Chapter 301

301.065(3)(a) (a) The department shall allow a religious organization with which the department contracts or to which the department awards a grant to retain its independence from government, including the organization’s control over the definition, development, practice, and expression of its religious beliefs.

301.065(3)(b) (b) The department may not require a religious organization to alter its form of internal governance or to remove religious art, icons, scripture, or other symbols to be eligible for a contract or grant.

301.065(4) (4) Rights of beneficiaries of assistance.

301.065(4)(a) (a) If the department contracts with or awards grants to a religious organization for the provisions of crime prevention or offender rehabilitation assistance under a program administered by the department, an individual who is eligible for this assistance shall be informed in writing that assistance of equal value and accessibility is available from a nonreligious provider upon request.

301.065(4)(b) (b) The department shall provide an individual who is otherwise eligible for assistance from an organization described under par. (a) with assistance of equal value from a nonreligious provider if the individual objects to the religious character of the organization described under par. (a) and requests assistance from a nonreligious provider. The department shall provide such assistance within a reasonable period of time after the date of the objection and shall ensure that it is accessible to the individual.

301.065(6) (6) Nondiscrimination against beneficiaries. A religious organization may not discriminate against an individual in regard to rendering assistance that is funded under any program administered by the department on the basis of religion, a religious belief or nonbelief, or a refusal to actively participate in a religious practice.

301.065(7) (7) Fiscal accountability.

301.065(7)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), any religious organization that contracts with, or receives a grant from, the department is subject to the same laws and rules as other contractors and grantees regarding accounting, in accord with generally accepted auditing principles, for the use of the funds provided under such programs.

301.065(7)(b) (b) If the religious organization segregates funds provided under programs administered by the department into separate accounts, only the financial assistance provided with those funds shall be subject to audit.

301.065(8) (8) Compliance. Any party that seeks to enforce its rights under this section may bring a civil action for injunctive relief against the entity that allegedly commits the violation.

301.065(9) (9) Limitations on use of funds for certain purposes. No funds provided directly to religious organizations by the department may be expended for sectarian worship, instruction, or proselytization.

301.065(10) (10) Certification of compliance. Every religious organization that contracts with, or receives a grant from, the department to provide delinquency and crime prevention or offender rehabilitation services to eligible recipients shall certify in writing that it has complied with the requirements of subs. (6) and (9) and submit to the department a copy of this certification and a written description of the policies the organization has adopted to ensure that it has complied with the requirements under subs. (6) and (9).

301.065(11) (11) Preemption. Nothing in this section may be construed to preempt any other statute that prohibits or restricts the expenditure of federal or state funds by or the granting of federal or state funds to religious organizations.

301.065 History History: 2001 a. 16.

301.068 301.068 Community services to reduce recidivism.

301.068(1) (1) The department shall establish community services that have the goals of increasing public safety, reducing the risk that offenders on community supervision will reoffend, and reducing by 2010-11 the recidivism rate of persons who are on probation, parole, or extended supervision following a felony conviction. In establishing community services under this section, the department shall consider the capacity of existing services and any needs that are not met by existing services.

301.068(2) (2) The community services to reduce recidivism under sub. (1) shall include all of the following:

301.068(2)(a) (a) Alcohol and other drug treatment, including residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and aftercare.

301.068(2)(b) (b) Cognitive group intervention.

301.068(2)(c) (c) Day reporting centers.

301.068(2)(d) (d) Treatment and services that evidence has shown to be successful and to reduce recidivism.

301.068(3) (3) The department shall ensure that community services established under sub. (1) meet all of the following conditions:

301.068(3)(a) (a) The community services target offenders at a medium or high risk for revocation or recidivism as determined by valid, reliable, and objective risk assessment instruments that the department has approved.

301.068(3)(b) (b) The community services provide offenders with necessary supervision and services that improve their opportunity to complete their terms of probation, parole, or extended supervision. The community services may include employment training and placement, educational assistance, transportation, and housing. The community services shall focus on mitigating offender attributes and factors that are likely to lead to criminal behavior.

301.068(3)(c) (c) The community services use a system of intermediate sanctions on offenders for violations.

301.068(3)(d) (d) The community services are based upon assessments of offenders using valid, reliable, and objective instruments that the department has approved.

301.068(4) (4) The department shall develop a system for monitoring offenders receiving community services under this section that evaluates how effective the services are in decreasing the rates of arrest, conviction, and imprisonment of the offenders receiving the services.

