51.06 Centers for the developmentally disabled.

(1) Purpose. The purpose of the northern center for developmentally disabled, central center for developmentally disabled and southern center for developmentally disabled is to provide services needed by developmentally disabled citizens of this state that are otherwise unavailable to them, and to return those persons to the community when their needs can be met at the local level.

(1m) Services. Services to be provided by the department at centers for the developmentally disabled shall include:

(a) Education within the requirements of sub. (2), training, habilitative and rehabilitative services to those persons placed in its custody.

(b) Development-evaluation services to citizens through county departments under ss. 51.42 and 51.437.

(c) Assistance to such community boards in meeting the needs of developmentally disabled citizens.

(d) Services for individuals with developmental disability who are also diagnosed as mentally ill or who exhibit extremely aggressive and challenging behaviors.

(1r) Alternative services.

(a) In addition to services provided under sub. (1m), the department may, when the department determines that community services need to be supplemented, authorize a center for the developmentally disabled to offer short-term residential services, dental and mental health services, therapy services, psychiatric and psychological services, general medical services, pharmacy services, and orthotics.

(b) Services under this subsection may be provided only under contract between the department and a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42, or 51.437, a school district, or another public or private entity within the state to persons referred from those entities, at the discretion of the department. The department shall charge the referring entity all costs associated with providing the services. Unless a referral is made, the department may not offer services under this subsection to the person who is to receive the services or to his or her family. The department may not impose a charge for services under this subsection upon the person receiving the services or upon his or her family. Any revenues received under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (2) (g).

(c)

1. Services under this subsection are governed by subchapter XVI of ch. 48 and ss. 50.03, 50.032, 50.033, 50.034 (1) to (3), 50.035, 50.04, 50.09, 51.04, 51.42 (7) (b), and 51.61, for the application of which the services shall be considered to be provided by a private entity, by rules promulgated under those statutes, and by the terms of the contract between the department, except that, in the event of a conflict between the contractual terms and the statutes or rules, the services shall comply with the contractual, statutory, or rules provision that is most protective of the service recipient's health, safety, welfare, or rights.

2. Sections 46.03 (18), 46.10, 51.15 (2), 51.20 (13) (c) 1., and 51.42 (3) (as) and zoning or other ordinances or regulations of the county, city, town, or village in which the services are provided or the facility is located do not apply to the services under this subsection.

3. The department may not be required, by court order or otherwise, to offer services under this subsection.

(d) A residential facility operated by a center for the developmentally disabled that is authorized by the department under this subsection may not be considered to be a hospital, as defined in s. 50.33 (2), an inpatient facility, a state treatment facility, or a treatment facility.

(2) School activities. If an individual over the age of 2 years and under the age of 22 years and eligible for special education and related services under subch. V of ch. 115 is admitted to, is placed in or is a resident of a center, the individual shall attend a school program operated by the center or a school outside the center which is approved by the department of public instruction. A school program operated by the center shall be under the supervision of the department of public instruction and shall meet standards prescribed by that agency.

(3) Admission.

(a) Subject to par. (b), individuals under the age of 22 years shall be placed only at the central center for the developmentally disabled unless the department authorizes the placement of the individual at the northern or southern center for the developmentally disabled.

(b) An individual may be placed at or transferred to a center for the developmentally disabled for services under sub. (1m) (d) only after all of the following conditions are met:

1. The department determines that a licensed bed and other necessary resources are available to provide services to the individual.

2. The department and the county of residence of the individual agree on a maximum discharge date for the individual.

(4) Transfer or discharge. The transfer or discharge of any person who is placed in a center for the developmentally disabled shall be made subject to s. 51.35.

(5) Surcharge for extended intensive treatment. The department may impose on a county a progressive surcharge for services under sub. (1m) (d) that an individual receives after the maximum discharge date for the individual that was agreed upon under sub. (3) (b) 2. The surcharge is 10 percent of the amount paid for the individual's services under s. 49.45 during any part of the first 6-month period following the maximum discharge date, and increases by 10 percent of the amount paid for the individual's services under s. 49.45 during any part of each 6-month period thereafter. Any revenues received under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (2) (gL).

