Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare

Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council

Council members

Subcommittees

2010 Annual Report Recommendations
2010 Annual Report Recommendations/Response

Meetings and Minutes

The Role of the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council

Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services are groups of citizen-volunteers throughout the United States who are federally mandated to evaluate local and state child protection systems. The panels are required to submit an annual report to the federal children’s bureau each year that outlines the panel’s activities and make recommendations to the state child protective system to strengthen its services.

The Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council has been designated the Citizen Review Panel for Milwaukee County. Under Chapter 48 (Section 562) Children’s Code, it’s duties are:

• Hold at least one public hearing each year at which the council shall encourage public participation and solicit public input regarding the child welfare system in Milwaukee County.
• Recommend policies and plans for the improvement of the child welfare system in Milwaukee County and submit its recommendations with respect to those policies and plans to the department.
• Recommend measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the child welfare system in Milwaukee County, including outcome measures, and submit its recommendations with respect to those measures to the department.
• Recommend funding priorities for the child welfare system in Milwaukee County and submit its recommendations with respect to those funding priorities to the department.
• Identify innovative public and private funding opportunities for the child welfare system in Milwaukee County and submit its recommendations with respect to those funding opportunities to the department.
• Annually, submit a report of its recommendations to the department, which within 60 days after receiving the report shall prepare a response to those recommendations and transmit the report, together with its response, to the governor and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature.
• Advise the department in planning, and providing technical assistance and capacity building to support, a neighborhood-based system for the delivery of child welfare services in Milwaukee County.

The Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council was established through 1995 WI Act 303 as an advisory body to the State regarding child welfare services in Milwaukee County. Quarterly meetings are open to the public. Membership includes the following:

• Three members of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors nominated by the County Executive;
• Two state representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and one appointed by the Assembly minority leader;
• Two state senators, one appointed by the Senate President and the other by Senate Minority Leader;
• Nine state residents, with not less than six being residents of Milwaukee County; and
• Two members nominated by a children's service network established by Milwaukee County as required under the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program.

Contact the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare