Section DCF 56.15 - Supervising agency(1) AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES. (a) A supervising agency shall do, or contract for, all of the following for each child in the agency's care: 1. Ensure that every child is assigned a supervising agency caseworker, in coordination with the placing agency, if different.2. Provide the foster parent with the telephone number of a social worker or supervising agency caseworker who will provide crisis intervention, emergency counseling, and related services on a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week basis for the foster parent.3. Support and assist the foster parent to effectively fulfill responsibilities in this chapter and to the child's team or treatment team.4. When a school-age child is placed in a foster home, notify the school district in which the foster home is located and the school in which the child will enroll, unless the child will remain enrolled in his or her school district and school of origin. If the child will remain enrolled in his or her school and school district of origin, the supervising agency shall give notification of the placement to the child's school district and school of origin., as required under s. 48.64(1r), Stats. The notification shall include all of the following: a. The name, address, and phone number of the foster parent.b. The name of the foster child.c. Information about the child required by the school, as allowed under any applicable confidentiality laws.d. The name and contact information for the caseworker or social worker assigned to the child's case.5. Advocate for the child with the child's school, medical facility, or any other program in which the child is involved to ensure that services provided to the child are consistent with the case plan; permanency plan; and treatment plan, if applicable.6. Assist the foster parents with any necessary arrangements in an emergency situation.7. Arrange for care of a foster child in the event that the foster parent is unavailable to provide care on a temporary basis, in conjunction with the foster parent.8. Prior to or at the time of placement of a child with a foster parent, the supervising agency shall explain to the foster parent the child-specific considerations that the foster parent is required to take into account when applying the reasonable and prudent parent standard, as documented on the forms required under ch. DCF 37, and provide the foster parent with the brochure required under s. DCF 56.12(1) (h).9. Provide updated information to the foster parent about child-specific considerations for reasonable and prudent parenting decisions throughout the child's placement through team or treatment team meetings and when there is a significant change in circumstances.10. Notify the placing agency of any updates to information about the child that were not included in the forms provided to the foster parent at the time of placement under ch. DCF 37, if the supervising agency and placing agency are not the same agency. Note: The forms provided under ch. DCF 37 are DCF-F-872A-E, Information for Out-of-Home Care Providers, Part A. and DCF-F-872B-E, Information for Out-of-Home Care Providers, Part B. Both forms are available in the forms section of the department website at http://dcf.wisconsin.gov or by writing the Division of Safety and Permanence, P.O. Box 8916, Madison, WI 53708-8916.
11. Assist the foster parent and child with overcoming barriers to the child's participation in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities that promote normalcy in an age and developmentally appropriate manner.12. Assist with resolving a conflict among members of the child's team or treatment team on the application of the reasonable and prudent parent standard.(b) In addition to the requirements under par. (a), a licensing or supervising agency shall do all of the following for each child with a level of need of 3 or higher in the agency's care who is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification: 1. Provide the foster parent with the telephone number of a supervising agency caseworker, counselor, clinical consultant, or clinical staff member who will provide crisis intervention, emergency counseling, and related services to the foster parent on a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week basis.2. Respond to a request from a foster parent for crisis intervention, emergency counseling, and related services within one hour.3. Provide or arrange for additional child care personnel during stressful or critical periods, as determined by the treatment team. Note: An example of a stressful or critical period might be the time from the end of the school day until bedtime.
