As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Client support staff” means professional and paraprofessional staff or contractors who meet the experience and education requirements of paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 18360.10, and are operating within the scope of practice of their license or certification, to provide support and services to the eligible child and other individuals, as approved by the placing agency and informed by the child and family team, as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501, or the individualized health care plan team, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 17710.

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(b) “Eligible child” means a child or nonminor dependent in foster care who has intensive needs, including, but not limited to, medical, therapeutic, or behavioral needs.

(c) “Intensive services foster care” means a licensed foster family agency model or public delivery model of home-based family care for eligible children whose needs for safety, permanency, and well-being require specially trained resource parents and intensive professional and paraprofessional services and support in order to remain in a home-based setting, or to avoid or exit congregate care in a short-term residential therapeutic program, group home, or out-of-state residential center.

(d) “Intensive services foster care resource family” means a resource family, as defined in Section 16519.5 of this code or § 1517 of the Health and Safety Code and, until December 31, 2020, a licensed foster family home or a certified family home of a licensed foster family agency, or, before January 1, 2020, the approved home of a relative or nonrelative extended family member, that has met the training requirements in this chapter or is in the process of completing training pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 18360.10.

(e) “Intensive services foster care resource parent” means a foster parent of an intensive services foster care resource family.

(f) “Licensed foster family agency model” means an intensive services foster care program operated by a private nonprofit agency or a county that is licensed as a foster family agency.

(g) “Public delivery model” means an intensive services foster care program directly operated by a county as a governmental program.

(h) “Urgent placement needs” means immediate and extenuating circumstances requiring immediate placement with an intensive services foster care resource parent, as determined by the county placing agency based on the level of care rate protocol.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 935, Sec. 8.5. (SB 1083) Effective January 1, 2019.)