 798, eff. 7-1-22.

subch. VIII of ch. DCF 52 Subchapter VIII — Need Determination and License Application

DCF 52.61 DCF 52.61 Determination of need for additional beds.

DCF 52.61(1) (1) Authority and purpose. This section is promulgated pursuant to s. 48.60 (3), Stats., to regulate the establishment of new residential care centers for children and youth and to control the expansion of existing residential care centers in order to ensure an adequate number and variety of facilities to meet the needs of Wisconsin children who require out-of-home residential care and to prevent unnecessary expansion of residential care centers and the resulting increase in costs to Wisconsin citizens.

DCF 52.61(2) (2) To whom the rules apply. This section applies to any new applicant for a license to operate a residential care center for children and youth and to existing residential care centers for children and youth wishing to expand the capacity of their facilities.

DCF 52.61(3) (3) Definition. In this section, “applicant” means any person wishing to apply for a license to begin operation of a new residential care center for children and youth or any person wishing to expand the capacity of an existing residential care facility for children and youth. “Applicant” does not include a person who by reason of consolidation or other acquisition acquires control or ownership of beds when the consolidation or other acquisition results in no increase in or a reduction of the existing state-wide residential care center bed capacity.

DCF 52.61(4) (4) Certification of need requirement. No person may apply for a license under s. DCF 52.62 (1) to operate a new residential care center for children and youth or for a license amendment under s. DCF 52.62 (3) to expand the bed capacity of an existing residential care center until the department has reviewed the need for the additional placement resources which would be created and has certified to the applicant in writing that a need exists for the proposed new placement resources.

DCF 52.61(5) (5) Demonstration of need. To enable the department to make a determination of need for a new residential care center for children and youth or for additional beds at an existing residential care center for children and youth, the applicant shall submit all of the following documents and information to the department:

DCF 52.61(5)(a) (a) A detailed plan for the operation of the proposed residential care center which includes all of the following:

DCF 52.61(5)(a)1. 1. The number, sex, and age range of the children to be served.

DCF 52.61(5)(a)2. 2. The type or types of needs or disabilities of children to be served.

DCF 52.61(5)(a)3. 3. The center staffing, including a list of full-time and part-time positions by job titles and numbers.

DCF 52.61(5)(a)4. 4. A description of the proposed program and treatment goals.

DCF 52.61(5)(a)5. 5. A proposed budget, including the current or projected per diem rate.

DCF 52.61(5)(a)6. 6. The location of the center and a drawing of the layout of the physical plant.

DCF 52.61(5)(b) (b) A detailed written description of the methodology and findings which document the reasons why the unserved children under par. (a) cannot be served satisfactorily in less restrictive settings such as is in their own homes with treatment services provided to the children and their families, in specialized treatment foster homes or in group homes.

DCF 52.61(5)(c) (c) Documentation meeting the criteria in sub. (7) (a) 2. that existing Wisconsin residential care center placement resources are not adequate to meet the needs of Wisconsin children who require the type or types of care and treatment services the applicant proposes to provide. No beds occupied or to be occupied by children who are placed primarily for educational purposes may be considered in determining need under this section. Of the remaining beds, for purposes of determining need and establishing waiting lists, not more than 40% shall be considered available for out-of-state children.

DCF 52.61(5)(d) (d) Information that supports the probability that a new or expanded center will be used by Wisconsin placement resources, and that an expanded center will attain and maintain an average monthly occupancy rate of 80% or more over the first 2 years of operation and that a new center will have an average monthly occupancy rate of not less than 80% at the end of the second year.

DCF 52.61 Note Note: The documents and information required by the Department to make a determination of need should be sent to the Bureau of Permanence and Out-of-Home Care, P.O. Box 8916, Madison, WI 53708.

DCF 52.61(6) (6) Publication of notice — party status.