LRB-3577/1
GMM:wlj:nwn
2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
January 3, 2008 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to
Committee on Children and Family Law.
AB663,1,10
1An Act to repeal 46.515 (1) (i) and (j), 46.515 (3) (title), 46.515 (3) (a), 48.983 (1)
2(i), 48.983 (1) (j), 48.983 (3) (title), 48.983 (3) (a) and 48.983 (7) (c);
to renumber
346.515 (3), 46.515 (4) (a) 4m., 46.515 (4) (b) 1., 46.515 (6) (a) (intro.), 46.515 (6)
4(a) 1., 46.515 (6) (a) 6., 46.515 (6) (c), 46.515 (7) (ag) and (ar), 46.515 (7) (c),
546.515 (8) (title), 46.515 (8) (a) and 46.515 (8) (b);
to renumber and amend
646.515 (2), 46.515 (3) (b) and 46.515 (8);
to amend 46.515 (2), 46.515 (4) (a) 4m.,
746.515 (4) (b) 1., 46.515 (6) (a) (intro.), 46.515 (6) (a) 1., 46.515 (6) (a) 6., 46.515
8(6) (c) and 46.515 (8) (title);
to repeal and recreate 46.515 (7) (c); and
to create
946.515 (7) (ag) and (ar) and 46.515 (8) (b) of the statutes;
relating to: child
10abuse and neglect prevention grants.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in
the bill.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the Joint
Legislative Council's Special Committee on Strengthening Wisconsin Families.
Under current law, the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS)
distributes grants for the prevention of child abuse and neglect under a program
commonly referred to as "Family Foundations". DHFS is required to distribute this
funding to six rural counties, three urban counties, and two Indian tribes.
The amount of funding that each county (other than a county with a population of
500,000 or more, currently, only Milwaukee County) or Indian tribe receives in excess of
the $10,000 minimum grant amount is based on the number of births funded by medical
assistance (MA) in that county or in the reservation of the tribe in proportion to the
number of MA-funded births in all counties and the reservations of all tribes selected to
participate in the program. Milwaukee County's grant award is based on 60 percent of
the MA-funded births in that county in proportion to the number of MA-funded births
in all counties and the reservations of all tribes selected to participate in the program.
Except for Milwaukee County, the grant funds may be used for a primary
intervention, home visitation program for first-time parents who are eligible for MA and
to support the cost of case management. In all counties and tribes, grants may also be
used to provide intervention services and flexible funds to participating families for
appropriate expenses. DHFS is required to provide technical assistance and training to
programs receiving a grant.
The bill makes the following changes to current law:
• Deletes the provision requiring funding to be distributed to six rural counties,
three urban counties, and two Indian tribes.
• Deletes references to Milwaukee County so that Milwaukee County may use
grant funds to provide home visitation and case management services.
• Requires counties and Indian tribes that receive a grant to agree to match at least
25 percent of the grant amount in funds or in-kind contributions.
• Deletes the current formula for determining the amount of a grant in excess of
the minimum $10,000 grant amount and instead requires DHFS to determine the
amount of a grant in excess of $10,000 based upon the number of MA-funded births in
the county or the reservation of the tribe.
• Provides that if a family with a child identified as being at risk of abuse or neglect
has been continuously receiving home visitation program services for not less than 12
months, those services may continue to be provided until the child reaches three years
of age, regardless of whether the child continues to be eligible for MA.
• Requires a county or Indian tribe, when applying for a grant, to provide
information on how the applicant's home visitation program incorporates practice
standards and critical elements that have been developed for successful home visitation
programs by a nationally recognized home visitation program model and that are
acceptable to DHFS.
• Requires DHFS to evaluate the availability of home visitation programs in the
state and determine whether there are gaps in home visitation services. DHFS must then
cooperate with counties and Indian tribes providing home visitation programs to address
any gaps identified.
• Requires each county and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program to
collect and report data as required by DHFS, using forms prescribed by DHFS.
• Requires each county and Indian tribe providing a home visitation program to
develop a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of its program for approval by DHFS. The
bill sets forth outcomes that must be tracked and measured. The evaluation must be used
to improve the quality and outcomes of the home visitation program.
• Provides that training provided by DHFS to counties and Indian tribes
participating in the program may not be limited to a particular home visitation model.
Requires the training to include training regarding basic skills, uniform administration
of screening and assessment tools, the issues and challenges that families face, and
supervision and personnel skills for program managers. The training may also include
training on data collection and reporting.
• Requires DHFS to cooperate with the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board
to ensure that employees and managers of home visitation programs receive training and
other services to develop and maintain competencies in providing home visitation
services to families.
AB663, s. 1
1Section
1. 46.515 (1) (i) and (j) of the statutes are repealed.
Note: Repeals the definitions of "rural county" and "urban county".
