Order for protective services or protective placement
Wis. Stat. § 55.12
in effect(1) When ordering protective placement under the standards specified in s. 55.08 (1) or protective services under the standards specified in s. 55.08 (2), the court, on the basis of the evaluation and other relevant evidence, shall order the county department or agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) to provide protective placement or protective services to the individual.
(2) Subject to s. 46.279, protective placement may be made to nursing homes, public medical institutions, centers for the developmentally disabled under the requirements of s. 51.06 (3), foster care services or other home placements, or to other appropriate facilities, but may not be made to units for the acutely mentally ill. An individual who is subject to an order for protective placement or protective services may be detained on an emergency basis under s. 51.15 or involuntarily committed under s. 51.20 or may be voluntarily admitted to a treatment facility for inpatient care under s. 51.10 (8). No individual who is subject to an order for protective placement or services may be involuntarily transferred to, detained in, or committed to a treatment facility for care except under s. 51.15 or 51.20. Protective placement in a locked unit shall require a specific finding of the court as to the need for the action.
(3) Protective placement or protective services provided by a county department or an agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) are subject to s. 46.279 and shall be provided in the least restrictive environment and in the least restrictive manner consistent with the needs of the individual to be protected and with the resources of the county department.
(4) Factors that a county department shall consider in providing protective placement or protective services shall include the needs of the individual to be protected for health, social, or rehabilitative services; the level of supervision needed; the reasonableness of the placement or services given the cost and the actual benefits in the level of functioning to be realized by the individual; the limits of available state and federal funds and of county funds required to be appropriated to match state funds; and the reasonableness of the protective placement or protective services given the number or projected number of individuals who will need protective placement or protective services and given the limited funds available.
(5) Except as provided in s. 49.45 (30m), the county may not be required to provide funding, in addition to its funds that are required to be appropriated to match state funds, in order to provide protective placement or protective services to an individual. Protective placement under this section does not replace commitment of an individual in need of acute psychiatric treatment under s. 51.20 or 51.45 (13).
(6) If the county department or agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) proposes to provide protective placement to an individual who has a developmental disability in an intermediate facility or a nursing facility under an order under this section, the county department or agency, or, if s. 46.279 (4m) applies to the individual, the department or the department’s contractor shall develop a plan under s. 46.279 (4) and furnish the plan to the county department or agency and to the individual’s guardian. The county department or agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) shall provide protective placement to the individual in a noninstitutional community setting in accord with the plan unless the court finds that protective placement in the intermediate facility or nursing facility is the most integrated setting, as defined in s. 46.279 (1) (bm), that is appropriate to the needs of the individual, taking into account information presented by all affected parties.
(7) If an individual to be protectively placed is a resident of a facility licensed for 16 or more beds, the court may consider whether moving the individual would create a serious risk of harm to that individual.
(8) The court may order protective services as an alternative to protective placement.
(9) The court may order psychotropic medication as a protective service only as provided in s. 55.14.
(10)
(a) If a court orders protective services or protective placement of an individual under this section and if an order has not been made under s. 54.10 (3) (f) for the individual, the court shall determine if, under 18 USC 922 (g) (4), the individual is prohibited from possessing a firearm. If the individual is prohibited, the court shall order the individual not to possess a firearm, order the seizure of any firearm owned by the individual, and inform the individual of the requirements and penalties under s. 941.29.
(b)
1. If a court orders under par. (a) an individual not to possess a firearm, the individual may petition that court or the court in the county where the individual resides to cancel the order.
2. The court considering the petition under subd. 1. shall grant the petition if the court determines that the circumstances regarding the protective services or protective placement order under this section and the individual’s record and reputation indicate that the individual is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that the granting of the petition would not be contrary to public interest.
3. If the court grants the petition under subd. 2., the court shall cancel the order under par. (a) and order the return of any firearm ordered seized under par. (a).
(c) In lieu of ordering the seizure under par. (a), the court may designate a person to store the firearm until the order under par. (a) is canceled under par. (b) 3.
(d) If the court orders under par. (a) an individual not to possess a firearm or cancels under par. (b) 3. an order issued under par. (a), the court clerk shall notify the department of justice of the order or cancellation and provide any information identifying the individual that is necessary to permit an accurate firearms restrictions record search under s. 175.35 (2g) (c), a background check under s. 175.60 (9g) (a), or an accurate response under s. 165.63. No other information from the individual’s court records may be disclosed to the department of justice except by order of the court. The department of justice may disclose information provided under this paragraph only to respond to a request under s. 165.63, as part of a firearms restrictions record search under s. 175.35 (2g) (c), under rules the department of justice promulgates under s. 175.35 (2g) (d), or as part of a background check under s. 175.60 (9g) (a).
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/55.12Fetched: 10/7/2026