The following definitions apply to this chapter.

"Abuse or neglect" means the same as defined in RCW 26.44.020.

"Administrative hearing" means a hearing held before an administrative law judge and conducted according to chapter 34.05 RCW and chapter 110-03 WAC.

"Administrative law judge (ALJ)" means an impartial decision-maker who is an attorney and presides over an adjudicative proceeding resulting in an initial order, or resulting in a final order if no appeal of the initial order is properly made or if no further agency appeal is available.

"Alleged perpetrators" means individuals identified in CPS referrals as being responsible for the alleged abuse or neglect of children or youth.

"Alternative response system" means a contracted provider in a local community that responds to accepted CPS referrals that are rated low or moderately low risk at the time of intake.

"Appellants" means individuals who request administrative hearings to appeal CPS findings.

"Behavioral health services" means the same as defined in RCW 71.24.025.

"Child protection team (CPT)" means a multidisciplinary group of individuals with at least four from professions that provide services to abused or neglected children or youth and their parents or guardians.

"Child protective services (CPS)" means the same as defined in RCW 26.44.020.

"Department" or "DCYF" means the Washington state department of children, youth, and families.

"Findings" means the final decisions made by the department after investigations regarding alleged abuse or neglect of children or youth.

"Founded" means the same as defined in RCW 26.44.020.

"Host homes" means the same as defined in RCW 74.15.020.

"Inconclusive" means the determination following an investigation by CPS, prior to October 1, 2008, that based on available information a decision cannot be made that more likely than not, abuse or neglect of children or youth did or did not occur. Beginning October 1, 2008, the department no longer makes inconclusive findings, but retains such findings made prior to that date as provided in these rules.

"Licensing division (LD)" means the division within the department that supports child safety and well-being through licensing, monitoring compliance, investigations, and technical assistance to individuals and agencies that provide direct care for children and youth outside the care of their parents or guardians.

"Mandated reporters" means individuals required to report alleged abuse or neglect of children or youth as outlined in RCW 26.44.030.

"Preponderance of evidence" means the evidence presented in hearings that indicate more likely than not the abuse or neglect of children or youth did occur.

"Residential private schools" means the same as defined in RCW 26.44.210.

"Screened-out report" means the same as defined in RCW 26.44.020.

"Substance use disorder" means the same as defined in RCW 71.24.025.

"Unfounded" means the same as defined in RCW 26.44.020.

[Statutory Authority: 2024 c 298, 2023 c 122, 22 U.S.C. sec 7101 et seq., RCW 74.13.031, 74.04.050, 74.15.030, 43.215.070, 43.215.201, 43.216.055, 43.216.065, and 43.216.742. WSR 26-09-080, s 110-30-0020, filed 4/14/26, effective 5/15/26. Statutory Authority: Chapter 26.44 RCW, RCW 43.216.906, 74.13.031, 74.04.050, and 2023 c 441. WSR 23-24-043, § 110-30-0020, filed 11/30/23, effective 12/31/23. Statutory Authority: 2017 c 6. WSR 20-04-019, § 110-30-0020, filed 1/27/20, effective 2/27/20. WSR 18-14-078, recodified as § 110-30-0020, filed 6/29/18, effective 7/1/18. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.13.031, 74.04.050, and chapter 26.44 RCW. WSR 08-18-040, § 388-15-005, filed 8/28/08, effective 10/1/08; WSR 02-15-098 and 02-17-045, § 388-15-005, filed 7/16/02 and 8/14/02, effective 2/10/03.]