Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 319a - Child Welfare
Section 17a-93. (Formerly Sec. 17-32d). - Definitions.

As used in sections 17a-90 to 17a-121a, inclusive, section 17a-132 and sections 17a-145 to 17a-153, inclusive:

(1) “Child” means any person under eighteen years of age, except as otherwise specified, or any person under twenty-one years of age who is in full-time attendance in a secondary school, a technical school, a college or a state-accredited job training program;
(2) “Parent” means natural or adoptive parent;
(3) “Adoption” means the establishment by court order of the legal relationship of parent and child;
(4) “Guardianship” means guardianship, unless otherwise specified, of the person of a minor and refers to the obligation of care and control, the right to custody and the duty and authority to make major decisions affecting such minor's welfare, including, but not limited to, consent determinations regarding marriage, enlistment in the armed forces and major medical, psychiatric or surgical treatment;
(5) “Termination of parental rights” means the complete severance by court order of the legal relationship, with all its rights and responsibilities, between the child and the child's parent or parents so that the child is free for adoption except it shall not affect the right of inheritance of such child or the religious affiliation of such child;
(6) “Statutory parent” means the Commissioner of Children and Families or that child-placing agency appointed by the court for the purpose of giving a minor child or minor children in adoption;
(7) “Child-placing agency” means any agency within or without the state of Connecticut licensed or approved by the Commissioner of Children and Families in accordance with sections 17a-149 and 17a-151, and in accordance with such standards which shall be established by regulations of the Department of Children and Families;
(8) “Child care facility” means a congregate residential setting licensed by the Department of Children and Families for the out-of-home placement of (A) children or youths under eighteen years of age, or (B) any person under twenty-one years of age who is in full-time attendance in a secondary school, a technical school, a college or state accredited job training program or is currently homeless or at risk of homelessness, as defined in section 17a-484a;
(9) “Protective supervision” means a status created by court order following adjudication of neglect whereby a child's place of abode is not changed but assistance directed at correcting the neglect is provided at the request of the court through the Department of Children and Families or such other social agency as the court may specify;
(10) “Receiving home” means a facility operated by the Department of Children and Families to receive and temporarily care for children in the guardianship or care of the commissioner;
(11) “Protective services” means public welfare services provided after complaints of abuse, neglect or abandonment, but in the absence of an adjudication or assumption of jurisdiction by a court;
(12) “Person responsible for the health, welfare or care of a child or youth” means a child's or a youth's parent, guardian or foster parent; an employee of a public or private residential home, agency or institution or other person legally responsible in a residential setting; or any staff person providing out-of-home care, such as the provision of child care services, as described in section 19a-77, in a child care center, group child care home or family child care home;
(13) “Foster family” means a person or persons, licensed by the Department of Children and Families or approved by a licensed child-placing agency, for the care of a child or children in a private home;
(14) “Prospective adoptive family” means a person or persons, licensed by the Department of Children and Families or approved by a licensed child-placing agency, who is awaiting the placement of, or who has a child or children placed in their home for the purposes of adoption;
(15) “Person entrusted with the care of a child or youth” means a person given access to a child or youth by a person responsible for the health, welfare or care of a child or youth for the purpose of providing education, child care, counseling, spiritual guidance, coaching, training, instruction, tutoring or mentoring of such child or youth;
(16) “Qualified residential treatment program” has the same meaning as provided in the Social Security Act, 42 USC 672(k)(4), as amended from time to time; and
(17) “Qualified individual” has the same meaning as provided in the Social Security Act, 42 USC 675a(c)(1), as amended from time to time.
(P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; 75-567, S. 39, 80; P.A. 77-614, S. 521, 610; P.A. 79-631, S. 53, 111; P.A. 90-53; P.A. 92-14, S. 2; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 95-349, S. 2; P.A. 02-138, S. 11; P.A. 05-280, S. 43; P.A. 06-196, S. 122; P.A. 12-201, S. 1; P.A. 13-40, S. 3; P.A. 15-14, S. 19; 15-51, S. 1; P.A. 16-28, S. 26; 16-121, S. 1; 16-163, S. 4; P.A. 21-140, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 75-420 allowed substitution of commissioner and department of social services for welfare commissioner and department in section created by P.A. 75-567; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner and department of social services with commissioner and department of human resources, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-631 replaced commissioner and department of human resources with commissioner and department of children and youth services; P.A. 90-53 added Subdiv. (l) defining “person responsible for the health, welfare or care of a child or youth”; Sec. 17-32d transferred to Sec. 17a-93 in 1991; P.A. 92-14 amended Subsec. (l) by adding the words “center-based” and “as defined in section 19a-77”; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-349 amended Subsec. (h) by replacing “child care agency” definition with “child care facility” definition and added Subsecs. (m) and (n), defining “foster family” and “prospective adoptive family”; P.A. 02-138 added Subsec. (o) defining “person entrusted with the care of a child or youth”; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (h) by redefining “child care facility” to include certain out-of-home placements providing educational or vocational programs to persons under 21 years of age, effective July 13, 2005; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subdiv. (h), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 12-201 amended Subdiv. (h) by redefining “child care facility”; P.A. 13-40 replaced reference to Sec. 17a-152 with reference to Secs. 17a-145 to 17a-153 and redesignated existing Subdivs. (a) to (o) as Subdivs. (1) to (15); P.A. 15-14 replaced “17a-124” with “17a-121a” in introductory language and made a technical change; P.A. 15-51 amended Subdiv. (13) by deleting “or certified”; P.A. 16-28 amended Subdiv. (5) by making a technical change; P.A. 16-121 amended Subdiv. (8) by designating existing provision re children or youths under age 18 as Subpara. (A), designating existing provision re person under age 21 as Subpara. (B) and amending same to add reference to person currently homeless or at risk of homelessness, effective June 7, 2016; P.A. 16-163 amended Subdiv. (12) by replacing “including center-based child day care, family day care or group day care, as defined in section 19a-77” with “such as the provision of child care services, as described in section 19a-77, in a child care center, group child care home or family child care home”, effective June 9, 2016; P.A. 21-140 defined “qualified residential treatment program” and “qualified individual”, effective July 7, 2021.

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