Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§15092 Definitions and Special Rule

Title 42 › CHAPTER 144 — DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ASSISTANCE AND BILL OF RIGHTS › SUBCHAPTER II — FAMILY SUPPORT › § 15092

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this part and says when an adult living with family counts as a "child with a disability." "Child with a disability" means either someone with a serious physical or mental impairment under state rules, or an infant or young child from birth through age 8 with a large developmental delay or a condition likely to cause a disability without services. "Family" means what the State decides, but does not include a paid worker who provides services in out-of-home places like hospitals, nursing homes, personal care homes, board-and-care homes, group homes, or similar facilities. "Family support for families of children with disabilities" means state-provided help and services to keep children at home, keep the family as the main caregiver, prevent or reverse out-of-home placement, and reunite families when possible. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. "State" means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. "Systems change activities" means work that changes laws, rules, policies, practices, or organizations so they are family-centered, improve access to and funding for family support services, and meet the goals of this part. Also, references to a "child with a disability" include an individual who is not younger than age 18 who has the serious impairment above and lives with and receives help from a family member.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §15092

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definitions

In this subchapter:

(1)Child with a disability

The term “child with a disability” means an individual who—

(A)has a significant physical or mental impairment, as defined pursuant to State policy to the extent that such policy is established without regard to type of disability; or

(B)is an infant or a young child from birth through age 8 and has a substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired condition that presents a high probability of resulting in a disability if services are not provided to the infant or child.

(2)Family

(A)In general

Subject to subparagraph (B), for purposes of the application of this subchapter in a State, the term “family” has the meaning given the term by the State.

(B)Exclusion of employees

The term does not include an employee who, acting in a paid employment capacity, provides services to a child with a disability in an out-of-home setting such as a hospital, nursing home, personal care home, board and care home, group home, or other facility.

(3)Family support for families of children with disabilities

The term “family support for families of children with disabilities” means supports, resources, services, and other assistance provided to families of children with disabilities pursuant to State policy that are designed to—

(A)support families in the efforts of such families to raise their children with disabilities in the home;

(B)strengthen the role of the family as primary caregiver for such children;

(C)prevent involuntary out-of-the-home placement of such children and maintain family unity; and

(D)reunite families with children with disabilities who have been placed out of the home, whenever possible.

(4)Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(5)State

The term “State” means each of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(6)Systems change activities

The term “systems change activities” means efforts that result in laws, regulations, policies, practices, or organizational structures—

(A)that are family-centered and family-directed;

(B)that facilitate and increase access to, provision of, and funding for, family support services for families of children with disabilities; and

(C)that otherwise accomplish the purposes of this subchapter.

(b)Special rule

References in this subchapter to a child with a disability shall be considered to include references to an individual who is not younger than age 18 who—

(1)has a significant impairment described in subsection (a)(1)(A); and

(2)is residing with and receiving assistance from a family member.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 15092

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110