Chapter 48

48.06(1)(a) (a)

48.06(1)(a)1. 1. In counties with a population of 750,000 or more, the department shall provide the court with the services necessary for investigating and supervising child welfare and unborn child welfare cases under this chapter. The department is charged with providing child welfare and unborn child welfare intake and dispositional services and with administration of the personnel and services of the child welfare and unborn child welfare intake and dispositional sections of the department. The department shall include investigative services for all children and unborn children alleged to be in need of protection or services to be provided by the department.

48.06(1)(a)2. 2. The chief judge of the judicial administrative district shall formulate written judicial policy governing intake and court services for child welfare matters under this chapter and the department shall be charged with executing the judicial policy. The chief judge shall direct and supervise the work of all personnel of the court, except the work of the district attorney or corporation counsel assigned to the court.

48.06(1)(a)3. 3. The county board of supervisors does not have authority and may not assert jurisdiction over the disposition of any case, child, unborn child or expectant mother of an unborn child after a written order is made under s. 48.21 or 48.213 or if a petition is filed under s. 48.25.

48.06(1)(am) (am)

48.06(1)(am)1. 1. All intake workers providing services under this chapter who begin employment after May 15, 1980, shall have the qualifications required to perform entry level social work in a county department and shall have successfully completed 30 hours of intake training approved or provided by the department prior to the completion of the first 6 months of employment in the position. The department shall monitor compliance with this subdivision according to rules promulgated by the department.

48.06(1)(am)2. 2. The department shall make training programs available annually that permit intake workers who provide services under this chapter to satisfy the requirements specified under subd. 1.

48.06(1)(am)3. 3. Each intake worker providing services under this chapter whose responsibilities include investigation or treatment of child abuse or neglect or unborn child abuse shall successfully complete additional training in child abuse and neglect and unborn child abuse protective services approved by the department under s. 48.981 (8) (d). Not more than 4 hours of the additional training may be applied to the requirement under subd. 1.

48.06(2) (2) Counties with a population under 750,000.

48.06(2)(a) (a) In counties having less than 750,000 population, the county board of supervisors shall authorize the county department or court or both to provide intake services required by s. 48.067 and the staff needed to carry out the objectives and provisions of this chapter under s. 48.069. Intake services shall be provided by employees of the court or county department and may not be subcontracted to other individuals or agencies, except any county which had intake services subcontracted from the county sheriff’s department on April 1, 1980, may continue to subcontract intake services from the county sheriff’s department. Intake workers shall be governed in their intake work, including their responsibilities for recommending the filing of a petition and entering into an informal disposition, by general written policies which shall be formulated by the circuit judges for the county, subject to the approval of the chief judge of the judicial administrative district.

48.06(2)(b) (b)

48.06(2)(b)1. 1. All intake workers providing services under this chapter who begin employment after May 15, 1980, shall have the qualifications required to perform entry level social work in a county department and shall have successfully completed 30 hours of intake training approved or provided by the department prior to the completion of the first 6 months of employment in the position. The department shall monitor compliance with this paragraph according to rules promulgated by the department.

48.06(2)(b)2. 2. The department shall make training programs available annually that permit intake workers who provide services under this chapter to satisfy the requirements specified under subd. 1.

48.06(2)(c) (c) Each intake worker providing services under this chapter whose responsibilities include investigation or treatment of child abuse or neglect or unborn child abuse shall successfully complete additional training in child abuse and neglect and unborn child abuse protective services approved by the department under s. 48.981 (8) (d). Not more than 4 hours of the additional training may be applied to the requirement under par. (b).

48.06(3) (3) Intake services. The court, the department in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, or the county department responsible for providing intake services under s. 48.067 shall specify one or more persons to provide intake services. If there is more than one such worker, one of the workers shall be designated as chief worker and shall supervise other workers.

48.06(4) (4) State aid. State aid to any county for court services under this section shall be at the same net effective rate that each county is reimbursed for county administration under s. 48.569. Counties having a population of less than 750,000 may use funds received under s. 48.569 (1) (d), including county or federal revenue sharing funds allocated to match funds received under s. 48.569 (1) (d), for the cost of providing court attached intake services in amounts not to exceed 50 percent of the cost of providing court attached intake services or $30,000 per county per calendar year, whichever is less.

