SB 660

This bill transfers licensing authority for a secured residential care center for

children and youth (SRCCCY) from the Department of Corrections to the

Department of Children and Families, requires Milwaukee County to establish or

contract for enough SRCCCYs to accommodate all Milwaukee County juveniles who

are under a secured correctional placement, and allows other counties to establish

or contract for SRCCCYs.

Under current law, a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent under the

Juvenile Justice Code for the commission of an act that would be punishable by a

sentence of six months or more if committed by an adult and who is found to be a

danger to the public and to be in need of restrictive custodial placement may receive

a correctional placement in a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility or an SRCCCY

under the supervision of DOC or in a Type 2 residential care center for children and

youth under the supervision of the county department of social services or county

department of health services (county department). Under the bill, a juvenile who

receives a correctional placement may be placed in a Type 1 juvenile correctional

facility under the supervision of DOC or in an SRCCCY under the supervision of

either DOC or the county department.

Under current law, DOC may license a child welfare agency to operate an

SRCCCY. Such a license is valid for up to two years. Under the bill, DCF can license

a county department or a child welfare agency to operate an SRCCCY. An entity

licensed to operate an SRCCCY under the bill may hold in secured custody up to 12

juveniles who have been adjudged delinquent and are under a correctional

placement under the Juvenile Justice Code. The bill grants county departments that

oversee child welfare the same authority that DOC has under current law to

supervise juveniles who are placed in an SRCCCY.

Under the bill, an SRCCCY is generally required to meet the same statutory

standards as DCF licensees for shelter care facilities, group homes, child welfare

agencies, and residential care centers for children and youth. The bill also grants

DCF the authority to promulgate rules establishing the minimum requirements for

licensing and operation of an SRCCCY, in consultation with DOC, and authorizes

DCF to establish uniform reimbursement rates for services that are offered at an

SRCCCY.

Under current law, if a juvenile who has been placed in a Type 2 residential care

center for children and youth under the supervision of a county department violates

a condition of his or her placement, the juvenile can be transferred to a Type 1

juvenile correctional facility and placed under the supervision of DOC. This bill

allows a juvenile in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth to be

transferred to an SRCCCY and to remain under the supervision of the county

department. Under current law, if a juvenile who has been placed in a Type 2

residential care center for children and youth under the supervision of DOC violates