AB663, s. 2
2Section
2. 46.515 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB663,4,43
46.515
(2) Funds provided. If a county or Indian tribe applies and is selected
4by the department under sub. (5) to participate in the program under this section,
5the department shall award, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (5) (ab), a grant
6annually to be used only for the purposes specified in sub. (4) (a) and (am). The
7minimum amount of a grant is $10,000.
The county or Indian tribe shall agree to
8match at least 25 percent of the grant amount annually in funds or in-kind
9contributions. The department shall determine the amount of a grant awarded to
10a county
, other than a county with a population of 500,000 or more, or Indian tribe
11in excess of the minimum amount based on the number of births that are funded by
12medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 in that county or the reservation of that
13Indian tribe
in proportion to the number of births that are funded by medical
14assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 in all of the counties and the reservations of all
15of the Indian tribes to which grants are awarded under this section. The department
16shall determine the amount of a grant awarded to a county with a population of
17500,000 or more in excess of the minimum amount based on 60% of the number of
1births that are funded by medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 in that county
2in proportion to the number of births that are funded by medical assistance under
3subch. IV of ch. 49 in all of the counties and the reservations of all of the Indian tribes
4to which grants are awarded under this section.
Note: Requires a county or Indian tribe that receives a grant to agree to match at
least 25 percent of the grant amount annually in funds or in-kind contributions. Also,
this Section deletes the language setting forth the formula for awarding grants above
$10,000 and, instead, requires DHFS to determine the amount of the grant in excess of
$10,000 based upon the number of births that are funded by MA in that county or the
reservation of the Indian tribe.
AB663, s. 3
5Section
3. 46.515 (2) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act .... (this
6act), is renumbered 48.983 (2) and amended to read:
AB663,4,167
48.983
(2) Funds provided. If a county or Indian tribe applies and is selected
8by the department under sub. (5) to participate in the program under this section,
9the department shall award, from the appropriation under s.
20.435 (5) 20.437 (2) 10(ab), a grant annually to be used only for the purposes specified in sub. (4) (a) and
11(am). The minimum amount of a grant is $10,000. The county or Indian tribe shall
12agree to match at least 25 percent of the grant amount annually in funds or in-kind
13contributions. The department shall determine the amount of a grant awarded to
14a county or Indian tribe in excess of the minimum amount based on the number of
15births that are funded by medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49 in that county
16or the reservation of that Indian tribe.
Note: 2007 Wisconsin Act 20 renumbers s. 46.515, stats., as s. 48.983, stats.,
effective July 1, 2008, as part of the creation of the Department of Children and Families.
AB663, s. 4
17Section
4. 46.515 (3) (title) of the statutes is repealed.
Note: Repeals a provision of current law specifying how many counties and Indian
tribes may be selected for grants in the 1997-99 fiscal biennium.
AB663, s. 5
18Section
5. 46.515 (3) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act .... (this
19act), is renumbered 48.983 (3).
Note: 2007 Wisconsin Act 20 renumbers s. 46.515, stats., as s. 48.983, stats.,
effective July 1, 2008, as part of the creation of the Department of Children and Families.
AB663, s. 6
1Section
6. 46.515 (3) (a) of the statutes is repealed.
Note: Repeals a provision of current law specifying how many counties and Indian
tribes may be selected for grants in the 1997-99 fiscal biennium.
AB663, s. 7
2Section
7. 46.515 (3) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 46.515 (3) and amended
3to read:
AB663,5,84
46.515
(3) Joint application permitted. Two or more counties and Indian tribes
5may submit a joint application to the department.
Each county or Indian tribe in a
6joint application shall be counted as a separate county or Indian tribe for the purpose
7of limiting the number of counties and Indian tribes selected in each state fiscal
8biennium.
Note: Repeals language relating to the limit on the number of counties and Indian
tribes that may be selected for grants in the 1997-99 fiscal biennium.
AB663, s. 8
9Section
8. 46.515 (4) (a) 4m. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB663,5,1510
46.515
(4) (a) 4m.
Other than in a county with a population of 500,000 or more,
11to To reimburse a case management provider under s. 49.45 (25) (b) for the amount
12of the allowable charges under the medical assistance program that is not provided
13by the federal government for case management services provided to a medical
14assistance beneficiary described in s. 49.45 (25) (am) 9. who is a child and who is a
15member of a family that receives home visitation program services under par. (b) 1.
Note: Deletes a reference to Milwaukee County.
AB663, s. 9
16Section
9. 46.515 (4) (a) 4m. of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act
17.... (this act), is renumbered 48.983 (4) (a) 4m.
Note: 2007 Wisconsin Act 20 renumbers s. 46.515, stats., as s. 48.983, stats.,
effective July 1, 2008, as part of the creation of the Department of Children and Families.
AB663, s. 10
18Section
10. 46.515 (4) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
