*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on May 21, 2025. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation affecting this section, click this link: Permanent Version.*
For the purposes of this chapter, the term:
(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) “Children” means individuals 12 years of age and under.
(3) "Covered child or youth services provider":
(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.
(B) The term "covered child or youth services provider" does not include foster parents or grantees.
(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 programs established pursuant to § 32-242, who has direct contact with or unsupervised access to youth participating in such programs.
(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) “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) “FBI” means the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(7) “MPD” means the Metropolitan Police Department.
(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) “Volunteer” means an individual who works without any monetary or any other financial compensation for a covered child or youth services provider.
(10) “Youth” means an individual between 13 and 17 years of age, inclusive.
