DCF 58.08(11)(a) (a) Policy. Each kinship care agency shall develop a waiting list policy for relative caregivers that have been determined eligible to receive voluntary kinship care payments at a time when the kinship care agency’s allocation for kinship care payments is insufficient to begin the payments. A kinship care agency’s waiting list policy shall include all of the following:

DCF 58.08(11)(a)1. 1. The priority order in which the agency will move relative caregivers off the waiting list to begin making the kinship care payments. The kinship care agency may establish priorities based any of the following criteria:

DCF 58.08(11)(a)1.a. a. The order in which applications are received.

DCF 58.08(11)(a)1.b. b. The lack of stability in the living arrangement if a payment is not made.

DCF 58.08(11)(a)1.c. c. The level or urgency of the child’s need under s. DCF 58.06 (5) (a).

DCF 58.08(11)(a)1.d. d. If the child is under the guardianship of the relative caregiver by a statutory provision other than s. 48.977, Stats., or a tribal court order that is substantially similar to an order under s. 48.977, Stats.

DCF 58.08(11)(a)2. 2. The criteria and procedures for granting an exception to the priorities established under subd. 1., if the agency grants exceptions.

DCF 58.08(11)(a)3. 3. Whether the agency provides a retroactive payment for all or part of the time period that a relative caregiver is on the waiting list.

DCF 58.08(11)(b) (b) Agency submittal. Each kinship care agency shall submit the agency’s waiting list policy under par. (a) to the department by January 1, 2021, and following any change to the agency’s waiting list policy.

DCF 58.08(11)(c) (c) Authorization. A kinship care agency may establish a waiting list for newly-eligible relative caregivers if all of the following conditions are met:

DCF 58.08(11)(c)1. 1. The kinship care agency’s allocation for kinship care payments in the current fiscal year will be fully expended by payments to existing relative caregivers.

DCF 58.08(11)(c)2. 2. The kinship care agency notifies the department that the agency expects to be placing newly-eligible relative caregivers on the waiting list for the remainder of the fiscal year.

DCF 58.08 Note Note: Notice should be submitted to Kinship Care Program Coordinator, DCF/DSP, P.O. Box 8916, Madison, WI 53708-8916.

DCF 58.08(11)(d) (d) Funding available. When a kinship care agency has sufficient funds to begin kinship care payments to a relative caregiver that the agency placed on a waiting list, the kinship care agency shall do all of the following:

DCF 58.08(11)(d)1. 1. Notify the relative caregiver in writing that funding is available and request that the relative caregiver contact the agency if the relative caregiver continues to be interested in and eligible for kinship care payments.

DCF 58.08(11)(d)2. 2. Begin payments to the relative caregiver for the time period beginning no later than the first day of the month beginning after the date that the relative caregiver contacted the kinship care agency to express continued interest in and eligibility for kinship care payments.

DCF 58.08(12) (12)  Documentation.

DCF 58.08(12)(a) (a) Eligibility decisions.

DCF 58.08(12)(a)1. 1. Within 5 working days after making any decision related to a kinship care agency’s determination, redetermination, or review of a relative caregiver’s eligibility for kinship care or long-term kinship care, a kinship care agency that has access to the department’s child welfare automation system shall enter any information related to the decision and any supporting documentation in the child welfare automation system.

DCF 58.08 Note Note: The department’s child welfare automation system is eWiSACWIS.

DCF 58.08(12)(a)2. 2. A kinship care agency that does not have access to the department’s child welfare automation system shall document eligibility decisions by completing the form prescribed by the department and obtaining and retaining supporting documentation as necessary.

DCF 58.08 Note Note: Tribal kinship care agencies do not have access to eWiSACWIS. DCF-F-5370-E, Kinship Care Eligibility Determination, is available on the department’s website at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/forms.

DCF 58.08(12)(b) (b) Status. A kinship care agency shall enter documentation of any of the following in the department’s child welfare automation system or the department’s automated kinship care tracking system within 5 working days after any of the following events:

DCF 58.08(12)(b)1. 1. A relative caregiver is placed on waiting list.

DCF 58.08(12)(b)2. 2. Kinship care payments or long-term kinship care payments to a relative caregiver begin or end.

DCF 58.08(12)(b)3. 3. A relative caregiver files an appeal of an agency decision under s. DCF 58.11.

DCF 58.08(12)(c) (c) Documentation transfer to or from a tribal agency. A kinship care agency shall transfer documentation regarding a relative caregiver’s eligibility for kinship care or long-term kinship care to another kinship care agency if all of the following conditions are met:

DCF 58.08(12)(c)1. 1. The relative caregiver is receiving kinship care payments or long-term kinship care payments and moves with the child to an area of the state served by another kinship care agency.

DCF 58.08(12)(c)2. 2. The kinship care agency serving the area of either the relative caregiver’s old residence or new residence does not have access to the department’s child welfare automation system.