As used in this chapter the following terms have the meanings indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

Washington Code 13.32A.030

Child in need of services: means a juvenile:

Washington Code 13.32A.030

Child in need of services petition: means a petition filed in juvenile court by a parent, child, or the department seeking adjudication of placement of the child. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.

Crisis residential center: means a secure or semi-secure facility established pursuant to chapter 74. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

Custodian: means the person or entity that has the legal right to custody of the child. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

Department: means the department of children, youth, and families. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.

Guardian: means the person or agency that (a) has been appointed as the guardian of a child in a legal proceeding other than a proceeding under chapter 13. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

Out-of-home placement: means a placement in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

Parent: includes custodian or guardian. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080

Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.

Semi-secure facility: means any facility, including but not limited to crisis residential centers or specialized foster family homes, operated in a manner to reasonably assure that youth placed there will not run away. See Washington Code 13.32A.030

(1) “Abuse or neglect” means the injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child by any person under circumstances that indicate the child’s health, welfare, and safety is harmed, excluding conduct permitted under RCW 9A.16.100. An abused child is a child who has been subjected to child abuse or neglect as defined in this section.

(2) “Administrator” means the individual who has the daily administrative responsibility of a crisis residential center, or his or her designee.

(3) “At-risk youth” means a juvenile:

(a) Who is absent from home for at least seventy-two consecutive hours without consent of his or her parent;

(b) Who is beyond the control of his or her parent such that the child’s behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person; or

(c) Who has a substance abuse problem for which there are no pending criminal charges related to the substance abuse.

(4) “Child,” “juvenile,” “youth,” and “minor” mean any unemancipated individual who is under the chronological age of eighteen years.

(5) “Child in need of services” means a juvenile:

(a) Who is beyond the control of his or her parent such that the child’s behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person;

(b) Who has been reported to law enforcement as absent without consent for at least twenty-four consecutive hours on two or more separate occasions from the home of either parent, a crisis residential center, an out-of-home placement, or a court-ordered placement; and

(i) Has exhibited a serious substance abuse problem; or

(ii) Has exhibited behaviors that create a serious risk of harm to the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person;

(c)(i) Who is in need of: (A) Necessary services, including food, shelter, health care, clothing, or education; or (B) services designed to maintain or reunite the family;

(ii) Who lacks access to, or has declined to use, these services; and

(iii) Whose parents have evidenced continuing but unsuccessful efforts to maintain the family structure or are unable or unwilling to continue efforts to maintain the family structure; or

(d) Who is a “sexually exploited child.”

(6) “Child in need of services petition” means a petition filed in juvenile court by a parent, child, or the department seeking adjudication of placement of the child.

(7) “Crisis residential center” means a secure or semi-secure facility established pursuant to chapter 74.13 RCW.

(8) “Custodian” means the person or entity that has the legal right to custody of the child.

(9) “Department” means the department of children, youth, and families.

(10) “Extended family member” means an adult who is a grandparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, uncle, aunt, or first cousin with whom the child has a relationship and is comfortable, and who is willing and available to care for the child.

(11) “Family reconciliation services” means services provided by culturally relevant, trauma-informed community-based entities under contract with the department, or provided directly by the department, designed to assess and stabilize the family with the goal of resolving crisis and building supports, skills, and connection to community networks and resources including, but not limited to:

(a) Referrals for services for suicide prevention, psychiatric or other medical care, psychological care, behavioral health treatment, legal assistance, or educational assistance;

(b) Parent training;

(c) Assistance with conflict management or dispute resolution; or

(d) Other social services, as appropriate to meet the needs of the child and the family.

(12) “Guardian” means the person or agency that (a) has been appointed as the guardian of a child in a legal proceeding other than a proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW, and (b) has the legal right to custody of the child pursuant to such appointment. The term “guardian” does not include a “dependency guardian” appointed pursuant to a proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW.

(13) “Multidisciplinary team” means a group formed to provide assistance and support to a child who is an at-risk youth or a child in need of services and his or her parent. The team must include the parent, a department caseworker, a local government representative when authorized by the local government, and when appropriate, members from the mental health and substance abuse disciplines. The team may also include, but is not limited to, the following persons: Educators, law enforcement personnel, probation officers, employers, church persons, tribal members, therapists, medical personnel, social service providers, placement providers, and extended family members. The team members must be volunteers who do not receive compensation while acting in a capacity as a team member, unless the member’s employer chooses to provide compensation or the member is a state employee.

(14) “Out-of-home placement” means a placement in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW or placement in a home, other than that of the child’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian, not required to be licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW.

(15) “Parent” means the parent or parents who have the legal right to custody of the child. “Parent” includes custodian or guardian.

(16) “Secure facility” means a crisis residential center, or portion thereof, that has locking doors, locking windows, or a secured perimeter, designed and operated to prevent a child from leaving without permission of the facility staff.

(17) “Semi-secure facility” means any facility, including but not limited to crisis residential centers or specialized foster family homes, operated in a manner to reasonably assure that youth placed there will not run away. Pursuant to rules established by the department, the facility administrator shall establish reasonable hours for residents to come and go from the facility such that no residents are free to come and go at all hours of the day and night. To prevent residents from taking unreasonable actions, the facility administrator, where appropriate, may condition a resident’s leaving the facility upon the resident being accompanied by the administrator or the administrator’s designee and the resident may be required to notify the administrator or the administrator’s designee of any intent to leave, his or her intended destination, and the probable time of his or her return to the center.

(18) “Sexually exploited child” means any person under the age of eighteen who is a victim of the crime of commercial sex abuse of a minor under RCW 9.68A.100, promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor under RCW 9.68A.101, or promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor under RCW 9.68A.102.

(19) “Staff secure facility” means a structured group care facility licensed under rules adopted by the department with a ratio of at least one adult staff member to every two children.

(20) “Temporary out-of-home placement” means an out-of-home placement of not more than fourteen days ordered by the court at a fact-finding hearing on a child in need of services petition.

Reviser’s note: The definitions in this section have been alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015(2)(k).

Effective date—2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 §§ 102, 104-115, 201-227, 301-337, 401-419, 501-513, 801-803, and 805-822: See note following RCW 43.216.025.

Conflict with federal requirements—2017 3rd sp.s. c 6: See RCW 43.216.908.

Effective date—2010 c 289: “Section 1 of this act takes effect July 1, 2011.” [ 2010 c 289 § 2.]

Findings—Short title—Intent—Construction—1996 c 133: See notes following RCW 13.32A.197.

Short title—1995 c 312: See note following RCW 13.32A.010.

Intent—1990 c 276: See RCW 13.32A.015.

Conflict with federal requirements—Severability—1990 c 276: See notes following RCW 13.32A.020.

Severability—1985 c 257: See note following RCW 13.34.165.

Effective date—Severability—1979 c 155: See notes following RCW 13.04.011.