Wisconsin Citizen Review Panels
Citizen Review Panels are groups of volunteer citizens working with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) and local child welfare agencies to improve child protective services. Each panel provides an annual report to DCF describing the panel’s activities and includes recommendations to improve the child welfare system. The panels are created under the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA).
Benefits of Citizen Review Panels
- Citizens and child welfare professionals working in partnership to improve child safety
- Increased public awareness and understanding about child protective services
- Opportunity for much needed volunteers to become involved in the child welfare system
- Making a difference to better serve children and families
- Ability to determine the panel’s projects and activities based on local needs and interests
Requirements for each Citizen Review Panel
- Must have volunteer members who are either representative of the community and/or have expertise in child abuse and neglect
- Meet at least quarterly
- Determine whether the state’s child welfare system is meeting its child protection responsibilities according to the State CAPTA plan
- Produce an annual report about the activities and the child protective services improvement recommendations of the panel
Wisconsin’s Citizen Review Panels
- Jefferson County Citizen Review Panel
- Langlade County Citizen Review Panel
- Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council
- Citizen Review Panel Serving Outagamie County
- Polk County Citizen Review Panel
- St. Croix county Citizen Review Panel
- Youth Advisory Council
Additional Resources
Wisconsin Citizen Review Panels key contacts.
Annual Citizen Review Panel Reports and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) Responses
Wisconsin Citizen Review Panel (CRP) Statewide Report (2023-2024)
Citizen review panels are required to submit an annual report to the Department of Children & Families that includes recommendations for state and local child welfare. The DCF is required to respond to those recommendations within six months of receiving the report. For questions regarding DCF responses and statewide panel project reports, contact the Citizen Review Panel Coordinator.
The following table provides prior reports and DCF responses.
- Previous Citizen Review Panel Reports
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The table is sortable by agency or year.