UW's Focus Blue cards are used to pay human subject research participants with a re-loadable debit card (through US Bank).

https://businessservices.wisc.edu/travel-reimbursement/planning-a-trip/focus-blue-cards/

CHM currently has one Focus Blue account for all our research subject payments.

*Note this is only for US citizens, US resident aliens and permanent residents. Non-US citizens/non-residents must be paid with other methods (email chm_purchasing@chm.wisc.edu for current process)

Benefits

• Immediate release of funds to participants
• Ease of multiple payments due to multiple study time points
• Does not require participant to have a current checking account

Current Roles in Focus Blue Account

• Custodian: Brittany Thomson, CHM Center Administrator
  • Responsible for overall account, assists with add/modify/delete users
• Reconciler: Debra Dawidziak, CHM Financial Specialist/Accountant
  • Monthly reconciliation & replenishment of funds
• Coordinators: 2 individuals from the study team to maintain separation of duties 
  • Card Activation = role 2.2
  • Card Loader (add/remove funds) = role 2.3 (+ funding file upload report feature)

How to get setup in CHM's Focus Blue account

• Complete/Sign and return the following forms to brittany.thomson@wisc.edu
  • New User Request Form 
  • MOU Coordinators 
  • MOU for Reconciler  (only required if adding new reconciler for overall CHM Focus Blue account)
  • MOU for Custodian  (only required if adding new custodian for overall CHM Focus Blue account)

Other forms:

• Modify a User
• Delete User