301.068(5) (5) The department shall provide to probation, extended supervision, and parole agents training and skill development in reducing offenders’ risk of reoffending and intervention techniques and shall by rule set forth requirements for the training and skill development. The department shall develop policies to guide probation, extended supervision, and parole agents in the supervision and revocation of offenders on probation, extended supervision, and parole and develop practices regarding alternatives to revocation of probation, extended supervision, or parole. To the extent practicable, the department shall incorporate the practices into the system developed under s. 301.03 (3) (a).

301.068(6) (6) The department shall annually submit a report to the governor, the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3), and the director of state courts. The report shall set forth the scope of the community services established under sub. (1); the number of arrests of, convictions of, and prison sentences imposed on offenders receiving the community services under this section; and the progress toward recidivism reduction.

301.068 History History: 2009 a. 28; 2013 a. 196.

301.07 301.07 Cooperation and contracts with federal government. The department may cooperate with the federal government in carrying out federal acts concerning adult corrections and juvenile correctional services and may enter into contracts with the federal government under 18 USC 5003.

301.07 History History: 1989 a. 31, 107; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2015 a. 55.

301.073 301.073 American Indian tribal community reintegration program. The department shall establish a program to facilitate the reintegration of American Indians who have been incarcerated in a state prison into their American Indian tribal communities. Under the program, each participant shall be provided an integration plan that addresses the participant’s needs and shall be provided services that are customized for the participant. The program shall encourage confidence, responsibility, and independence among participants. The department shall ensure that the program incorporates tribal practices and traditions that meet the participant’s community reintegration needs.

301.073 History History: 2013 a. 20 s. 181; Stats. 2013 s. 301.073.

301.075 301.075 Disbursement of funds and facsimile signatures. Withdrawal or disbursement of moneys deposited in a public depository, as defined in s. 34.01 (5), to the credit of the department or any of its divisions or agencies shall be by check, share draft or other draft signed by the secretary or by one or more persons in the department designated by written authorization of the secretary. The checks, share drafts and other drafts shall be signed personally or by use of a mechanical device adopted by the secretary or the secretary’s designees for affixing a facsimile signature. Any public depository shall be fully warranted and protected in making payment on any check, share draft or other draft bearing the facsimile signature notwithstanding that the facsimile signature may have been placed on the check, share draft or other draft without the authority of the secretary or the designees.

301.075 History History: 1989 a. 31.

301.08 301.08 Purchase of care and services.

301.08(1) (1) Authorization.

301.08(1)(a) (a) The department may contract with public or voluntary agencies or others to:

301.08(1)(a)1. 1. Purchase in full or in part care and services which it is authorized by any statute to provide as an alternative to providing such care and services itself.

301.08(1)(a)2. 2. Purchase or provide in full or in part the care and services which county agencies may provide or purchase under any statute and to sell to county agencies such portions thereof as the county agency may desire to purchase.

301.08(1)(a)3. 3. Sell services, under contract, which the department is authorized to provide by statute, to any federally recognized tribal governing body.

301.08(1)(b) (b) The department may:

301.08(1)(b)1. 1. Contract with public, private or voluntary agencies for the purchase of goods, care and services for persons committed or sentenced to a state correctional or penal institution, placed on probation or lifetime supervision to the department by a court of record, or released from a state correctional or penal institution. Services shall include, but are not limited to, diagnostic services, evaluation, treatment, counseling, referral and information, day care, inpatient hospitalization, transportation, recreation, special education, vocational training, work adjustment, sheltered employment, special living arrangements and legal and protective services.

301.08(1)(b)2. 2. Contract with one public, private or voluntary agency for the supervision, maintenance and operation of one minimum security correctional institution in a county having a population of 750,000 or more. To be eligible, an agency must have prior relevant experience.

301.08(1)(b)3. 3. Contract with public, private, or voluntary agencies for the supervision, maintenance, and operation of juvenile correctional facilities, residential care centers for children and youth, as defined in s. 938.02 (15d), and secured residential care centers for children and youth for the placement of juveniles who have been convicted under s. 938.183 or adjudicated delinquent under s. 938.183 or 938.34 (4d), (4h), or (4m). The department may designate a juvenile correctional facility or a residential care center for children and youth contracted for under this subdivision as a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility, as defined in s. 938.02 (20), and may designate a residential care center for children and youth contracted for under this subdivision as a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth, as defined in s. 938.02 (19r).

