Bottom Line for Wisconsin Nonprofits
- ✓Volunteers acting in a caregiver capacity with direct one-on-one client care at DHS-regulated facilities (Wis. Stat. § 50.065)
- ✓Employees, contractors, and resident household members at childcare centers and foster homes (Ch. 48 / DCF 57.19)
- ✓Volunteers in positions of trust with access to vulnerable populations at University of Wisconsin System (checked every 4 years)
- +1 more covered roles below
State Laws That Apply to Volunteer Background Checks
Wisconsin Statutes § 50.065 — Caregiver Law
Wis. Stat. § 50.065; ch. DHS 12, Wis. Admin. CodeRequires all caregivers — employees, contractors, and volunteers acting in a caregiver capacity with direct client contact — at DHS-regulated facilities (nursing homes, assisted living, hospice, home health) to undergo criminal background and misconduct investigation checks before placement, and again every four years.
Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 48 / DCF 57
Wis. Stat. Ch. 48; DCF 57.19, Wis. Admin. CodeCovers background check requirements for childcare centers, foster homes, group homes, and child welfare programs regulated by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Requires background checks on staff and any individual who may have unsupervised access to children.
Who Must Be Screened in Wisconsin
!Legally Required to Be Screened
- •Volunteers acting in a caregiver capacity with direct one-on-one client care at DHS-regulated facilities (Wis. Stat. § 50.065)
- •Employees, contractors, and resident household members at childcare centers and foster homes (Ch. 48 / DCF 57.19)
- •Volunteers in positions of trust with access to vulnerable populations at University of Wisconsin System (checked every 4 years)
- •Hospice volunteers providing direct in-home care to clients (treated as caregivers under DHS 12)
Types of Background Checks Required in Wisconsin
How to Get Background Checks in Wisconsin
$5 per check — includes national criminal database, sex offender registry across all 50 states, SSN trace, and FCRA Certified Compliance Team review.
Start Free Today →Volunteer Screening in Wisconsin: What You Need to Know
Wisconsin's Caregiver Law is notable for its functional test: volunteers who merely help with group activities (e.g., a church group visiting a nursing home for a holiday program) are generally not covered, but a volunteer hospice aide who regularly provides direct patient care in the home IS covered and must be screened. Wisconsin considered but had not enacted a comprehensive state consumer data privacy law as of mid-2026 (Assembly Bill 466 was proposed). The state has no FCRA analog — federal FCRA governs consumer report background checks. Wisconsin's dairy/agricultural sector has large volunteer 4-H organizations that fall under DCF/youth guidelines.
Compliance Tips for Wisconsin Nonprofits
- 1
Apply the 'functional test' for every volunteer role: if a volunteer is acting as a staff member by providing direct, unsupervised care to a client (versus participating in a supervised group visit), they must receive a Caregiver Law background check under Wis. Stat. § 50.065.
- 2
Background checks under the Caregiver Law must be renewed every four years — set calendar reminders for volunteer records, not just employees, to avoid lapsing coverage.
- 3
Obtain and retain the Background Information Disclosure (BID) form (DHS-approved) from every volunteer subject to the Caregiver Law before placement; this is a required document independent of the criminal history check result.
- 4
For childcare programs regulated by DCF, follow DCF 57.19 rather than DHS 12 — the two frameworks have different covered offenses lists and different agency contacts.
- 5
If your organization contracts with county health and human services departments, check whether the county imposes supplemental volunteer screening policies beyond the state minimum, as Milwaukee County, for example, has its own DHHS caregiver background check policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wisconsin Statutes § 50.065 — Caregiver Law apply to my nonprofit?
Wisconsin law applies to nonprofits with volunteers working in covered roles — typically involving direct, unsupervised contact with children, elderly individuals, or vulnerable adults. Wisconsin's Caregiver Law (Wis.
What happens if we skip background checks in Wisconsin?
Failing to screen volunteers in Wisconsin can expose your organization to negligent supervision liability, loss of insurance coverage, and — in sectors with mandatory requirements — regulatory penalties. Under the federal FCRA, running checks without proper procedures also creates compliance risk.
How long does a Wisconsin volunteer background check take?
Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) — Crime Information Bureau (CIB); Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) — Division of Quality Assurance for caregiver checks; Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) for childcare/foster care checks typically processes checks in 1–3 weeks for DOJ/CIB state check; 4–8 weeks for full FBI fingerprint-based national check. VolunteerBadge's national criminal database search returns results instantly for most volunteers.