For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

1. (1) “Applicant” means an individual who has filed a written application for employment with a covered child or youth services provider or an individual who has made an affirmative effort through a written application or a verbal request to serve in an unsupervised volunteer position with a covered child or youth services provider.
2. (2) “Children” means individuals 12 years of age and under.

3. (3) "Covered child or youth services provider":

   1. (A) Means any District government agency providing direct services to children or youth and any private entity that is licensed by or contracts with the District to provide direct services to children or youth, or for the benefit of children or youth, that affect the health, safety, and welfare of children or youth, including individual and group counseling, therapy, case management supervision, or mentoring.
   2. (B) The term "covered child or youth services provider" does not include foster parents or grantees.
   3. (C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the term "covered child or youth services provider" includes an employee or volunteer of a host employer or grantee participating in a program established pursuant to § 32-242, who has direct contact with or unsupervised access to youth participating in such programs.
4. (4) “Criminal background check” means the investigation of an individual’s criminal history through the record systems of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Police Department.
5. (5) “Employee” means an individual who is employed on a full-time, part-time, temporary, or contractual basis by any covered child or youth services provider.
6. (6) “FBI” means the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
7. (7) “MPD” means the Metropolitan Police Department.
8. (8) “Supervised” means any person who is under the direct supervision, at all times, of an employee or a volunteer who has received a current, satisfactory criminal background check.
9. (9) “Volunteer” means an individual who works without any monetary or any other financial compensation for a covered child or youth services provider.
10. (10) “Youth” means an individual between 13 and 17 years of age, inclusive.

History

Apr. 13, 2005, D.C. Law 15-353, § 202, 52 DCR 2331

Dec. 13, 2017, D.C. Law 22-33, § 4012(a)

Dec. 6, 2025, D.C. Law 26-55, § 4062

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 202 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2005 (D.C. Act 16-30, February 17, 2005, 52 DCR 2993).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 202 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Emergency Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-630, November 30, 2004, 52 DCR 1143).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 202 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-407, March 18, 2004, 51 DCR 3659).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 202 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-279, December 18, 2003, 51 DCR 60).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 202 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-71, April 16, 2003, 50 DCR 3593).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 202 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Emergency Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-3, January 22, 2003, 50 DCR 1426).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-503, Oct. 12, 2016, 63 DCR 12940).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 4012(a) of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 4012(a) of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Youth Workforce Development Programs Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-14, Feb. 20, 2025, 72 DCR 2016).

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 day) addition, see § 202 of the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Second Temporary Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Law 15-319, April 8, 2005, law notification 52 DCR 4708).

For temporary (225 day) addition, see § 202 of the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Temporary Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Law 15-117, March 30, 2004, law notification 51 DCR 3804).

For temporary (225 day) addition, see § 202 of the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Temporary Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Law 15-2, May 3, 2003, law notification 50 DCR 3782).

For temporary (225 day) addition, see § 202 of the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Temporary Amendment Act of 2002 (D.C. Law 14-164, June 25, 2002, law notification 49 DCR 6500).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-180, Dec. 28, 2016, 63 DCR 13597).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Youth Workforce Development Programs Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-3, May 3, 2025, 72 DCR 3113).