48.06 History History: 1971 c. 125; 1975 c. 39, 199, 302, 307, 422; 1977 c. 271; 1977 c. 354 ss. 10 to 14, 101; 1977 c. 447, 449; 1979 c. 34, 300; 1981 c. 20 s. 2202 (20) (o); 1981 c. 93 s. 186; 1981 c. 314, 329; 1983 a. 239; 1985 a. 29, 176; 1987 a. 151, 399; 1991 a. 274; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27, 80, 292; 2001 a. 61; 2007 a. 20; 2013 a. 20.

48.06 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DCF 49, Wis. adm. code.

48.067 48.067 Powers and duties of intake workers. To carry out the objectives and provisions of this chapter but subject to its limitations, intake workers shall:

48.067(1) (1) Provide intake services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the purpose of screening children taken into custody and not released under s. 48.20 (2) and the adult expectant mothers of unborn children taken into custody and not released under s. 48.203 (1).

48.067(2) (2) Interview, unless impossible, any child or expectant mother of an unborn child who is taken into physical custody and not released, and when appropriate interview other available concerned parties. If the child cannot be interviewed, the intake worker shall consult with the child’s parent or a responsible adult. If an adult expectant mother of an unborn child cannot be interviewed, the intake worker shall consult with an adult relative or friend of the adult expectant mother. No child may be placed in a juvenile detention facility unless the child has been interviewed in person by an intake worker, except that if the intake worker is in a place which is distant from the place where the child is or the hour is unreasonable, as defined by written court intake rules, and if the child meets the criteria under s. 48.208, the intake worker, after consulting by telephone with the law enforcement officer who took the child into custody, may authorize the secure holding of the child while the intake worker is en route to the in-person interview or until 8 a.m. of the morning after the night on which the child was taken into custody.

48.067(3) (3) Determine whether the child or the expectant mother of an unborn child shall be held under s. 48.205 and such policies as the judge shall promulgate under s. 48.06 (1) or (2).

48.067(4) (4) If the child or the expectant mother of an unborn child is not released, determine where the child or expectant mother shall be held.

48.067(5) (5) Provide crisis counseling during the intake process when such counseling appears to be necessary.

48.067(6) (6) Receive referral information, conduct intake inquiries, request that a petition be filed, and enter into informal dispositions under policies promulgated under s. 48.06 (1) or (2).

48.067(6m) (6m) Conduct the multidisciplinary screen in counties that have an alcohol and other drug abuse program under s. 48.547.

48.067(7) (7) Make referrals of cases to other agencies if their assistance appears to be needed or desirable.

48.067(7m) (7m) At the request of a minor who claims to be pregnant, assist the minor in preparing a petition to initiate a proceeding under s. 48.375 (7) and file the petition with the clerk of circuit court.

48.067(8) (8) Make interim recommendations to the court concerning children, and unborn children and their expectant mothers, awaiting final disposition under s. 48.355.

48.067(9) (9) Perform any other functions ordered by the court, and assist the court or chief judge of the judicial administrative district in developing written policies or carrying out its other duties when the court or chief judge so requests.

48.067 History History: 1977 c. 354, 449; 1979 c. 300; 1987 a. 151, 339; 1991 a. 263; 1993 a. 98; 1997 a. 80, 292; 1999 a. 83; 2005 a. 344.

48.069 48.069 Powers and duties of disposition staff.

48.069(1) (1) The staff of the department, the court, a county department or a licensed child welfare agency designated by the court to carry out the objectives and provisions of this chapter, or, in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the department or an agency under contract with the department to provide dispositional services, shall:

48.069(1)(a) (a) Supervise and assist a child and the child’s family or the expectant mother of an unborn child pursuant to informal dispositions, a consent decree or order of the court.

48.069(1)(b) (b) Offer individual and family counseling.

48.069(1)(c) (c) Make an affirmative effort to obtain necessary or desired services for the child and the child’s family or for the expectant mother of an unborn child and investigate and develop resources toward that end.

48.069(1)(d) (d) Prepare reports for the court recommending a plan of rehabilitation, treatment and care.