4. Assist and support the foster parent in obtaining any medical supplies and services required for the child. If required medical supplies and services are not included in the treatment plan, the supervising agency and placing agency shall revise the treatment plan to include the required medical supplies and services and to determine financial responsibility.5. Ensure that a child with a severe emotional disturbance has a clinical consultant assigned to the case. A social worker, caseworker, or other professional involved with the case may also serve as the clinical consultant. The clinical consultant shall have all of the following qualifications: a. A master's degree in social work, psychology, child development, or counseling.b. A license or certification under ch. 457, Stats., and ch. MPSW 3, 6, 11, 12, or 17.c. A minimum of 2 years of experience working with seriously disturbed adolescents.d. Knowledge of the neurological, biological, and psychiatric components of emotional disturbances.6. Evaluate the child's progress and provide services identified in the aftercare plan following termination of a placement. The child's treatment team shall determine how long these services shall be provided. The aftercare plan shall identify follow-up support services for the child, the child's parent, or other care providers, including any of the following:b. Consultations by professionals in the child's home to assist the child's family implement the permanency plan, provide skill training for specific problems, and provide support for the child's family.c. Participation in parent groups.e. For youth who will live independently, follow-up support services may include housing assistance, job location, and individual support.(1m) MULTIPLE AGENCIES. If more than one agency is performing supervising responsibilities under subs. (1) and (3), the agencies shall specify in writing which agency is responsible for each requirement.(2) QUALIFICATIONS FOR SUPERVISING AGENCY CASEWORKER FOR LEVEL 3 TO 5. A supervising agency caseworker shall have all of the following qualifications to perform the responsibilities under sub. (3) for a child with a level of need of 3 or higher in the agency's care who is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification: (a) One of the following: 1. A master's degree or higher in a social work or related field.2. A bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2 years of post-degree experience in a social work-related field.(b) Licensed or certified under ch. 457, Stats., and ch. MPSW 3, 6, 11, 12, or 17.(3) RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPERVISING AGENCY CASEWORKER FOR LEVELS 3 TO 5. A caseworker employed by or under contract to the supervising agency shall do all of the following regarding a child with a level of need of 3 or higher in the agency's care who is placed in a foster home with a Level 3 to 5 certification: (a) Coordinate assessments of the child.(b) Select the appropriate foster home for a child after careful consideration of how well a prospective foster family will do all of the following: 1. Meet the child's specific needs.2. Address concerns of the child's birth or adoptive parents.3. Accomplish the goals of the child's permanency plan.(c) Form the child's treatment team and serve as the team coordinator.(d) Provide foster parents with information about the child under ch. DCF 37.(e) Educate a child's treatment team members on services and procedures for a child's specific needs.(f) Develop appropriate interventions and services for the child with the child's treatment team.(g) Be available or have a designee who is available for the foster parents to consult on a 24-hour per day basis.(h) Assist in the training of foster parents.(i) Comply with agency contact requirements with the foster parent and foster child in ss. DCF 56.18 and 56.19.(j) Supervise a child's case plan, permanency plan, and treatment plan.(k) Keep written progress notes.(L) Coordinate provided or purchased services for the child and the child's family.(m) Arrange for the assistance of appropriate specialists.(n) Perform necessary court responsibilities as appropriate.(o) Perform liaison activities with other agencies.(p) Coordinate educational and community services.(q) Advocate for the best interests and rights of the child.(r) Organize treatment team meetings under s. DCF 56.17(2) (g).(4) SUBSTITUTE FOR CASEWORKER RESPONSIBILITIES. Notwithstanding sub. (3) (intro.), the supervisory agency may assign specific duties in sub. (3) to another person who meets the same qualifications as the supervisory agency caseworker or to a person who is an intern or in a field placement for a higher education program and is supervised by a person meeting the same qualifications as a supervisory agency caseworker.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Children and Families DCF 56.15
EmR0937: emerg. cr. eff. 1-1-10; CR 10-021: cr. Register September 2010 No. 657, eff. 10-1-10; EmR1050: emerg. r. and recr., eff. 1-1-11; CR 10-148: r. and recr. Register August 2011 No. 668, eff. 9-1-11.Amended by, EmR1633: emerg. cr. (1) (a) 8. to 12., eff. ; CR 16-051: (1) (a) 8. to 12. Register July 2017 No. 739, eff. 8/1/2017Amended by, CR 20-003: r. and recr. (1) (a) 4. (intro.), cr. (1) (a) 4. d. Register July 2020 No. 775, eff. 8/1/2020