48.569 Distribution of children and family aids funds to counties.

(1)

(am) The department shall reimburse each county from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (b), (cx), (km), and (o) for children and family services as approved by the department under ss. 46.22 (1) (b) 2. f. and (e) 3. b.

(d) From the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (b), (cx), (km), and (o), the department shall distribute the funding for children and family services, including funding for foster care or subsidized guardianship care of a child on whose behalf aid is received under s. 48.645 to county departments as provided under s. 48.563. County matching funds are required for the distribution under s. 48.563 (2). Each county's required match for the distribution under s. 48.563 (2) shall be specified in a schedule established annually by the department. Matching funds may be from county tax levies, federal and state revenue sharing funds, or private donations to the county that meet the requirements specified in sub. (1m). If the county match is less than the amount required to generate the full amount of state and federal funds distributed for this period, the decrease in the amount of state and federal funds equals the difference between the required and the actual amount of county matching funds.

(dc) The department shall prorate the amount allocated to any county department under par. (d) to reflect actual federal funds available.

(f)

1. If any state matching funds allocated under par. (d) to match county funds are not claimed, the funds shall be redistributed for the purposes the department designates.

2. The county allocation to match aid increases shall be included in the contract under s. 49.325 (2g), and approved by January 1 of the year for which funds are allocated, in order to generate state aid matching funds. All funds allocated under par. (d) shall be included in the contract under s. 49.325 (2g) and approved.

(1m)

(a) A private donation to a county may be used to match the state grant-in-aid under sub. (1) (d) only if the donation is both of the following:

1. Donated to a county department and the donation is under the administrative control of that county department.

2. Donated without restrictions as to use, unless the restrictions specify that the donation be used for a particular service and the donor neither sponsors nor operates the service.

(b) Voluntary federated fund-raising organizations are not sponsors or operators of services within the meaning of par. (a) 2. Any member agency of such an organization that sponsors or operates services is considered to be an autonomous entity separate from the organization unless the board membership of the organization and the agency interlock.

(2)

(a) The county treasurer and each director of a county department shall monthly certify under oath to the department, in the manner the department prescribes, the claim of the county for state reimbursement under this section, and if the department approves the claim it shall certify to the department of administration for reimbursement to the county for amounts due under this section and payment claimed to be made to the counties monthly.

(b) To facilitate prompt reimbursement, the certificate of the department may be based on the certified statements of the county officers filed under par. (a). Funds recovered from audit adjustments from a prior fiscal year may be included in subsequent certifications only to pay counties owed funds as a result of any audit adjustment. By September 30 of each year the department shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) on funds recovered and paid out during the previous calendar year as a result of audit adjustments.

History: 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55, 172.