48.069(1)(e) (e) Perform any other functions consistent with this chapter which are ordered by the court.

48.069(2) (2) Except in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, licensed child welfare agencies and the department shall provide services under this section only upon the approval of the agency from whom services are requested. In a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the department or, with the approval of the department, a licensed child welfare agency shall provide services under this section.

48.069(3) (3) A court or county department responsible for disposition staff or, in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the department may agree with the court or county department responsible for providing intake services that the disposition staff may be designated to provide some or all of the intake services.

48.069(4) (4) Disposition staff employed to perform the duties specified in sub. (1) after November 18, 1978 shall have the qualifications required under the county merit system.

48.069 History History: 1977 c. 354; 1979 c. 300; 1985 a. 176; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1993 a. 98, 385; 1995 a. 27 ss. 2428m, 2428p, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 77; 1997 a. 27, 292; 2013 a. 20.

48.07 48.07 Additional sources of court services. If the county board of supervisors has complied with s. 48.06, the court may obtain supplementary services for investigating cases and providing supervision of cases from one or more of the following sources:

48.07(2) (2) Licensed child welfare agency. The court may request the services of a child welfare agency licensed under s. 48.60 in accordance with procedures established by that agency. The child welfare agency shall receive no compensation for these services but may be reimbursed out of funds made available to the court for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of duties for the court.

48.07(3) (3) The department in populous counties. In counties having a population of 750,000 or more, the department may be ordered by the court to provide services for furnishing emergency shelter care to any child whose need therefor is determined by the intake worker under s. 48.205. The court may authorize the department to appoint members of the department to furnish emergency shelter care services for the child. The emergency shelter care may be provided as specified in s. 48.207.

48.07(4) (4) County departments that provide developmental disabilities, mental health or alcohol and other drug abuse services. Within the limits of available state and federal funds and of county funds appropriated to match state funds, the court may order county departments established under s. 51.42 or 51.437 to provide special treatment or care to a child if special treatment or care has been ordered under s. 48.345 (6) and if s. 48.362 (4) applies or to provide special treatment or care to the expectant mother of an unborn child if special treatment or care has been ordered under s. 48.347 (4) and if s. 48.362 (4) applies.

48.07(5) (5) Court-appointed special advocate program.

48.07(5)(a) (a) Memorandum of understanding. The court may obtain the services of a court-appointed special advocate program that has been recognized by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district. A chief judge of a judicial administrative district may recognize a court-appointed special advocate program by entering into a memorandum of understanding with the court-appointed special advocate program that specifies the responsibilities of the court-appointed special advocate program and of a court-appointed special advocate designated under s. 48.236 (1). The memorandum of understanding shall specify that the court-appointed special advocate program is responsible for selecting, training, supervising and evaluating the volunteers and employees of the program who are authorized to provide court-appointed special advocate services as provided in pars. (b) to (d), that, in addition to any other activities specified in the memorandum of understanding, a volunteer or employee of the program who is authorized to provide court-appointed special advocate services may be designated to perform any of the activities specified in s. 48.236 (3) (a) to (c) and that, in addition to any other authority specified in the memorandum of understanding, a volunteer or employee of the program who is authorized to provide court-appointed special advocate services may be authorized to exercise any of the authority specified in s. 48.236 (4) (a) and (b), unless the parties to the memorandum of understanding determine that a variance from the requirements of pars. (b) to (d), the activities specified in s. 48.236 (3) (a) to (c) or the authority specified in s. 48.236 (4) (a) and (b) is necessary for the efficient administration of the program.

48.07(5)(b) (b) Selection.

48.07(5)(b)1. 1. A court-appointed special advocate program may select a person to provide court-appointed special advocate services if the person is 21 years of age or older, demonstrates an interest in the welfare of children, undergoes a satisfactory background investigation as provided under subd. 2., completes the training required under par. (c) and meets any other qualifications required by the court-appointed special advocate program. A court-appointed special advocate program may refuse to permit to provide court-appointed special advocate services any person whose provision of those services might pose a risk, as determined by the court-appointed special advocate program, to the safety of any child.

