In this chapter:

1. (1) “Advanced practice registered nurse” means a person licensed under s. 441.09, Stats., who may issue prescription orders under s. 441.09, Stats.
2. (2) “Background check” means the applicable requirements in s. 48.685, Stats.
3. (3) “Background information disclosure form” means the department form on which a person provides certain information concerning the person’s background.
4. (4) “Child welfare professional” means an individual who is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of a resident and is employed by a county agency, tribal child welfare agency, licensed child-placing agency or, in a county with a population of 750,000 or more, the department.
5. (5) “Contractor” means a person who provides services in a group home under an express or implied contract.
6. (6) “County agency” means a county department of social services under s. 46.215 or 46.22, Stats., or a county department of human services under s. 46.23, Stats.
7. (7) “Department” means the department of children and families.
8. (8) “Division of hearings and appeals” means the division of hearings and appeals in the department of administration.
9. (9) “Exit” means a continuous and unobstructed means of egress from inside the group home to the exterior of the group home, including intervening halls, balconies, ramps, fire escapes, stairways, and windows.
10. (10) “Family interaction plan” means a plan developed by a placing agency to promote a resident’s interaction with members of the resident’s family and other identified persons and includes interaction by in-person or virtual contact, such as phone calls, texts, instant messages, letters, emails, and participation in routine activities, such as family gatherings, treatment-related appointments, medical appointments, school events, and faith-related activities.

11. (11) “Final substantiated finding” means all of the following:

    1. (a) A final determination made after January 1, 2015, that a person has abused or neglected a child under s. DCF 40.04 and s. 48.981 (3) (c) 5m., Stats., if the final determination has not been reversed or modified on appeal.
    2. (b) A determination made before January 1, 2015, that a person has abused or neglected a child under s. 48.981 (3) (c) 4., Stats., if the determination has not been reversed or modified on appeal.
12. (12) “Group home” has the meaning given in s. 48.02 (7), Stats.
13. (13) “Group home manager” means a person who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a group home and resident admissions.
14. (14) “Guardian” means a person or agency appointed as provided under s. 48.023, Stats., or a substantially similar tribal law.
15. (15) “Indian child” has the meaning given in s. 48.02 (8g), Stats.
16. (16) “Indian custodian” has the meaning given in s. 48.02 (8p), Stats.
17. (17) “Indian tribe” means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians that is recognized as eligible for the services provided to Indians by the U.S. secretary of the interior because of their status as Indians.
18. (18) “Legal custodian” means the person or agency to whom a court has transferred a child’s legal custody and who thereby has the right and duty to protect, train, and discipline the child and to provide for the child’s care and needs.
19. (18g) “Legal custody” has the meaning given in s. 48.02 (12), Stats.
20. (19) “Licensee” means a person licensed by the department pursuant to s. 48.66, Stats., to operate a group home.

21. (20) “Medical provider” means a physician, physician assistant, or an advanced practice registered nurse.

    Note: “Physician” and “physician assistant” are defined in s. 990.01, Stats.

22. (21) “Other employee or contractor” means an employee or contractor who works in a group home but is not a staff member.
23. (22) “Periodicity schedule” means a set of recommended screenings, procedures, and services for children at different stages of their development.
24. (23) “Permanency plan” means a plan required under s. 48.38 (2) or 938.38 (2), Stats., that is designed to ensure that a resident is safely reunified with their parent, guardian, or Indian custodian whenever appropriate or that the resident quickly attains a safe placement or home providing long-term stability.
25. (24) “Placing agency” means a private child-placing agency licensed under s. 48.66, Stats., county agency, tribal child welfare agency, the department, or an agency from another state authorized to place children in group homes.
26. (25) “Premises” means a group home, the tract of land on which the group home is situated, and any other building or structure on that land.
27. (26) “Program director” means a person responsible for overseeing program operations and group home development.
28. (27) “Reasonable and prudent parent standard” means a standard for use in making decisions concerning a resident’s participation in age or developmentally appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities that is characterized by careful and sensible parental decisions that maintain the health, safety, best interests, and cultural, religious, and tribal values of the resident while at the same time encouraging the emotional and developmental growth of the resident.
29. (28) “Resident” means a person who is under 21 years of age and is under the jurisdiction of the court under ch. 48 or 938, Stats., or other court order and who is admitted to and resides in a group home.
30. (29) “Resident care staff” means a person employed by a licensee to provide daily supervision and direct care to residents to ensure their safety and well-being.
31. (30) “Respite care” means a service provided to a youth with an emotional, behavioral, cognitive, or physical condition or other need and who is not admitted to the group home under a voluntary placement agreement or court order.
32. (31) “Staff member” means a program director, group home manager, or resident care staff.
33. (32) “Treatment plan” means a written plan of services to meet the specific treatment goals and care needs of a resident.
34. (33) “Universal precautions” means measures taken to prevent transmission of infection from contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials as recommended by the U.S. public health service’s centers for disease control and adopted by the U.S. occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) as 29 CFR 1910.1030.
35. (34) “Voluntary placement agreement” means a written agreement for the placement of the youth in a licensed group home under s. 48.63 (1), Stats., between a county agency, the department, or a licensed child welfare agency; the youth’s parent or guardian or Indian custodian; and the youth, if the youth is 12 years of age or older.
36. (35) “Wisconsin public purchaser” means a county agency, the department, or the department of corrections.
37. (36) “Youth” means a person under 21 years of age.

History

History: CR 26-005: cr. Register May 2026 No. 845, eff. 6-1-26.