(6) Sale of assets or real property at Northern Center for the Developmentally Disabled. The department may maintain the Northern Center for the Developmentally Disabled for the purpose specified in sub. (1), but may sell assets or real property, of the Northern Center for the Developmentally Disabled, subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1). If there is any outstanding public debt used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any property that is sold under this subsection, the department shall deposit a sufficient amount of the net proceeds from the sale of the property in the bond security and redemption fund under s. 18.09 to repay the principal and pay the interest on the debt, and any premium due upon refunding any of the debt. If the property was purchased with federal financial assistance, the department shall pay to the federal government any of the net proceeds required by federal law. If there is no such debt outstanding and there are no moneys payable to the federal government, or if the net proceeds exceed the amount required to be deposited or paid under this subsection, the department shall credit the net proceeds or remaining net proceeds to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (2) (gk).

(8) Relocations; report.

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Intermediate care facility for persons with an intellectual disability" has the meaning given for “intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded" under 42 USC 1396d (d).

2. “Medical Assistance" has the meaning given in s. 49.43 (8).

3. “Nursing home" has the meaning given in s. 50.01 (3).

(b) Annually by October 1, the department shall submit to the joint committee on finance and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) a report that includes information collected from the previous fiscal year on the relocation or diversion of individuals who are Medical Assistance eligibles or recipients from nursing homes, intermediate care facilities for persons with an intellectual disability, and centers for the developmentally disabled. The report shall include all of the following information:

1. The impact of the relocations and diversions on the health and safety of the individuals relocated or diverted.

2. The extent of involvement of guardians or family members of the individuals in efforts to relocate or divert the individuals.

3. The nature and duration of relocations or diversions that specifies the locations of relocated or diverted individuals every year after home or community placement occurs, so as to keep track of the individuals on an ongoing basis.

4. An accounting of the costs and savings under the Medical Assistance program of relocations and diversions and the resulting reduction in capacity for services of nursing homes, intermediate care facilities for persons with an intellectual disability, and centers for the developmentally disabled. The accounting shall include the per individual savings as well as the collective savings of relocations and diversions.

5. The costs under the Medical Assistance program of administration, housing, and other services, including nursing, personal care, and physical therapy services, that are associated with the relocations and diversions.

6. The extent of Medical Assistance provided to relocated or diverted individuals that is in addition to Medical Assistance provided to the individuals under s. 46.275, 46.277, or 46.278, as a family care benefit under ss. 46.2805 to 46.2895, or under any other home-based or community-based program for which the department has received a waiver under 42 USC 1396n (c).

7. Staff turnover rates for nursing homes, intermediate care facilities for persons with an intellectual disability, and centers for the developmentally disabled in communities in which an individual relocated or diverted from a nursing home, intermediate care facility for persons with an intellectual disability, or center for the developmentally disabled currently resides.

(10) Relocations from southern center.

(a) The department shall create a form on which a resident of the southern center for the developmentally disabled, or the resident's guardian, may indicate a preference for where the resident would like to live. The department shall make the form available to all residents of the southern center for the developmentally disabled and to their guardians. The department shall maintain the completed form with the resident's treatment records.

(b) The department shall ensure that, if a resident is to be relocated from the southern center for the developmentally disabled, members of the center staff who provide direct care for the resident are consulted in developing a residential placement plan for the resident.

(c) If a resident of the southern center for the developmentally disabled is relocated from the center after July 1, 2009, the department shall provide the resident's guardian or, if the resident is a minor and does not have a guardian, the resident's parent information regarding the process for appealing the decision to relocate the resident and the process for filing a grievance regarding the decision.

History: 1975 c. 430; 1981 c. 20; 1985 a. 29 ss. 1061 to 1064, 3200 (56); 1985 a. 176; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27 s. 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27, 164; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 386; 2007 a. 153; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 126, 260; 2013 a. 20; 2019 a. 9.