50.033 Licensure of certain adult family homes.

(1) Definition. In this section, “adult family home" has the meaning given in s. 50.01 (1) (b).

(1m) Licensure.

(a) No person may operate an adult family home unless the adult family home is licensed under this section.

(b) A county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437 may license an adult family home that is located in the county. The department shall license an adult family home in a county that elects not to license adult family homes.

(2) Regulation. Except as provided in sub. (2d), standards for operation of licensed adult family homes and procedures for application for licensure, monitoring, inspection, revocation and appeal of revocation under this section shall be under rules promulgated by the department under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2. An adult family home licensure is valid until revoked under this section. Licensure is not transferable. The biennial licensure fee for a licensed adult family home is $171, except that the department may, by rule, increase the amount of the fee. The fee is payable to the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437, if the county department licenses the adult family home under sub. (1m) (b), and is payable to the department, on a schedule determined by the department if the department licenses the adult family home under sub. (1m) (b).

(2d) Accompaniment or visitation. If an adult family home has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the adult family home shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.

(2m) Reporting. Every 24 months, on a schedule determined by the department, a licensed adult family home shall submit through an online system prescribed by the department a biennial report in the form and containing the information that the department requires, including payment of any fee due under sub. (2). If a complete biennial report is not timely filed, the department shall issue a warning to the licensee. The department may revoke the license for failure to timely and completely report within 60 days after the report date established under the schedule determined by the department.

(3) Investigation of alleged violations. If the department or a licensing county department under sub. (1m) (b) is advised or has reason to believe that any person is violating this section or the rules promulgated under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2., the department or the licensing county department shall make an investigation to determine the facts. For the purposes of this investigation, the department or the licensing county department may inspect the premises where the violation is alleged to occur. If the department or the licensing county department finds that the requirements of this section and of rules under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2. are met, the department or the licensing county department may, if the premises are not licensed, license the premises under this section. If the department or the licensing county department finds that a person is violating this section or the rules under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2., the department or the licensing county department may institute an action under sub. (5). If the department takes enforcement action against an adult family home for violating this section or rules promulgated under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2., and the department subsequently conducts an on-site inspection of the adult family home to review the adult family home's action to correct the violation, the department may impose a $200 inspection fee on the adult family home.

(4) License revocation. The license of a licensed adult family home may be revoked because of the substantial and intentional violation of this section or of rules promulgated by the department under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2. or because of failure to meet the minimum requirements for licensure. The operator of the licensed adult family home shall be given written notice of any revocation and the grounds for the revocation. Any adult family home licensure applicant or operator of a licensed adult family home may, if aggrieved by the failure to issue the license or by revocation, appeal under the procedures specified by the department by rule under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2.

(5) Injunction. The department or a licensing county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437 may commence an action in circuit court to enjoin the operation of an adult family home that is not licensed under sub. (1m) or that is licensed and has repeatedly used methods of operation in substantial violation of the rules promulgated under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2. or that endanger the health, safety or welfare of any adult receiving care and maintenance in an adult family home.

(6) Penalties. Any person who violates this section or rules promulgated under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2. may be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail or both.

History: 1993 a. 327; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2019 a. 9.