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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" citation="COMAR 07.02.26.02" title_num="07" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="26" heading="Definitions.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Terms Defined.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>“Administrative law judge (ALJ)” means an administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Alleged maltreatment” means child abuse or neglect reported to a local department.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>“Alleged maltreator” means an individual reported to a local department as responsible for child abuse or neglect.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>“Alleged victim” means a child named in a report as having been abused or neglected.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>“Appellant” means an individual who has requested an appeal under this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>“Centralized confidential database” means the Department’s confidential computerized data system that contains information regarding child abuse and neglect investigations and assessments and protects that information from disclosure.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>“Child abuse” has the meaning stated in COMAR 07.02.07.02B.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>“Child in need of assistance (CINA)” has the meaning stated in Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, §3-801(f), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>“Child neglect” has the meaning stated in COMAR 07.02.07.02B.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10)">
      <text>“Conference” means a meeting requested by an appellant to discuss a finding of unsubstantiated child abuse or neglect with a local department supervisor.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(11)">
      <text>“Contested case hearing” has the meaning stated in State Government Article, §10-202(d), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(12)">
      <text>“Department” means the Department of Human Services.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(13)">
      <text>“Final determination” means a finding of the local department after all timely appeals.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(14)">
      <text>Hearing.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“Hearing” means a contested case hearing pursuant to State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 2, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Hearing” does not include a record review hearing under appeal procedures in place between 1993 and 1999.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(15)">
      <text>“Identify an individual as responsible for child abuse or neglect in a centralized confidential database” means entering a notation that a local department has determined that the individual is responsible for indicated child abuse or neglect under circumstances specified in Family Law Article, §5-714, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(16)">
      <text>“Identifying information” means the name of:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The alleged victim;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A household or family member of the alleged victim;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A parent or legal guardian of the alleged victim; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>The alleged maltreator.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(17)">
      <text>“Indicated” means a finding that there is credible evidence, which has not been satisfactorily refuted, that child abuse or neglect occurred.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(18)">
      <text>“Local department” means the department of social services, or the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, that made the finding being appealed in accordance with this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(19)">
      <text>“Maltreator” means an individual whom a local department has found responsible for indicated or unsubstantiated child abuse or neglect.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(20)">
      <text>“Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH)” means the unit within the Executive Branch established by State Government Article, §9-1602, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(21)">
      <text>“Party” means the appellant or the local department.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(22)">
      <text>“Record” means the original or a copy of any documentary material, in any form, concerning a Child Protective Services response to an allegation of child abuse or neglect.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(23)">
      <text>“Redacted record” means a copy of the record from which the local department has removed certain information in compliance with State and federal laws governing confidentiality, including but not limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Annotated Code of Maryland:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Health-General Article, Title 4, Subtitle 3;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>General Provisions Article, Title 4, Subtitle 3;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Human Services Article, §§1-201—1-203; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, §§3-827, 9-108, and 9-121;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR):</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>07.01.07; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>07.02.07;and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Code of Federal Regulations (CFR):</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>34 CFR 99;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>42 CFR §2.1 et seq.; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>45 CFR 1340.20.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(24)">
      <text>“Report” means an allegation of child abuse or neglect made or received by any state, county, or municipal corporation, with sufficient information to screen the report for an appropriate CPS or other response.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(25)">
      <text>“Responsible for child abuse or neglect” means having an unexpunged finding of unsubstantiated or indicated child abuse or neglect.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(26)">
      <text>“Ruled out” means a finding that child abuse or neglect did not occur.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(27)">
      <text>“Unsubstantiated” means a finding that there is insufficient evidence to support a finding of indicated or ruled out.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>