48.07(5)(b)2. 2. On receipt of an application from a prospective court-appointed special advocate, the court-appointed special advocate program, with the assistance of the department of justice, shall conduct a background investigation of the applicant. If the court-appointed special advocate program determines that any information obtained as a result of the background investigation provides a reasonable basis for further investigation, the court-appointed special advocate program may require the applicant to be fingerprinted on 2 fingerprint cards, each bearing a complete set of the applicant’s fingerprints, or by other technologies approved by law enforcement agencies. The department of justice may provide for the submission of the fingerprint cards or fingerprints by other technologies to the federal bureau of investigation for the purposes of verifying the identification of the applicant and obtaining the applicant’s criminal arrest and conviction record. The court-appointed special advocate program shall keep confidential all information received from the department of justice and the federal bureau of investigation under this subdivision.

48.07(5)(c) (c) Training. A court-appointed special advocate program shall require a volunteer or employee of the program selected under par. (b) to complete a training program before the volunteer or employee may be designated as a court-appointed special advocate under s. 48.236 (1). The training program shall include instruction on recognizing child abuse and neglect, cultural competency, as defined in s. 48.982 (1) (bm), child development, the procedures of the court, permanency planning, the activities of a court-appointed special advocate under s. 48.236 (3) and information gathering and documentation, and shall include observation of a proceeding under s. 48.13. A court-appointed special advocate program shall also require each volunteer and employee of the program selected under par. (b) to complete continuing training annually.

48.07(5)(d) (d) Supervision and evaluation. The supervisory support staff of a court-appointed special advocate program shall be easily accessible to the volunteers and employees of the program who are authorized to provide court-appointed special advocate services, shall hold regular case conferences with those volunteers and employees to review case progress and shall conduct annual performance evaluations of those volunteers and employees. A court-appointed special advocate program shall provide its staff and volunteers with written guidelines describing the policies, practices and procedures of the program and the responsibilities of a volunteer or employee of the program who is authorized to provide court-appointed special advocate services.

48.07 History History: 1975 c. 39; 1977 c. 271, 354, 447; 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 314 s. 146; 1983 a. 27 s. 2202 (20); 1985 a. 176; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1993 a. 446; 1995 a. 27, 77; 1997 a. 27, 292; 1999 a. 149; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 172.

48.08 48.08 Duties of person furnishing services to court.

48.08(1) (1) It is the duty of each person appointed to furnish services to the court as provided in ss. 48.06 and 48.07 to make such investigations and exercise such discretionary powers as the judge may direct, to keep a written record of such investigations and to submit a report to the judge. Such person shall keep informed concerning the conduct and condition of a child or expectant mother of an unborn child under the person’s supervision and shall report on that conduct and condition as the judge directs.

48.08(2) (2) Any person authorized to provide or providing intake or dispositional services for the court under ss. 48.067 and 48.069 has the power of police officers and deputy sheriffs only for the purpose of taking a child into physical custody when the child comes voluntarily or is suffering from illness or injury or is in immediate danger from his or her surroundings and removal from the surroundings is necessary.

48.08(3) (3) Any person authorized to provide or providing intake or dispositional services for the court under s. 48.067 or 48.069 has the power of police officers and deputy sheriffs only for the purpose of taking the expectant mother of an unborn child into physical custody when the expectant mother comes voluntarily or when there is a substantial risk that the physical health of the unborn child, and of the child when born, will be seriously affected or endangered due to the expectant mother’s habitual lack of self-control in the use of alcohol beverages, controlled substances or controlled substance analogs, exhibited to a severe degree.

48.08 History History: 1975 c. 302, 421; 1977 c. 354; 1979 c. 300; 1985 a. 320; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1995 a. 27, 77; 1997 a. 292.

48.08 Annotation A judge may order the county human services department to provide information on foster care placements in the county. Racine County v. Skow, 138 Wis. 2d 483, 406 N.W.2d 372 (1987).

48.09 48.09 Representation of the interests of the public. The interests of the public shall be represented in proceedings under this chapter as follows:

48.09(5) (5) By the district attorney or, if designated by the county board of supervisors, by the corporation counsel, in any matter arising under s. 48.13, 48.133, or 48.977 or, if applicable, s. 48.9795. If the county board transfers this authority to or from the district attorney on or after May 11, 1990, the board may do so only if the board notifies the department of administration of the change no later than January 1 of the calendar year during which the change takes effect.

