Kids Matter CASA

A Guide to the Alphabet Soup of Child Welfare

ADA - Assistant District Attorney.  Attorney for the state who civilly prosecutes the parent(s) for abuse and neglect.  The ADA files all original and subsequent CHIPS petition and represents the interest of the state and the public.  S/he does NOT represent the BMCW or the OCM.  The Bureau is NOT generally represented in Children’s Court.  The attorneys for the BMCW do not generally appear at court. 

AODA - Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse.  People are described as having AODA issues, and receiving AODA assessments and AODA treatment.

ASFA – Adoption and Safe Families Act (1997).  Federal law which requires, among other things, that a Termination of Parental Rights petition be filed on a child who is in foster care for 15 of the last 22 months, unless there is an acceptable exception (ch. 48.417(2)-2-49 though 2-52).

BMCW – Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare.  State agency responsible for child protective services in Milwaukee County.  It provides some services itself, but contracts with private agencies to provide the bulk of child welfare services.

CA/N – Child abuse or neglect.

CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocate.

CHIPS – Child In need of Protection and Services.  CHIPS cases are the type of cases CASAs are assigned to.

Chapter 48 – Children’s Code of the WI State Statutes.

Chapter 48 Guardianship – Guardianship given to a third party through a child abuse/neglect proceeding.

Chapter 880 Guardianship – Guardianship given to a third party, usually through that party’s independent petition to the court.

CPC – Child Protection Center.  Located in Sinai and Samaritan at 12th and Highland in Milwaukee.  All children entering foster care must have a health care screen at the CPC within 5 days of entering care.

CPS – Child protective services.  Refers to the intake, investigation, and follow-up of services provided by the BMCW

CSCSC – Child Safety and Court Services Conference.  Initial Coordinated Service Team meeting (held within 9 days after the 48 hour detention hearing).

CSSW - Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin.  Private, non-profit agency that contracts with the BMCW to provide adoption services.  They do both foster care/adoption conversions and recruitment of new homes.  Each site has a coordinator/liaison to CSSW.  CSSW is owned by Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee.

CST – Coordinated Service Team meeting (held every 60-90 days after the CSCSC)

GAL – Guardian ad Litem.  Attorney who represents the legal interests of a child under the age of 12 in CHIPS proceedings and all children in TPR proceedings.

IA – Initial Assessment.  Assessment conducted when an abuse or neglect referral is investigated

IEP – Individualized Education Program. A written document that enumerates the specific services necessary to address a child’s special education needs and/or learning disabilities.  This document must be reviewed annually to assure the child’s educational needs are being met.

Integrated Family Services – Private, non-profit agency that contracts with BMCW to provide services at region 3.

LSS – Lutheran Social Services.  Private, non- profit agency that contracts with BMCW to provide foster home recruitment, licensing, and supervision.

MPS – Milwaukee Public School system.

OCM – Ongoing Case Manager.  Each family with children under a court order will have an ongoing case manager who develops and carries out the permanency plan.

PD – Public Defender.  Attorney who represents a child 12 and over in a CHIPS proceeding.  PDs or other private attorneys also often represent parents in CHIPS and TPR cases.

PPR – Permanency Plan Review.  A permanency plan must be filed by the BMCW within 60 days of the date a child is placed in foster care.  The plan must include information about the reasons for placement, school information, medical information, and a statement of the permanency placement goal- reunification, adoption, guardianship transfer, relative placement, ect., or other alternative permanent placement such as sustaining care, independent living, or long-term foster care.  It also includes services to be provided to the child and family while the child is in care and the conditions that must be met in order for the child to be returned home. 

The plan must be reviewed by the court every 6 months.  One of those times it is heard by a judge and the other time it is heard by a court commissioner.

Service Provider – Private, non-profit agencies that contract with the BMCW directly or indirectly to provide services.

SIH – Services Implementation Healing.  Hearing held by the court commissioner within 21 days after a child is detained.

SSI – Supplemental Security Income.  Governmental monthly income for individuals of any age who have a qualifying disability, and for those who are of social security age but who are not eligible for social security disability because  of a lack of employment history.

SSD – Social Security Disability.  Government monthly income for individuals of any age who have qualifying disability and an employment history.  SSD is also available to dependents.

T-19 or MA – Title 19 or Medical Assistance.  A state/federal medical insurance program.  All foster children have t-19 coverage.

TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.  A government program to assist low income families with cash and other work/job related assistance.  There is a 5 year lifetime eligibility for TANF services.  TANF dollars also pay the $215 for Kinship Care to relatives who are caring for children but are not licensed as foster parents.

TPR – Termination of Parental Rights.  Petition to be filed on a child who is in foster care for 15 of the last 22 months, unless there is an acceptable exception (ch. 48.417(2)-2-49 though 2-52).

W-2 – Wisconsin Works.  State TANF program for families needing help with income.  Four levels of assistance are available.  Financial assistance is one element, but is not available to all W-2 participants.