301.08(1)(c) (c)

301.08(1)(c)2. 2. Beginning on January 1, 1996, the department may contract with public, private or voluntary vendors for the supervision or for any component of the supervision of probationers, parolees and persons on extended supervision who are under minimum supervision or administrative supervision.

301.08(1)(c)3. 3. Except as provided in subd. 3m., a contract under subd. 2. shall authorize a vendor to charge a fee to probationers, parolees and persons on extended supervision sufficient to cover the cost of supervision and administration of the contract.

301.08(1)(c)3m. 3m. A contract under subd. 2. shall permit the department to prohibit a vendor from charging a fee to a probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision who is supervised under the contract if the probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision demonstrates that he or she is unable to pay the fee because of any of the following:

301.08(1)(c)3m.a. a. The probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision is undergoing treatment approved by the department and is unable to work.

301.08(1)(c)3m.b. b. The probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision has a statement from a physician certifying to the department that the probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision should be excused from working for medical reasons.

301.08(1)(c)4. 4. If the department collects any moneys from a vendor under a contract under subd. 2., the department shall credit those moneys to the appropriation account under s. 20.410 (1) (gf).

301.08(1)(c)5. 5. The department shall promulgate rules for fees, collections, reporting and verification regarding probationers, parolees and persons on extended supervision supervised by a vendor who contracts with the department under subd. 2. and shall promulgate rules defining “administrative supervision” and “minimum supervision”.

301.08(2) (2) Restrictions.

301.08(2)(a) (a) All care and services purchased by the department and all juvenile correctional services purchased by a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 shall be authorized and contracted for under the standards established under this subsection. For purchases of $10,000 or less the requirement for a written contract may be waived by the department. No contract is required for care provided by foster homes required to be licensed under s. 48.62. If the department directly contracts for services, it shall follow the procedures in this subsection in addition to meeting purchasing requirements established in s. 16.75.

301.08(2)(b) (b) All care and services purchased shall meet standards established by the department and other requirements specified by purchaser in the contract. Based on these standards the department shall establish standards for cost accounting and management information systems that shall monitor the utilization of those services, and document the specific services in meeting the service plan for the client and the objective of the service.

301.08(2)(c) (c)

301.08(2)(c)1. 1. Purchase of service contracts shall be written in accordance with rules and procedures established by the department. Contracts for client services shall show the total dollar amount to be purchased and for each service the number of clients to be served, number of client service units, the unit rate per client service and the total dollar amount for each service.

301.08(2)(c)2. 2. Payments under a contract may be made on the basis of actual allowable costs or on the basis of a unit rate per client service multiplied by the actual client units furnished each month. The contract may be renegotiated when units vary from the contracted number. The purchaser shall determine actual marginal costs for each service unit less than or in addition to the contracted number.

301.08(2)(c)3. 3. For proprietary agencies, contracts may include a percentage add-on for profit according to rules promulgated by the department.

301.08(2)(c)4. 4. Reimbursement to an agency may be based on total costs agreed to by the parties regardless of the actual number of service units to be furnished, when the agency is entering into a contract for a new or expanded service that the purchaser recognizes will require a start-up period not to exceed 180 days. The reimbursement applies only if identified client needs necessitate the establishment of a new service or expansion of an existing service.

301.08(2)(c)5. 5. If the purchaser finds it necessary to terminate a contract prior to the contract expiration date for reasons other than nonperformance by the provider, actual cost incurred by the provider may be reimbursed for an amount determined by mutual agreement of the parties.

301.08(2)(c)6. 6. Advance payments of up to one-twelfth of an annual contract may be allowed under the contract. If the advance payment exceeds $10,000, the provider shall supply a surety bond for an amount equal to the amount of the advance payment applied for. No surety bond is required if the provider is a state agency. The cost of the surety bond shall be allowable as an expense.

301.08(2)(d) (d) For purposes of this subsection and as a condition of reimbursement, each provider under contract shall:

301.08(2)(d)1. 1. Except as provided in s. 46.036 (4) (a), maintain a uniform double entry accounting system and a management information system which are compatible with cost accounting and control systems prescribed by the department.

301.08(2)(d)2. 2. Cooperate with the department and purchaser in establishing costs for reimbursement purposes.

301.08(2)(d)3. 3. Unless waived by the department, biennially, or annually if required under federal law, provide the purchaser with a certified financial and compliance audit report. The audit shall follow standards that the department prescribes. A purchaser may waive the requirements of this subdivision as provided in s. 46.036 (4) (c).

