For the purposes of this chapter:
- (1) “Child” means a person up to 21 years of age.
- (2) “Early intervention” and/or “follow-up care” means the early intervention services described in Part C and Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) [20 U.S.C. § 1431 et seq. and 20 U.S.C. § 1411 et seq.], as well as any necessary hearing and medical services for the diagnosis and management of newborn, infant, or child hearing loss.
- (3) “False negative rate” means the proportion of infants not identified as having a significant hearing loss by the screening process who are ultimately found to have a significant hearing loss.
- (4) “False positive rate” means the proportion of infants identified as having a significant hearing loss by the screening process who are ultimately found to not have a significant hearing loss.
- (5) “Family” or “families” means a birth parent(s), stepparent(s), adoptive parent(s), legal guardian(s), or other legal custodian of a newborn, infant, or child.
- (6) “Family-centered” means the beliefs, values, and practices that emphasize the essential role of the family in all aspects of the decision-making and intervention process regarding the young child.
- (7) “Health-care insurer” means any entity regulated by the Insurance Commissioner, including, but not limited to, health-care insurers; health, hospital or medical service plan corporations; or health maintenance organizations. Health-care insurer does not include self-insured plans or groups regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) (29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.), to the extent that state regulation of such plans is preempted by ERISA.
- (8) “Health insurance policy” means any health insurance policy, contract, plan, or evidence of coverage issued by a health-care insurer, which provides medical coverage on an expense incurred, service or prepaid basis.
- (9) “Hearing screening test” means automated auditory brain stem response, otoacoustic emissions, or another appropriate screening test approved by the Department of Health and Social Services.
- (10) “Hospital” means a health care facility or birthing center licensed in this State that provides obstetrical services, or provides inpatient newborn services.
- (11) “Infant” means a child who is not a newborn and has not attained the age of 1 year.
- (12) “Lead agency” means the Department of Health and Social Services.
- (13) “Newborn” means a child up to 28 days old.
- (14) “Parent” means a natural parent, stepparent, adoptive parents, guardian, or custodian of a newborn or infant.
- (15) “Significant hearing loss” means a hearing loss equivalent to or greater than a 35-decibel hearing loss (35-dB HL) in the better ear.
- (16) “Surveillance and tracking system” means a monitoring and referral system and procedures designed for the collection and transmission of information and data necessary to implement timely and appropriate follow-up of infants identified through hearing screening programs.
75 Del. Laws, c. 116, § 1; 78 Del. Laws, c. 389, § 1