The following definitions are for the purpose of this chapter and are important to understanding these requirements:
"Abuse or neglect" means the injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child as defined in RCW
26.44.020.
"Adult" means a person eighteen years of age and older, not in the care of the department.
"CA" means children's administration.
"Capacity" means the age range, gender and maximum number of children on your current license.
"Care provider" means any person who is licensed or authorized to provide care for children, and cleared to have unsupervised access to children under the authority of a license.
"Case manager" means the private agency employee who coordinates the planning efforts of all the persons working on behalf of a child.
"Certification" means either:
(1) Our review of whether you meet the licensing requirements, even though you do not need to be licensed; or
(2) A licensed child placing agency (CPA) representing that a foster home being supervised by that CPA meets licensing requirements. The final decision for licensing is the responsibility of CA.
"Chapter" means chapter
388-148 WAC.
"Child," "children," or "youth" for this chapter, means a person who is one of the following:
(1) Under eighteen years of age;
(2) Up to twenty-one years of age and enrolled in services through developmental disabilities administration (DDA) the day prior to his or her eighteenth birthday and pursuing either a high school or equivalency course of study (GED/HSEC), or vocational program;
(3) Up to twenty-one years of age and participates in the extended foster care program;
(4) Up to twenty-one years of age with intellectual and developmental disabilities;
(5) Up to twenty-one years of age and under the custody of the Washington state juvenile justice rehabilitation administration.
"Child placing agency or CPA" means an agency licensed to place children for foster care or adoption.
"Compliance agreement" means a written improvement plan to address the changes needed to meet licensing requirements.
"DCFS" means the division of children and family services within children's administration. DCFS provides case management to children and families involved in the child welfare system.
"DDA" means the developmental disabilities administration.
"Department or DSHS" means the department of social and health services.
"Developmental disability" is a disability as defined in RCW
71A.10.020.
"DLR" means the division of licensed resources within children's administration. DLR licenses and monitors foster homes, child placing agencies, and group care facilities.
"FBI" means the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"Foster home or foster family home" means a person(s) licensed to regularly provide twenty-four-hour care in their home to children.
"Guns or weapons" means any device intended to shoot projectiles under pressure or that can be used to attack. These include but are not limited to BB guns, pellet guns, air rifles, stun guns, antique guns, handguns, rifles, shotguns and archery equipment.
"Hearing" means the administrative review process conducted by an administrative law judge.
"I, my, you, and your" refers to an applicant for a license issued under this chapter, and to any party holding a license under this chapter.
"Infant" means a child less than twelve months of age.
"Intellectual and developmental disability" means children with deficits in general mental abilities and impairment in everyday adaptive functioning.
"License" means a permit issued by us confirming that you and your home meet the licensing standards established in this chapter.
"Licensed health care provider" means an MD (medical doctor), DO (doctor of osteopathy), ND (doctor of naturopathy), PA (physician's assistant), or an ARNP (advanced registered nurse practitioner).
"Licensor" means either:
(1) A DLR employee who recommends approvals for, or monitors licenses or certifications for facilities and agencies established under this chapter; or
(2) An employee of a child placing agency who certifies or monitors foster homes supervised by the child placing agency.
"Maternity services" as defined in RCW
74.15.020. These are also referred to as pregnant and parenting youth programs.
"Medically fragile" means the condition of a child who requires the availability of twenty-four-hour skilled care from a health care professional or specially trained family or foster family member. These conditions may be present all the time or frequently occurring. If the technology, support and services being received by the medically fragile children are interrupted or denied, the child may, without immediate health care intervention, experience death.
"Missing child" means any child less than eighteen years of age in licensed care or under the care, custody, and authority of CA and the child's whereabouts are unknown and/or the child has left care without the permission of the child's caregiver or CA. This does not include children in dependency guardianship.
"Nonambulatory" means not able to walk or exit to safety without the physical assistance of another individual.
"Out-of-home placement" means a child's placement in a home or facility other than the home of a child's parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
"Probationary license" means a license issued as part of a corrective action to an individual or agency that has previously been issued a full license but is out of compliance with minimum licensing requirements and has entered into an agreement aimed at correcting deficiencies.
"Property or premises" means your buildings and grounds adjacent to your residential property that are owned or managed by you.
"Psychotropic medication" means a type of medicine prescribed to affect or alter thought processes, mood, sleep, or behavior. These include anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, and anti-anxiety medications.
"Relative" means a person who is related to a child as defined in RCW
74.15.020.
"Respite" means brief, temporary relief care provided by an in-home or out-of-home provider paid by the department. The respite provider fulfills some or all of the care provider responsibilities for a short time.
"Treatment plan" means individual plans that identify the service needs of the child, including the child's parent or guardian, and identifies the treatment goals and strategies for achieving those goals.
"Washington state patrol fire protection bureau or WSP/FPB" means the state fire marshal.
"We, our, and us" refers to the department of social and health services, including DLR and DCFS staff.
"Young child" refers to a child age twelve months through eight years old.