301.08(2)(d)4. 4. Transfer a client from one category of care or service to another only with the approval of the purchaser.

301.08(2)(d)5. 5. Charge a uniform schedule of fees established under s. 301.03 (18) unless waived by the purchaser with approval of the department. Whenever providers recover funds attributed to the client, the funds shall offset the amount paid under the contract.

301.08(2)(e) (e) Except as provided in par. (em), the purchaser shall recover from provider agencies money paid in excess of the conditions of the contract from subsequent payments made to the provider.

301.08(2)(em) (em)

301.08(2)(em)1. 1. In this paragraph:

301.08(2)(em)1.a. a. “Provider” means a nonstock corporation organized under ch. 181 that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17), and that contracts under this section to provide client services on the basis of a unit rate per client service or a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42, or 51.437 that contracts under this section to provide client services on the basis of a unit rate per client service.

301.08(2)(em)1.b. b. “Rate-based service” means a service or a group of services, as determined by the department, that is reimbursed through a prospectively set rate and that is distinguishable from other services or groups of services by the purpose for which funds are provided for that service or group of services and by the source of funding for that service or group of services.

301.08(2)(em)2. 2. If revenue under a contract for the provision of a rate-based service exceeds allowable costs incurred in the contract period, the contract shall allow the provider to retain from the surplus up to 5 percent of the revenue received under the contract unless a uniform rate is established by rule under subd. 6., in which case the contract shall allow the provider to retain the uniform percentage rate established by the rule. The retained surplus is the property of the provider.

301.08(2)(em)3. 3. If on December 31 of any year the provider’s accumulated surplus from all contract periods ending during that year for a rate-based service exceeds the allowable retention rate under subd. 2., the provider shall provide written notice of that excess to all purchasers of the rate-based service. Upon the written request of such a purchaser received no later than 6 months after the date of the notice, the provider shall refund the purchaser’s proportional share of that excess. If the department determines based on an audit or fiscal review that the amount of the excess identified by the provider was incorrect, the department may seek to recover funds after the 6-month period has expired. The department shall commence any audit or fiscal review under this subdivision within 6 years after the end of the contract period.

301.08(2)(em)4. 4. Notwithstanding subd. 2., a county department under s. 46.215 providing client services in a county having a population of 750,000 or more or a nonstock, nonprofit corporation providing client services in such a county may not retain a surplus generated by a rate-based service or accumulate funds from more than one contract period for a rate-based service from revenues that are used to meet the maintenance-of-effort requirement under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program under 42 USC 601 to 619.

301.08(2)(em)5. 5. All providers that are subject to this paragraph shall comply with any financial reporting and auditing requirements that the department may prescribe. Those requirements shall include a requirement that a provider provide to any purchaser and the department any information that the department needs to claim federal reimbursement for the cost of any services purchased from the provider and a requirement that a provider provide audit reports to any purchaser and the department according to standards specified in the provider’s contract and any other standards that the department may prescribe.

301.08(2)(em)6. 6. The department, in consultation with the department of health services and the department of children and families, shall promulgate rules to implement this paragraph including all of the following:

301.08(2)(em)6.a. a. Requiring that contracts for rate-based services under this subsection allow a provider to retain from any surplus revenue up to 5 percent of the total revenue received under the contract, or a different percentage rate determined by the department. The percentage rate established under this subd. 6. a. shall apply uniformly to all rate-based service contracts under this paragraph.

301.08(2)(em)6.b. b. Establishing a procedure for reviewing rate-based service contracts to determine whether a contract complies with the provisions of this paragraph.

301.08(2)(f) (f) Contracts may be renegotiated by the purchaser under conditions specified in the contract.

301.08(2)(g) (g) The service provider under this section may appeal decisions of the purchaser in accordance with terms and conditions of the contract and ch. 68 or 227.

301.08(3) (3) Notification concerning plans for transitional housing.

301.08(3)(a) (a) In this subsection, “political subdivision” means a city, village, town or county.

301.08(3)(b) (b) Before contracting under this section for transitional housing for the temporary placement of persons on parole, extended supervision or probation, the department shall notify all of the following of the proposed contract:

301.08(3)(b)1. 1. The police department of the political subdivision in which the transitional housing will be located.

301.08(3)(b)2. 2. The sheriff for the county in which the transitional housing will be located.