Social Services Department

Child and Family Services

Programs

Initial Response Program

The Initial Response Program is the first point of contact for the CFS Division. The program receives reports of abuse and neglect for children, vulnerable adults, elders and ICW notifications. Requests for service assistance for children, families, vulnerable adults and elders where there are safety and protection concerns come to this Program. Primary intake data is collected by this Program.

Eligibility:

• Receive referrals of abuse, neglect and ICW notifications. Receive service request from enrolled members and provide initial service or resources.
• Ho-Chunk enrolled tribal members or children of enrolled members.

Placement Home Program

The Placement Home Program recruits Ho-Chunk families, licenses, trains, provide compliance and relicensing for Placement Homes. This Program’s primary focus is the families who CFS has taken legal custody through the Investigation Program and become on-going under the Tribal Court Child Protection ILS Program. The goal is to find relative placements for the children in out of home care.

Eligibility:

• HCN enrolled children, children eligible for enrollment and children of enrolled members

Investigation Program

The Program is assigned to investigate the reports of abuse and neglect of children, vulnerable adults and elders. This program has the responsibility to determine if there are safety risks and the ability to protect the children, vulnerable adults and elders of the caregivers. If necessary, action will be taken to assure the safety and protection of the individuals of the investigation focus and any other individuals determined through that investigation. The HCN Department of
Justice represents CFS in these actions petitioned to HCN Trial Court.

Eligibility:

• Ho-Chunk enrolled tribal members or children of enrolled members

Tribal Court Child Protection and Independent Living Skills Program - on going services

The Child Protection Program provides on-going child protection and independent living skills services. The social workers provide services determined through the HCN Trial Court protective services actions. The independent living skills provide mandatory services to those 15 to 17 and voluntary to those 18 to 21 years of age. The HCN Department of Justice represents CFS in the child protection cases in the HCN Trial Court.

Eligibility:

• HCN enrolled children, children eligible for enrollment and children of enrolled members
• Be a child/family in need of protective services

Independent Living Skills Program

HCN youth that are in out of home placement through the HCN Trial Court under a Child in need of protection order that has been out of placement for 6 months and is age 15 to 17
HCN enrolled member that is 18 to 21 and has been in out of placement through HCN Trial Court

HCN youth that are under a CHIPs action in a county court system (15 to 17) and choose to use HCN ILS services versus County ILS services
HCN enrolled member that is 18 to 21 and was in out of home placement through the County Court system

ILS Program receives grant funding from the State of Wisconsin and if an individual from another Tribe lives in the community and meets the above criteria and request ILS services then this program must serve or risk grant funding

Indian Child Welfare Program - on going services

The Indian Child Program intervenes into child protection cases in County or State jurisdictions. The Social Workers represent the Ho-Chunk Nation’s interest in the children placed in out of home. They provide a link to culturally appropriate services for the children and families and for culturally appropriate education for the County or State of jurisdiction. The HCN Department of Justice represents CFS in the child protection cases in the County and State.

Eligibility:

• HCN enrolled children and children eligible for enrollment

Disability and Elder Program-on going services

The Disability and Elder Program provides on-going facilitation of services for children with disabilities ages 0 to 17.6 through the adulthood transition. The social workers will provide intervention services to disabled, vulnerable adults and elders. The Disability and Elder Program provides individuals and their families with a continuum of care that will span a lifetime.

Eligibility:

• Be an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation
• Ages birth through adulthood
• Has a documented disability or
• Has a disability and needs services to receive a disability determination
• Needs assistance with the Long Term Care services system (birth through adulthood)
• Has a short term disability and is in crisis and needs short term case management services
• Aging and Disability Resource Specialist (STATE Grant)
• Any Enrolled Tribal member age 18 plus in need of
  information and referral services who is disabled or
  elderly
• Anyone seeking services for a Tribal member age 18
  plus in need of services who is disabled or elderly

Quality Assurance Program-Division program support services

The Quality Assurance Program will work to promote effective services to all Programs of the Child and Family Service Division. This program employs the CFS Specialist who will provide administrative and program support to all of the Programs in the Division. This Program will provide quality effectiveness audits.

Eligibility:

• Individuals that are eligible for other CFS Programs
• Referrals made from CFS Programs