48.09(6) (6) By any appropriate person designated by the county board of supervisors in any matter arising under s. 48.14.

48.09 History History: 1977 c. 354; 1985 a. 176; 1989 a. 336; 1993 a. 246; 1995 a. 77, 275; 1997 a. 292; 2019 a. 109, 134; 2021 a. 240.

48.10 48.10 Power of the judge to act as intake worker. The duties of the intake worker may be carried out from time to time by the judge at his or her discretion, but if a request to file a petition is made or an informal disposition is entered into, the judge shall be disqualified from participating further in the proceedings.

48.10 History History: 1977 c. 354; 1979 c. 331, 359; 1995 a. 77; 1997 a. 80.

48.11 48.11 Advisory board.

48.11(1) (1) The court may appoint a board of not more than 15 citizens of the county, known for their interest in the welfare of children, who shall serve without compensation, to be called the advisory board of the court. The members of the board shall hold office during the pleasure of the court. The duties of the board are:

48.11(1)(a) (a) To advise and cooperate with the court upon all matters affecting the workings of this law and other laws relating to children, their care and protection.

48.11(1)(b) (b) To familiarize themselves with the functions and facilities of the court under this law and to interpret to the public the work of the court.

48.11(2) (2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the court to open court records or to disclose their contents.

48.11 History History: 1977 c. 449.

subch. III of ch. 48 SUBCHAPTER III

JURISDICTION

48.13 48.13 Jurisdiction over children alleged to be in need of protection or services. Except as provided in s. 48.028 (3), the court has exclusive original jurisdiction over a child alleged to be in need of protection or services which can be ordered by the court if one of the following applies:

48.13(1) (1) The child is without a parent or guardian.

48.13(2) (2) The child has been abandoned.

48.13(2m) (2m) The child’s parent has relinquished custody of the child under s. 48.195 (1m).

48.13(3) (3) The child has been the victim of abuse, as defined in s. 48.02 (1) (a) or (b) to (g), including injury that is self-inflicted or inflicted by another.

48.13(3m) (3m) The child is at substantial risk of becoming the victim of abuse, as defined in s. 48.02 (1) (a) or (b) to (g), including injury that is self-inflicted or inflicted by another, based on reliable and credible information that another child in the home has been the victim of such abuse.

48.13(4) (4) The child’s parent or guardian signs the petition requesting jurisdiction under this subsection and is unable or needs assistance to care for or provide necessary special treatment or care for the child.

48.13(4m) (4m) The child’s guardian is unable or needs assistance to care for or provide necessary special treatment or care for the child, but is unwilling or unable to sign the petition requesting jurisdiction under this subsection.

48.13(5) (5) The child has been placed for care or adoption in violation of law.

48.13(8) (8) The child is receiving inadequate care during the period of time a parent is missing, incarcerated, hospitalized or institutionalized.

48.13(9) (9) The child is at least age 12, signs the petition requesting jurisdiction under this subsection and is in need of special treatment or care which the parent, guardian or legal custodian is unwilling, neglecting, unable or needs assistance to provide.

48.13(10) (10) The child’s parent, guardian or legal custodian neglects, refuses or is unable for reasons other than poverty to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical or dental care or shelter so as to seriously endanger the physical health of the child.

48.13(10m) (10m) The child’s parent, guardian or legal custodian is at substantial risk of neglecting, refusing or being unable for reasons other than poverty to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical or dental care or shelter so as to endanger seriously the physical health of the child, based on reliable and credible information that the child’s parent, guardian or legal custodian has neglected, refused or been unable for reasons other than poverty to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical or dental care or shelter so as to endanger seriously the physical health of another child in the home.

48.13(11) (11) The child is suffering emotional damage for which the parent, guardian or legal custodian has neglected, refused or been unable and is neglecting, refusing or unable, for reasons other than poverty, to obtain necessary treatment or to take necessary steps to ameliorate the symptoms.

48.13(11m) (11m) The child is suffering from an alcohol and other drug abuse impairment, exhibited to a severe degree, for which the parent, guardian or legal custodian is neglecting, refusing or unable to provide treatment.