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Children and Families unit reports steady but complex caseloads; child protective referrals and placements reviewed
Summary
The Children and Families unit reported 300 child protective services referrals in 2024 with 50 screened in and seven substantiations; placements decreased from 43 to 36 and 13 children were reunified, while staff said the department is focusing on family‑first and kinship placement options.
Erica Paito, manager of the Children and Families unit, presented 2024 data showing 300 child protective services (CPS) reports for the year, a modest decrease from 316 the prior year. Unit staff reported the following breakdown of 2024 CPS reports: 99 alleged physical abuse, 117 neglect, 68 sexual abuse, 14 emotional abuse and two suspected unborn‑child abuse reports; by comparison the unit recorded 12 unborn‑child abuse reports in 2023.
Of the 300 referrals, unit staff screened in 50 cases and substantiated seven. Placements decreased from 43 children in out‑of‑home care to 36 at year end; 13 children were discharged from out‑of‑home care and reunified with families during the year.
Paito said the program is aligning with Wisconsin’s Family First framework and increasingly prioritizing kinship and pre‑existing family or community connections to avoid more disruptive placements when appropriate. She described cases as becoming more complex and noted staff are working to coordinate services to support keeping families intact when safe and possible.
The presentation included routine partnerships with UW‑Extension for parenting resources and permanency reviews. Paito said the unit’s current caseload distribution had more cases in the southern portion of the county but included referrals from Madeline Island.
No formal committee action was taken; this was a presentation of the unit’s 2024 annual report.
