Protective services and protective placement: duties.

(1) Department duties.

(a) The department shall do all of the following:

1. Cooperate with county departments to develop and operate a coordinated, statewide system for protective services and protective placement. The protective services and protective placement system shall be designed to encourage independent living and to avoid protective placement whenever possible.

2. Monitor and supervise the implementation and operation of the protective services and protective placement system.

3. Provide technical assistance to county departments providing protective services and protective placement.

4. Evaluate the protective services and protective placement system.

(b) The department may provide protective services and protective placement directly or contract for the provision of protective services or protective placement.

(2) County department duties.

(a) The chairperson of each county board of supervisors shall designate a county department under s. 46.215 , 46.22 , 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 that is providing services in the county on its own or through a joint mechanism with another county department or county to have the responsibility for planning for the provision of protective services and protective placement and for directly providing protective services, protective placement, or both, or entering into a contract under s. 46.036 with a responsible agency for the provision of protective services, protective placement, or both.

(b) In addition to the responsibilities specified in par. (a) , the county department shall:

1. Monitor and evaluate protective services and protective placements.

2. Prepare and submit reports required by the department, or by a court if protective services or protective placement are ordered by a court.

3. Develop requirements for submittal by guardians of the person of reports to the county department under s. 54.25 (1) (a) .

4. Designate at least one appropriate medical facility or protective placement facility as an intake facility for the purpose of emergency protective placements under s. 55.135 .

(3) Corporation counsel. The corporation counsel of the county in which the petition is brought may or, if requested by the court, shall assist in conducting proceedings under this chapter.

History: 1973 c. 284 ; 1975 c. 393 ; 1979 c. 221 ; 1981 c. 379 ; 1985 a. 29 s. 3200 (56) ; 1985 a. 176 ; 1985 a. 332 s. 251 (3) ; 1993 a. 445 ; 2001 a. 103 ; 2005 a. 264 ss. 80 , 116 ; 2005 a. 387 , 388 ; 2007 a. 45 .