<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gho" article_name="Health Occupations" number="20-101" title_number="20" title_name="Residential Child Care Program Professionals" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Definitions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Agency” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Developmental Disabilities Administration in the Department;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Department;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The Department of Human Services;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The Department of Juvenile Services; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The Behavioral Health Administration in the Department.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Agency” includes the State Superintendent of Schools.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Board” means the State Board for Certification of Residential Child Care Program Professionals.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>“Central Repository” means the Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Certificate” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a certificate issued by the Board to practice as a program administrator or as a residential child and youth care practitioner.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>“Certified program administrator” means, unless the context requires otherwise, an individual who is certified by the Board to practice as a program administrator.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>“Certified residential child and youth care practitioner” means, unless the context requires otherwise, an individual who is certified by the Board to practice as a residential child and youth care practitioner.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>“Chief administrator” means the individual, regardless of title, who is appointed by the governing body of a residential child care program as having responsibility for the overall administration of the program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>“Child protective services background clearance” means a search by a local department of social services of a central registry established under Title 5, Subtitle 7 of the Family Law Article for information about child abuse and neglect investigations relating to an individual.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>“Program administrator” means the individual responsible for the day–to–day management and operation of a residential child care program and for assuring the care, treatment, safety, and protection of the children in the residential child care program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Residential child and youth care practitioner” means an individual assigned to perform direct responsibilities related to activities of daily living, self–help, and socialization skills in a residential child care program under the direction of a certified program administrator.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Residential child and youth care practitioner” does not include an individual assigned to perform direct responsibilities related to activities of daily living, self–help, and socialization skills in a residential child care program licensed by the Developmental Disabilities Administration.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Residential child care program” means an entity that provides for children 24–hour per day care within a structured set of services and activities that are designed to achieve specific objectives relative to the needs of the children served and that include the provision of food, clothing, shelter, education, social services, health, mental health, recreation, or any combination of these services and activities.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Residential child care program” includes a program:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Licensed by:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The Department;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The Department of Human Services; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The Department of Juvenile Services; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>That is subject to the licensing requirements of the Governor’s Office for Children governing the operations of residential child care programs.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
