County social service and mental hygiene budget and contract
Wis. Stat. § 46.031
in effect(1) Budget.
(a) Each county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437 shall submit to the department by December 31 annually its final budget for services directly provided or purchased.
(b) The department shall submit a model of the contract under sub. (2g) (a) to each county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 and 51.437 by May 1 annually.
(2) Assessment of needs. Before developing and submitting a proposed budget to the county executive or county administrator or the county board or the Milwaukee County mental health board, the county departments listed in sub. (1) shall assess needs and inventory resources and services, using an open public participation process.
(2g) Contract.
(a) The department shall annually submit to the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department, the Milwaukee County mental health board in Milwaukee County for matters related to mental health, or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department a proposed written contract containing the allocation of funds and such administrative requirements as necessary. The contract as approved may contain conditions of participation consistent with federal and state law. The contract may also include provisions necessary to ensure uniform cost accounting of services. Any changes to the proposed contract shall be mutually agreed upon. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department, the Milwaukee County mental health board in Milwaukee County for matters related to mental health, or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department shall approve the contract before January 1 of the year in which it takes effect unless the department grants an extension. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department, the Milwaukee County mental health board in Milwaukee County, or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department may designate an agent to approve addenda to any contract after the contract has been approved.
(b) The department may not approve contracts for amounts in excess of available revenues. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department, the Milwaukee County mental health board in Milwaukee County for matters related to mental health, or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department may appropriate funds not used to match state funds under ss. 46.495 (1) (d) and 51.423. Actual expenditure of county funds shall be reported in compliance with procedures developed by the department, and shall comply with standards guaranteeing quality of care comparable to similar facilities.
(c) The joint committee on finance may require the department to submit contracts between county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 and 51.437 and providers of service to the committee for review and approval.
(2r) Withholding funds.
(a) The department, after reasonable notice, may withhold a portion of the appropriation allocated to a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437 if the department determines that that portion of the allocated appropriation:
1. Is for services which duplicate or are inconsistent with services being provided or purchased by the department or other county departments receiving grants-in-aid or reimbursement from the department.
2. Is inconsistent with state or federal statutes, rules or regulations, in which case the department may also arrange for provision of services by an alternate agency. The department may not arrange for provision of services by an alternate agency unless the joint committee on finance or a review body designated by the committee reviews and approves the department’s determination.
3. Is for the treatment of alcoholics or persons who are drug dependent in treatment facilities which have not been approved by the department in accordance with s. 51.45 (8).
4. Is for inpatient treatment in excess of an average of 21 days, as provided in s. 51.423 (12), excluding care for patients at the centers for the developmentally disabled.
5. Is inconsistent with the provisions of the county department’s contract under sub. (2g).
(b) If the department withholds a portion of the allocable appropriation under par. (a), the county department affected by the action of the department may submit to the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or to its designated agent, to the Milwaukee County mental health board if related to mental health in Milwaukee County, or to the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department or their designated agents a plan to rectify the deficiency found by the department. The county board of supervisors or its designated agent in a county with a single-county department, the Milwaukee County mental health board if related to mental health, or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department or their designated agents may approve or amend the plan and may submit for departmental approval the plan as adopted. If a multicounty department is administering a program, the plan may not be submitted unless each county board of supervisors which participated in the establishment of the multicounty department, or its designated agent, adopts it.
(3) Open public participation process.
(a) Citizen advisory committee. Except as provided in par. (b), the county board of supervisors of each county, the Milwaukee County mental health board, as applicable, or the county boards of supervisors of 2 or more counties jointly shall establish a citizen advisory committee to the county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42, and 51.437. The citizen advisory committee shall advise in the formulation of the budget under sub. (1). Membership on the committee shall be determined by the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county committee, the Milwaukee County mental health board, as applicable, or by the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty committee and shall include representatives of those persons receiving services, providers of service and citizens. A majority of the members of the committee shall be citizen and service consumers. The committee’s membership may not consist of more than 25 percent county supervisors, nor of more than 20 percent service providers. The chairperson of the committee shall be appointed by the county board of supervisors establishing it or by the Milwaukee County mental health board, if it establishes the committee. In the case of a multicounty committee, the chairperson shall be nominated by the committee and approved by the county boards of supervisors establishing it. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county committee or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty committee may designate an agent to determine the membership of the committee and to appoint the committee chairperson or approve the nominee.
(b) Alternate process. The county board of supervisors, the Milwaukee County mental health board, as applicable, or the boards of 2 or more counties acting jointly may submit a report to the department on the open public participation process used under sub. (2). The county board of supervisors or the Milwaukee County mental health board may designate an agent, or the boards of 2 or more counties acting jointly may designate an agent, to submit the report. If the department approves the report, establishment of a citizen advisory committee under par. (a) is not required.
(c) Yearly report. The county board of supervisors or its designated agent, the Milwaukee County mental health board, as applicable, or the boards of 2 or more counties acting jointly or their designated agent, shall submit to the department a list of members of the citizen advisory committee under par. (a) or a report on the open public participation process under par. (b) on or before July 1 of each year.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/46.031Fetched: 10/7/2026