Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 46 - Social services.
46.986 - Respite care program.

46.986 Respite care program.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Abuse" means the willful infliction on a person of physical pain or injury or unreasonable confinement.
(b) “Caregiver" means an individual who lives in the home of a person with special needs and provides care or supervision for that person.
(c) “County department" means a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437.
(d) “Neglect" means an act, omission or course of conduct that, because of the failure to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical care or dental care, creates a significant danger to the physical and mental health of a person.
(e) “Provider" means an individual or agency that a caregiver selects, with input to the selection by the person with special needs, if competent, to provide respite care to the person with special needs.
(f) “Respite care" means care that is provided to a person with special needs, or a person at risk of abuse or neglect, in order to provide temporary relief to the caregiver of that person or when the caregiver is unable to provide care.
(g) “Special need" means a person's need resulting from an emotional, behavioral, cognitive, physical or personal condition that necessitates receipt of care or supervision in order to meet the person's basic needs or to prevent harm from occurring to him or her.
(h) “Tribe or band" means the governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.
(2) Program.
(a) From the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (br), the department shall contract for the administration of life-span respite care projects with an organization to which all of the following apply:
1. The organization is a private, nonprofit organization, as defined in s. 108.02 (19), that is capable of operating on a statewide basis and has expertise in respite care issues.
2. At least 51 percent of the members of the organization's governing board are consumers of respite care or caregivers.
3. The membership of the organization's governing board includes providers and elected officials and represents the diverse geographical areas and cultural groups of the state.
(b) The organization with which the department contracts under par. (a) shall do all of the following:
1. After consulting with the department, county departments, tribes or bands, providers and caregivers, prescribe criteria for the distribution of grants to conduct life-span respite care projects. The criteria shall include the requirement that grant funds be equally distributed among 5 administrative regions of the state, as prescribed by the department.
2. Solicit applications from and, using the criteria under subd. 1., award in each state fiscal biennium up to one grant in each of the 5 administrative regions prescribed by the department to any of the following to conduct a life-span respite care project:
a. A county department.
b. A tribe or band.
c. A community-based private, nonprofit entity.
d. A community-based private entity that is operated for profit.
3. Require that the grantee contribute matching funds to the operation of the life-span respite care project in the following amounts:
a. Ten percent of the amount of the grant awarded by the organization, as direct services, which shall be used by the grantee to fund payments from caregivers to providers.
b. Fifteen percent of the amount of the grant awarded by the organization, as in-kind services.
4. Oversee grants awarded under subd. 2., and monitor, provide technical assistance to and evaluate the life-span respite care projects.
5. Develop best practice guidelines and a training curriculum that may be used by life-span respite care projects that are funded under this section and that may be used, if appropriate, by any other respite care providers in the state.
6. Promote the exchange of information and coordination among the state, local governments, life-span respite care projects, entities serving persons with special needs, families of persons with special needs and persons in favor of the promotion of respite care services, to encourage the efficient provision of respite care services.
7. Act as a statewide clearinghouse of information about respite care and existing respite care programs and resources and operate a library of materials that may be lent to persons or organizations upon request.
8. Conduct analyses of respite care policies and proposals, and identify and promote resolution of respite care policy concerns at legislative, state and local levels.
(3) Grants not to supplant other moneys. Moneys awarded as grants under sub. (2) (b) may not be used to supplant moneys otherwise available and, prior to receipt of the grant, dedicated by the grantee to respite care.
(4) Life-span respite care project requirements. Life-span respite care projects for which a grant is awarded under sub. (2) (b) 2. shall do all of the following:
(a) Operate in a culturally competent manner and be sensitive to the unique needs and strengths of a person with special needs and his or her family or caregiver.
(b) Identify, coordinate and develop resources for respite care that are built, to the extent possible, on existing community support services.
(c) Recruit and screen providers.
(d) Identify training resources and organize training programs for providers that address different populations in need of respite care.
(e) Facilitate access by caregivers and families of persons with special needs to an array of respite care service options for which the person with special needs is eligible, that are responsive to caregiver and family needs and that are available before families and primary caregivers reach a crisis situation.
(f) Assist caregivers and families of persons with special needs to identify and coordinate funds and resources available for respite care for which the person with special needs is eligible, and authorize and provide a variety of funds and resources to make available additional respite care services for persons with special needs, under eligibility criteria established by the project.
(5) Advisory committees. Each grantee of moneys to conduct a life-span respite care project under sub. (2) shall create an advisory committee that shall advise the project on how the project may best serve persons with special needs and their caregivers. Consumers of respite care services and caregivers shall comprise at least 51 percent of the advisory committee membership and shall be representative of the diversity of persons who receive services under the project. Other members shall include providers, representatives of local service agencies and members of the community.
(6) Evaluation. By June 1, 2004, the department and the organization with which the department contracts under sub. (2) (a) shall together evaluate the life-span respite care projects that are conducted under this section. If, following the evaluation, the department and the organization together determine that it is feasible to integrate the life-span respite care projects with any integrated, organized system of long-term care services that is operated by the department, the department shall, by July 1, 2004, provide to the department of administration statutory language that is proposed for inclusion in the 2005-07 biennial budget bill to effect the integration.
History: 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16, 103; 2017 a. 59.

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