Section 3680.4. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context indicates otherwise:

Agency—A children and youth social service agency subject to the requirements of this chapter.

Child—An individual who is one of the following:

(i) Under the age of 18 years.

(ii) Under the age of 21 years, committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 18 years and remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

(iii) Under the age of 21 years, was adjudicated dependent before reaching the age of 18 years and, while engaged in a course of instruction or treatment, requests the court to retain jurisdiction until the course has been completed.

Client—A person or group of persons, including a child or the child’s family, accepted for service by an agency subject to the requirements of this chapter.

County agency—The single county children and youth social service agency.

Department—The Department of Human Services of the Commonwealth.

Facility—The physical location or site, including buildings, grounds, supplies and equipment, as well as the staff involved in operating programs governed by this chapter.

Full-day services—A series of activities which provide intervention and protection through care, supervision, treatment or rehabilitation for a child in an out-of-home, 24-hour setting. The term includes services commonly provided in:

(i) Foster family homes, including the homes of relatives when used as a foster placement.

(ii) Secure and nonsecure residential child care facilities.

(iii) Supervised independent living arrangements.

(iv) Maternity homes.

(v) Outdoor experiential environments.

Immediate family member—Spouse, children, parents and siblings.

ISP—An individual service plan. A written document describing long-range goals and short-range objectives for the provision of social services for a child.

Legal entity—A person, society, corporation, governing authority or partnership legally responsible for the administration and operation of an agency that provides social services for a child.

Part-day services—A series of activities which provide intervention and protection through care, supervision, treatment or rehabilitation for a child in a non-24-hour supervisory setting. The term includes, for example, services commonly referred to as day treatment and alternative treatment programs.

Passive physical restraint—The least amount of direct physical contact required to prevent immediate harm to a child or others.

Placing agency—The agency or individual with legal authority to refer or place a child for children and youth social services. The term includes courts, county children and youth social service agencies and parents.

Program—A discretely identifiable system of social service interventions designed for use with a specified client group. This discrete system encompasses a series of activities that are used to reach clearly identified intervention goals and objectives. A program may be designed to provide either full-day or part-day services as defined by this chapter.

Related party financial transaction—A financial transaction involving a private agency and an individual, corporation, firm, association or business in which any of the following persons receive a financial benefit or have a financial interest:

(i) Persons who comprise the legal entity.

(ii) Employes of a private agency.

(iii) Shareholders of a private agency.

(iv) Immediate family members of the persons specified in subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii).

The term does not include wages, salaries or employe benefits paid to an employe of a private agency or dividends paid to a shareholder of a private agency.

Services to children in their own homes—Informational, supportive or therapeutic activities, such as counseling, life skills education, information and referral or homemaker/caretaker services provided to a child, primarily to prevent placement or to reunify a child and his family.

The provisions of this § 3680.4 amended January 23, 1987, effective January 24, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 392. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (88803) to (88804).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 3680.4 amended under Articles II, VII, IX and X of the Public Welfare Code (62 P. S. § § 201—211, 701—774, 901—922 and 1001—1080).

Cross References

This section cited in 55 Pa. Code § 3680.1 (relating to applicability); and 55 Pa. Code § 3680.41 (relating to program descriptions).