Division of Quality Assurance: Notifications & Updates

Attn: Agencies Providing Services to Children, Adolescents and Families

WAFCA to Launch Pilot Focused on Serving Wisconsin Children IN Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Association of Family & Children’s Agencies (WAFCA) reports that from 2014-2020, Residential Care Center (RCC) capacity in Wisconsin declined 32%. Placement data shows that the number of children placed out-of-state grew from 44 in 2016 to 119 in 2020. By the end of 2020, a total of 250 children from 46 different counties had experienced an out-of-state placement. The pandemic has exacerbated the placement crisis and is also having a destabilizing effect on our workforce. Now is the time to try something new.

In response, WAFCA will pilot Resource Connection Sessions beginning April 2022. The vision is to create a centralized process that brings placing agencies and providers together to locate in-state treatment and services for children at-risk of out-of-state placement. The goal of each session is to identify all possible treatment options available for the child and/or family and equip the placing agency with contact information for the identified options so they can immediately begin to coordinate the child’s care.

To be successful, we will need to draw on the full continuum of providers. We are asking agencies providing the following types of services to consider joining the pilot.

• In-home services
• Behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and/or families
• Out-of-home care services, including treatment foster care, group home and residential care providers
• Supportive services, including respite and mentoring
• Autism services

It only takes a minute to sign up and become part of the solution. Once you are signed up you will receive notice via email of upcoming sessions, including information about the child’s age, needs, gender and location. This information should help you identify your capacity to serve the child and allow you to choose when to attend.

Still have questions? Visit WAFCA’s Pilot web page (https://wafca.org/-pilot-) to learn more or reach out to connect@wafca.org and someone will be in touch.

lease do not reply directly to this email message. If you have a question about this information, email connect@wafca.org