51.437 Developmental disabilities services.

708 words·~3 min read·/wi/chapter-51/51-437-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(1)Definition. In this section, “services” means specialized services or special adaptations of generic services directed toward the prevention and alleviation of a developmental disability or toward the social, personal, physical or economic habilitation or rehabilitation of an individual with such a disability, and includes diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, personal care, day care, domiciliary care, special living arrangements, training, sheltered employment, protective and other social and socio-legal services, follow-along services and transportation services necessary to assure delivery of services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

(4)Responsibility of county government.

(a)The county board of supervisors has the primary governmental responsibility for the well-being of those developmentally disabled citizens residing within its county and the families of the developmentally disabled insofar as the usual resultant family stresses bear on the well-being of the developmentally disabled citizen. This primary governmental responsibility is limited to the programs, services and resources that the county board of supervisors is reasonably able to provide within the limits of available state and federal funds and of county funds required to be appropriated to match state funds.

(c)County liability for care and services purchased through or provided by a county department of developmental disabilities services established under this section shall be based upon the client’s county of residence except for emergency services for which liability shall be placed with the county in which the individual is found. For the purpose of establishing county liability, “emergency services” means those services provided under the authority of s. 55.05

(4), 2003 stats., or s. 55.06

(a), 2003 stats., or s. 51.15 , 55.13 , or 55.135 . Nothing in this paragraph prevents recovery of liability under s. 46.10 or any other statute creating liability upon the individual receiving a service or any other designated responsible party.

(4g)County department of developmental disabilities services established; integration of services.

(a)Except as provided under par.

(b)and ss. 46.21

(b)and 46.23

(b), every county board of supervisors shall establish a county department of developmental disabilities services on a single-county or multicounty basis to furnish services within its county. Counties lacking the financial resources and professional personnel needed to provide or secure such services on a single-county basis may combine their energies and financial resources to provide these joint services and facilities with the approval of the department of health services. The county department of developmental disabilities services shall consist of a county developmental disabilities services board, a county developmental disabilities services director and necessary personnel.

(b)A county board of supervisors may transfer the powers and duties of a county department of developmental disabilities services under this section to a county department under s. 51.42 , which shall act under s. 51.42

(ar)3.

(c)In a county with a population of 750,000 or more, the county board of supervisors shall integrate day care programs for persons with an intellectual disability and those programs for persons with other developmental disabilities into the county developmental disabilities program.

(4m)Duties of county department of developmental disabilities services. A county department of developmental disabilities services shall do all of the following:

(a)Within the limits of available state and federal funds and of county funds required to be appropriated to match state funds, establish a county developmental disabilities services program. Such services shall be provided either directly or by contract.

(b)Develop, approve and modify on a continuing basis a single-county or multicounty plan for the delivery of services, including the construction of facilities, to those citizens affected by developmental disabilities. The purpose of the plan shall be to ensure the delivery of needed services and the prevention of unnecessary duplication, fragmentation of services and waste of resources. Plans shall include, to the fullest extent possible, participation by existing and planned agencies of the state, counties, municipalities, school districts and all other public and private agencies as are required to, or may agree to, participate in the delivery of services. The plan shall, to the fullest extent possible, be coordinated with and integrated into plans developed by regional comprehensive health planning agencies.

(c)Provide continuing counsel to public and private agencies as well as other appointed and elected bodies within the county.