Background

Effective October 1, 1998, changes in Chapters 48 (Children’s Code) and 50 (Uniform Licensure) of the Wisconsin State Statutes requires selected organizations to perform background checks of persons who provide care for vulnerable adults and children or who have access to people who receive such care.

The results of these background checks are intended to help employers and government officials in making employment and licensing decisions. This law affects anyone who is employed as a caregiver or who has access to clients within caregiving organizations, including students. The organizations required to perform these background checks are those which are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS).

Compliance

Each School and College is responsible for compliance with Chapter 48 and Chapter 50 of the Wisconsin State Statutes as they relate to the criminal background checks for caregivers.

Please refer to the UWM Procedures for Compliance with the Wisconsin Caregiver Law for specific information on compliance.

General

The UWM Risk Management Office continues to manage all “Master Affiliation Agreements” with agencies that accept UWM students for field or clinical placements. If an agency requires special language in their affiliation agreement concerning caregiver background checks, the Risk Management Office, in collaboration with UWM Legal Affairs, will work with the agency to ensure that the language of the affiliation agreement meets State and University requirements concerning liability issues.

For a current synopsis of the law, see UWM Legal Affairs Website. A resource for frequently asked questions about the impact of caregiver background checks can be found on the Department of Health Services Caregiver Program.