Affiliations

An Affiliation Agreement is a formal contract between UW-Milwaukee and the placement agency (this is a non-UW-Milwaukee institution or business where the student(s) will have the experience). It identifies the responsibilities and liabilities of the various parties covered by the contract. Students engaged in these placements are not paid and the experience is required for graduation. UW-Milwaukee does not require Affiliation Agreements. These contracts are signed by the agency and the Director of University Safety and Assurances not the Dean of a College or Departmental Personnel.

There are two types of placements, Clinical and Field. A Clinical placement is in a hospital or medical setting. A Field placement is everything non-Clinical. Please note: Clinical placements and schools require Caregiver Background checks. A Uniform Affiliation Agreement template for student placements is found below as well as the Caregiver Affiliation Agreement Addendum and Affiliation Agreement checklist. This checklist must be submitted with the Affiliation Agreement to the Risk Management Office for signature.

A Program Memorandum is a document that describes the placement of the student(s). It specifies the course content, the expectations of the student and the agency and may include special requirements. These documents are signed by the Dean or Dean’s designee. The Dean can appoint a designee via this attached letter (DOCX). Questions regarding Program Memoranda should be directed to the Legal Affairs Office.

Departmental placement coordinators are the main contacts with the placement agencies. Please go to the “Tips for Placement Coordinators” (PDF) for additional information regarding the process of establishing an Affiliation Agreement.

California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado stipulate Worker’s Compensation coverage for student experiences requiring affiliation agreements. UWM students who plan to do internships, practicums or clinical placements in these states will need to obtain a separate workers compensation insurance policy. The cost of this policy will be the responsibility of the student or Department. Contact the Risk Management Office at riskmgt@uwm.edu or 414-229-6339 for additional information.

Agreements & Checklist

Useful Information

Student Caregiver Background Checks

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 (DOCX)” 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.

Additional Resources