2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 4 - Public Care Systems › Chapter 6B - Healthy Early Childhood Development Programs › § 4–651.01. Definitions

§ 4–651.01. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the term:
(1) "Adverse childhood experiences" means stressful or traumatic experiences experienced by infants and toddlers, including housing instability, childhood abuse, family instability, substance abuse, mental illness, and family criminal involvements.
(2) "CFSA" means the Child and Family Services Agency.
(3) "Child development center" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 4-401(2).
(4) "Community-based social services" means services that address the social determinants of health and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and populations.
(5) "Community health worker" means an individual who provides community navigation services.
(6) "Community navigation services" means the provision of assistance to individuals seeking to access health care services in the home and community by identifying and reducing barriers to obtaining health care services.
(7) "Community resource inventory" means a software platform accessible by health professionals and community-based social services providers, that consists of a web-based tool capable of screening individuals for trauma, developmental health, behavioral health, and social determinants of health needs.
(8) "DBH" means the Department of Behavioral Health.
(9) "DHCF" means the Department of Health Care Finance.
(10) "DHS" means the Department of Human Services.
(11) "DMHHS" means the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.
(12) "DOH" means the Department of Health.
(13) "Early Head Start Home Visiting" or "Early Head Start" means a program established pursuant to section 645a of the Head Start Act Amendments of 1994, approved May 18, 1994 (42 U.S.C. § 9840a).
(14) "Healthy Futures Program" or "Healthy Futures" means the program administered by DBH that uses health professionals to provide child and family-centered behavioral health care services to families with infants and toddlers.
(15) "Healthy Steps" means a nationally recognized evidence-based approach to family-centered supports consisting of an interdisciplinary pediatric primary care program that uses a child development professional to assist families during well-child visits by providing guidance and information to promote healthy early childhood development.
(16) "Health professional" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 3-1201.01(8).
(17) "Home visiting" means a program that:
(A) Supports expectant parents, parents, or legal guardians with infants, toddlers, and children between 3 and 5 years of age, primarily in the home; and
(B) Provides access to health, social, and educational services through weekly or monthly home visits to promote positive child health and development outcomes, including healthy home environments, healthy birth outcomes, and a reduction in adverse childhood experiences.
(18) "Home Visiting Council" means the District of Columbia Home Visiting Council, an entity that includes representatives of District agencies, child advocacy organizations, home visiting providers, early childhood programs, and other stakeholders, that supports the sustainability of home visiting and promotes positive childhood health and development outcomes.
(19) "Home visitor" means a trained individual who, through a home visiting program, provides home visiting services, primarily in families' homes.
(20) "Home visit system" means activities designed to support and improve the quality and sustainability of home visiting programs, including:
(A) Home visiting quality and utilization;
(B) Data collection to measure the effectiveness of home visiting;
(C) Workforce and professional development services;
(D) Technical assistance; and
(E) Development and implementation of home visiting best practices.
(21) "Infant" means an individual younger than 12 months of age.
(22) "Interagency Coordinating Council" means the entity established pursuant to § 7-863.03(b).
(23) "International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant" means a health professional who provides lactation support services and possesses a current certification as a lactation consultant from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.
(24) "Lactation support services" means evidence-based services, including counseling or consulting services, provided on an out-patient basis by hospitals and birth centers to promote healthy breastfeeding.
(25) "Medicaid" means the medical assistance programs authorized by title XIX of the Social Security Act, approved July 30, 1965 (79 Stat. 343; 42 U.S.C. § 1396
et seq
.), and by § 1-307.02, and administered by DHCF.
(26) "OSSE" means the Office of the State Superintendent for Education.
(27) "Patient-Centered Medical Home National Committee for Quality Assurance recognition" means the certification provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance to acknowledge health professionals that implement the latest clinical procedures to ensure the delivery of quality comprehensive health care services.
(28) "Primary care provider" means a health professional who provides health care services, addresses a majority of personal health care needs, maintains a sustained partnership with patients, and practices in the context of family and community.
(29) "Quality Improvement Network Interagency Steering Committee" means the entity established to coordinate the provision of resources and comprehensive services to infants and toddlers in Quality Improvement Network programs.
(30) "SECDCC" means the State Early Childhood Development Coordinating Council established pursuant to § 38-271.07(a).
(31) "Social determinants of health" means the conditions in the environment in which people are born, live, work, and age that have a significant impact on health outcomes, including socioeconomic status, education, physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to health care services.
(32) "Strong Start DC Early Intervention Program" or "Strong Start" means a District-wide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary system that provides early intervention therapeutic and other services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays and their families, as required pursuant to Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, approved April 13, 1970 (84 Stat. 175; 20 U.S.C. § 1431).
(33) "Toddler" means an individual older than 12 months but younger than 36 months of age.
(Oct. 30, 2018, D.C. Law 22-179, § 101, 65 DCR 9569.)