The role of the Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center is to provide a resource and referral source for questions from foster parents, the professionals working with them (e.g. foster care coordinators, licensing specialists), adoptive parents, and support groups. There is an 800 number for calls and it will provide some after-hour accessibility for parents to acquire information. There is generalized information on the process of being a foster or adoptive parent, as well as access points for assistance available. It will refer any families with system issues to the appropriate resource for resolution. Also provided is a library of materials that can be utilized by all the above parties. The Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center coordinates the development of a statewide foster parent handbook, the development of a radio media campaign to recruit foster parents, as well as the development and planning of training initiatives for foster/adoptive parents and foster care coordinators. The Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center will work closely with foster care coordinators, adoption agencies, support groups, the UW Training Partnership and the Department of Health and Family Services to ensure that quality training and services are provided to family, and work to ensure that the Resource Center is a successful part of the Program Enhancement Plan.
There are a number of children in Wisconsin with special care needs waiting to be adopted. Efforts are made to find an adoptive family that best meets the needs of a child when it is not safe for the child to live with their birth parents. It may take time to find the appropriate family that can provide the extra measure of patience, acceptance, caring and understanding of the child’s needs because of their mental or physical handicaps, disruptive behavior, medical problems or other factors.
The Adoption Assistance Program can help the family meet the costs of extensive and frequently expensive care. The Adoption Assistance Program is funded under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act and State matching funds. Adoption assistance may include:
Medical assistance for some medical costs not covered by the family’s health insurance;
A monthly amount to adoptive parent(s) to assist meeting the financial demands of caring for a child’s special care needs (maximum of $2,000); and
Reimbursement of reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in order to complete the adoption (e.g., legal fees and/or agency fees) up to $2,000.
Creating strong families that serve as the foundation for community life by enhancing family relationships, parenting, child development and the community institutions that promote family well-being.
The current school committees.
This link opens a PDF document that is the Administrative Code for Treatment Foster Care. Administrative Code has the impact of law.
This link opens a PDF document that is the Administrative Code for Foster Home Care. Administrative Code has the impact of law.
This link will take you to the section of this website where you can find Program Specifications for services offered by the Human Services Department. This may be useful if you are interested in more detailed information about a specific service because of a perceived need or if you represent a potential vendor who would like to get more information for completing a bid proposal.