Nursing Homes
Background check applications for all users
To prepare for the transition to the new DHS DQA Provider Portal, the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) will not accept any new background check applications for entity operators, non-client residents, or other required individuals for new or renewing entity license/certification applications, or for rehabilitation review applicants as of November 22, 2025.
DQA will resume accepting background check applications on December 15, 2025, through the DHS DQA Provider Portal. To prepare for this transition and for more information, visit our webpage. Caregiver background checks completed by entities for employees and contractors are not affected by this transition.
A nursing home is defined in Wis. Stat. § ch. 50.01(3) as a place where five or more people (who are not related to the operator) live because they need 24-hour nursing care. This can include limited nursing care, intermediate level nursing care, and skilled nursing services.
Finding and Choosing a Nursing Home
Contact us
Please open the accordions below to see the best contact information for your questions about nursing homes.
Find DQA contacts with the Bureau of Nursing Home Resident Care Regional Offices.
For information on dehydration, dietary services, dysphagia, feeding assessments, food safety/infection control, food service operation, malnutrition, menu planning, tube feeding, and other nutrition-related questions, email: dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
If you need information, these sources can help. If you're not sure who to contact or don't see the topic you need, contact DQA at dhswebmaildqa@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
- Active treatment, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID) - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Activity programming - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- ADL functional assessment - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Advanced directives - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Assessments, general - henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Care planning - henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- CMS functions - alissa.iwanski@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Dementia - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Developmental disability levels of care - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Environmental issues - david.soens@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Falls assessment - henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Federal enforcement - sonja.murray@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Fire reporting (within 72 hours) - dhsdqaplanreview@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Forfeitures - dhsdqabnhrclicensing@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Hospice regulations - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Incontinence, urinary/bowel - henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Infection control - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Infectious waste - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Life safety code - david.soens@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Medical records - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Medical social services - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Medication administration or pharmacy - douglas.englebert@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Minimum data set (automation, technical, or clinical coding) - dhsdqamdsoasis@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Nurse aide training and testing - Nurse Aide Program: Contact Us
- Pain management - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Palliative care - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Patient rights, hospice - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Plan review - Plan Review Construction/Remodeling of Health Care Facilities
- Plans of correction - Regional Offices
- Policy and procedure development - jessica.radtke@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
- Pressure injury, pressure sore assessments - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Program plan, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID) - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Psychosocial well-being assessment - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Record requests - dhsdqarecordsrequest@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Regulations - Regional Offices or sonja.murray@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Resident assessment instrument, education/coding - dhsdqamdsoasis@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Resident/client abuse - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Resident rights - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Restraints, physical - henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Social services - jenny.kraftcheck@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Standard precautions - dhsdqatraining@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- State licensure, Medicaid/Medicare certification - dhsdqabnhrclicensing@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Surety bonds - dhsdqabnhrclicensing@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Survey inspection process - Regional Offices
- Traumatic brain injury (new programs only) - dhswebmaildms@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Waivers, health - dhsdqabnhrclicensing@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Waiver, life safety code - fokruddin.khondaker@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Nursing Home Grant Program
A Civil Money Penalty (CMP) is a monetary penalty that CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) may impose against nursing homes. Some of the CMP money is returned to the states to be reinvested in activities that support and benefit nursing home residents.
Child Care Program in a Long-Term Care Residential Facility
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) have developed information to help providers start an on-site child care program to attract new workers and keep current staff.
Fire reporting
All fires in a licensed facility in Wisconsin must be reported to the Department of Health Services within 72 hours. To report a fire, complete and submit the Health Care Facility Fire Report, F-62500.
For questions regarding fire reporting, contact DQA Fire Authority:
- Email dhsdqaplanreview@dhs.wisconsin.gov
- Call 608-266-8016
Additional information is provided in DQA numbered memo 23-002 (PDF).