December 22, 2022
Contact: Gina Paige or Jamie Keehn, 608-422-7800 or dcfmedia@wisconsin.gov

Wisconsin’s Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Plan Approved

MADISON ― Wisconsin’s federal partners have approved the state’s Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plan, which will support the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) in safely serving more children in their homes or with relatives through front-end prevention services and connecting families with much-needed programs and supports.

Wisconsin’s Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plan was approved in late October after a review by the Children’s Bureau, a federal agency organized under the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. Wisconsin’s plan is consistent with DCF’s vision to reduce the percentage of children in out-of-home care.

“DCF and state, county, tribal, and community partners have made it a priority to proactively support families with research-based prevention services that help them thrive,” said DCF Secretary Emilie Amundson. “The approval of our Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plan is helping us continue momentum and build strong communities where families feel supported and empowered. We appreciate the federal government’s support and guidance in helping more families remain safely together and look forward to continuing to see the number of children in out-of-home care decrease.”

Research has shown that supporting children and families jointly improves outcomes. Wisconsin’s Putting Families First transformation is shifting the child welfare system to support more families in-home with family-focused, collaborative efforts. This transformation is creating positive outcomes for children, youth, and families across the state, with 4.5 fewer children were removed from their homes per day in 2021 compared to 2017 – a strong indicator Putting Families First is strengthening Wisconsin’s families.

Federal approval of the Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plan will mean a stronger investment in system prevention, more connections to programs and services that will keep children in their homes and improved outcomes for Wisconsin’s children and families with wraparound services that support their needs.

For more information about Wisconsin’s Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plan and how state, county, and tribal partners are working to put families first, visit DCF's website.

This press release is also available in PDF format.