Corporate Guardianship: Change Requests

The form will ask the guardianship if the request is to increase or decrease capacity.

Increasing capacity

The form will ask for the following information:

1. Current number of wards the guardianship serves. The number of active appointments should be entered.
2. Proposed new ward capacity.
3. Detail the plan to provide services for new ward capacity.

4. County contact information (name and email address) for up to two served counties.

   Note: CGP recommends guardianships reach out to county officials in advance. County officials will receive an automated email from noreply@alchemer.com containing a link to a survey they must complete.

CGP will then:

1. Verify entity background check (EBC) eligibility status for the owner/designated principal officer and the program manager. See Regulated Entity Background Check Process and publication Corporate Guardianship Background Check Process, P-01926 (PDF) for more information.
2. Process the request and respond via email.

Processing timeline

Capacity increase requests are processed within 10 business days.

Decreasing capacity

The form will ask for the following information:

1. Proposed decreased ward capacity.
2. Reason for decreased capacity.

CPG will then process the request.

Processing timeline

Capacity decrease requests are processed within five business days.

Directory and county changes include:

• Contact (must be owner/designated principal officer or program manager)
• Corporate guardianship name (must match Department of Financial Institutions record)
• Counties served
• Email address
• Mailing address
• Phone number

The guardianship should review the guardianship's published information by visiting the online publication of the Corporate Guardianship Directory (PDF). The publication is in PDF format, which is searchable by selecting the magnifying glass icon located on the upper right of the interface or by using the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + F) to access the find function. The guardianship should identify all areas requiring changes. Changes can be made to multiple areas at once.

The form will ask the guardianship to select which area(s) apply to their request and then to provide the updated content(s) for the related area(s).

For county changes, the form will ask if the change is to add counties, remove counties, or both.

Adding counties

The corporate guardianship must verify it discussed the following with the counties:

1. Desire to serve wards of the county.
2. Any additional county requirements for corporate guardianships (ex: bond).
3. County reimbursement and fee structures.

Removing counties

The corporate guardianship must verify that no wards are currently ordered/appointed to the corporate guardianship by the county.

Processing timeline

The guardianship will specify the timeline. "As soon as possible" requests are processed within seven business days.

Corporate guardianship ownership changes are processed in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.07. Completing the ownership change request meets the DHS (the department) notification requirement. Ownership change notification has a 30-day requirement. This type of change request typically requires a directory change request as well. Review the Corporate Guardianship Directory (PDF) to determine if a directory change request should also be selected for processing.

The form will ask the guardianship to provide the following:

1. Change timeline.
2. Name of the new owner or designated principal officer (if board owned).
3. Whether the guardianship is becoming part of a larger organization.
4. If the guardianship is becoming part of a larger organization, the guardianship is required to provide the name of the designated staff person with independent decision-making authority for the guardianship program in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.12(2).
5. Completed and signed DQA Corporate Guardianship Provider Agreement, F-03189 (PDF).
6. Attestation that the corporate guardianship provided written ownership change notification to each ward, the court(s) which ordered guardianship(s), the county department designated under Wis. Stat. § 55.02(2), and all agencies or persons serving appointed wards as required by Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.07(1).

The guardianship is required to complete additional steps in addition to completing the ownership change request form:

1. Contact the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) regarding the ownership change. Any fees must be paid, and the transfer accepted by DFI.
2. Submit and pay for entity background check (EBC) for new owner or designated principal officer (if not a single owner). Visit Background Check Program and expand the "New Applicant" section for information and access to online submission. EBC are not processed until payment is received. For questions or payment processing assistance, email dhsocqebid@dhs.wisconsin.gov or call 608-266-0115.
3. Notify each of the guardianship's wards, the court(s) which ordered/appointed guardianship(s), the county department designated under Wis. Stat. § 55.02(2) for served counties, and all agencies or persons serving appointed wards in writing at least 30 days before the final transfer of ownership. This notice shall include the name and contact information of the new corporation.

CGP will then:

1. Verify EBC eligibility status for the owner/designated principal officer and the program manager.
2. Process the request and respond via email.

Processing timeline

All requests require a minimum of 30 days for processing but can take longer per timeline designation and eligibility verifications. The guardianship will specify a timeline when effective date is greater than 30 days.

Corporate guardianship program manager changes are processed in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.09(1). Completing the program manager change request meets the DHS (the department) notification requirement. This type of change request typically requires a directory change request as well. Review the Corporate Guardianship Directory (PDF) to determine if a directory change request should also be selected for processing.

The form will ask the guardianship to provide the following:

1. Date of program manager change (timeline).
2. Name of the new program manager.
3. New program manager's resume.
4. Completed and signed DQA Corporate Guardianship Provider Agreement, F-03189 (PDF).
5. Attestation that the corporate guardianship provided written program manager change notification to the county department designated under Wis. Stat. § 55.02(2) for all counties who appointed wards to the guardianship.
6. Attestation that the new program manager is age 21+.

The guardianship is required to complete additional steps in addition to the program manager change request form:

1. Submit and pay for entity background check (EBC) for new program manager. Visit Background Check Program and expand the "New Applicant" section for information and access to online submission. EBC are not processed until payment is received. For questions or payment processing assistance, email dhsocqebid@dhs.wisconsin.gov or call 608-266-0115.
2. Notify the county department designated under Wis. Stat. § 55.02(2) for all counties who appointed wards to the guardianship.

CGP will then:

1. Verify EBC eligibility status for the new program manager.
2. Review the program manager's resume to ensure eligibility requirements at Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.09(1)(b) are met.
3. Process the request and respond via email.

Processing timeline

Processing will depend on EBC, education, and experience eligibility verification. Standard processing occurs within 10 business days. Failure to submit and pay for an EBC will delay processing.

Corporate guardianship withdrawal/closure changes are processed in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.05. Completing the withdrawal/closure change request meets the DHS (the department) notification requirement. Closure notification has a 30-day requirement.

The form will ask the guardianship to provide the following:

1. Reason for closure.

2. Current number of wards.

   If there are current wards:

   1. Names of all counties existing appointments/orders originate from.
   2. Attestation that the corporate guardianship will remain responsible for each ward until a successor guardian is appointed by the court as required by Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.08(2).
3. Attestation that the guardianship provided written closure notification to wards, court(s) which ordered the guardianship(s), the county department designated under Wis. Stat. § 55.02(2), and all agencies or persons serving appointed wards as required by Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.08(1).
4. Attestation that the corporate guardianship has or will transfer the wards' original records to the court appointed successor guardians as required by Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 85.08(3).

The guardianship is required to complete additional steps in addition to the withdrawal request form:

1. Contact the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) regarding the closure/dissolution. Any final reports and/or fees must be paid and accepted by DFI.
2. Notify each of the guardianship's wards, the court(s) which ordered guardianship(s), the county department designated under Wis. Stat. § 55.02(2) for served counties, and all agencies or persons serving appointed wards in writing at least 30 days before closure.

Our program will then:

1. Process the closure within five business days of submission, which will remove the guardianship's information from the online Corporate Guardianship Directory (PDF) within five business days of the processing date.
2. Provide a voluntary withdrawal letter to the corporate guardianship.
3. Provide a courtesy copy of the voluntary withdrawal letter to served counties on record for the guardianship.

Processing timeline

The guardianship will specify a timeline. While the closure date must occur at least 30 days or more from the date of submission, processing will occur within five business days.