Corporate Guardianship: Rules and Regulations

Corporate guardianships are regulated under the authority stated at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.01.

Rules and regulations

Corporate guardians must read, understand, and abide by regulatory requirements for:

• Non-profit corporations and unincorporated associations as guardians located at Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 85.
• Guardianships and conservatorships found at Wis. Stat. ch. 54.
• Protective service system rules located at Wis. Stat. ch. 55.
• Entity and caregiver background check requirements detailed at Wis. Stat. § 50.065 and Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 12.
  • Entity background check processing
  • Caregiver background check processing
• Standards for grievance resolution procedures found at Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 94, subch. III.

Other rules and regulations

Guardians should be aware of specific rights a ward and/or their guardian has while the ward resides in and/or receive treatment from DQA regulated facilities. Information is available through the DHS Client's Rights Office.

• Community-based residential facility (CBRF) resident rights located at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 83.32.
• Licensed adult family home (AFH) resident rights located at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 88.10.
• Residential care apartment complexes (RCAC) tenant rights located at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 89.34.
• Nursing home resident rights located at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 132.31 and 42 CFR § 483.10.
• Facilities serving people with developmental disabilities (FDD) also known as intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID) client rights located at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 134.31 and 42 CFR 483.420.
• Treatment Facility patient rights located at Wis. Stat. §§ 51.61 and 51.80.

Change of address, status, or ownership

Corporate guardianship agencies must notify the Wisconsin Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) corporate guardianship program of changes. For capacity and county change notification instructions, please visit the Corporate Guardianship: Change Requests webpage. You must email dhsdqacguardianship@dhs.wisconsin.gov to notify the corporate guardianship program about any of the following changes:

• Changes of address (physical, mailing, or email), telephone number, or primary contact person for the agency. Complete and attach a new DQA Corporate Guardianship Provider Agreement, F-03189 (PDF) to your email notification when your agency contact person and/or the email address for your agency changes.
• If ceasing operations, the corporate guardianship also must follow rules found under Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.08 related to closures.
• Changes in ownership or program manager position. The corporate guardianship also must submit a new entity background check for the new owner/designated principal officer and/or program manager.

Contact us

Questions?

• Email dhsdqacguardianship@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
• Call 608-266-8481.