37.95.102    DEFINITIONS

(1) "ACIP" means the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the U.S. Public Health Service.

(2) "CPR" means cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

(3) "Child care center" is the same as "Day-care center" as defined in 52-2-703, MCA.

(4) "Child care facility" is the same as "Day-care facility" as defined in 52-2-703, MCA.

(5) "Day care" or "child care" is defined in 52-2-703, MCA. In addition to the definitional language found at 52-2-703, MCA, the term also means care to a child up to the age of 13 years except as indicated otherwise in these rules. The term does not include care by a relative, unless registration or licensure as a day care facility is required to receive payments as provided in 52-2-713, MCA.

(6) "Day care center" means an out-of-home place in which day care is provided to 16 or more children on a regular basis.

(7) "Day care facility" is defined in 52-2-703, MCA.

(8) "Delayed renewal application" means a renewal application submitted to the department prior to the certificate expiration date in an incomplete manner, resulting in a delay in the issuance of the certificate.

(9) "Director" means the person designated on the center application or otherwise by written notice to the department as the person responsible for the daily operation of a day care center. A director is also responsible for implementing appropriate child development principles and knowledge of family relationships in providing daily care to the children cared for in the facility.

(10) "DT vaccine" means a vaccine containing a combination of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids for pediatric use.

(11) "DTP vaccine" means a vaccine containing diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine combined, including a vaccine referred to as DTaP, diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine combined.

(12) "Early childhood assistant teacher (ECAT)" or "assistant teacher" means a facility staff member who carries out assigned care-giving and teaching tasks under the guidance and oversight of an early childhood lead teacher or center director.

(13) "Early childhood lead teacher (ECLT)" or "lead teacher" means a facility staff member who meets the requirements as outlined in ARM 37.95.622 and who regularly provides direct care and teaching to the children who attend the day care or child care facility.

(14) "Early childhood teacher (ECT)" or "teacher" means a facility staff member who is responsible for the direct care, teaching, and supervision of children in a day care or child care facility. This term includes directors, substitutes, ECAT, and ECLT.

(15) "Facility overview on-the-job training" is an on-the-job training provided by the facility director or designee to orient a new staff member to facility-specific policies, procedures, and department requirements pertaining to their role.

(16) "Family child care facility" is the same as a "Family day care home" as defined in 52-2-703, MCA. The department may refer to a family day-care home as a family child care home. In addition to the previous definitional language found at 52-2-703, MCA, the term also means a day care facility providing care to no more than three children under two years of age unless care is provided exclusively for children under age two. For facilities providing care exclusively to children under age two, a family child care home means a place in which supplemental parental care is provided for up to four children under the age of two. No other children shall be in attendance.

(17) "Family, Friend, and Neighbor care (FFN)" is a child care provider type that provides care to no more than four children from separate families or all children from a "sibling group." 

(18) "Group child care facility" is the same as "Group day-care home" as defined in 52-2-703, MCA.

(19) "Group size" means the number of children in a defined space.

(20) "Harm to children" means harm to a child's health or welfare as defined in 41-3-102, MCA.

(21) "Health care provider" means a licensed physician, a physician assistant-certified, a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, or a naturopathic physician practicing within the scope of the license.

(22) "Hep B vaccine" means a vaccine containing Hepatitis B vaccine.

(23) "Hib vaccine" means a vaccine immunizing against infection by Haemophilus influenza type B disease.

(24) "Infant" means a child under 19 months of age.

(25) "Lapsed registration/license" means:

(a) an application for registration/licensing renewal which is received by the department after the registration/licensing expiration date;

(b) an application which is incomplete and results in a break-in-license span; or

(c) any break in the license/registration span resulting from a lapse of required insurance or resulting from a failure to comply with another licensure requirement.

(26) "Local health authority" means a local health officer, local department of health, or local board of health.

(27) "MMR vaccine" means a live virus vaccine containing a combination of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

(28) "Montana Early Childhood Project (ECP)" is an integrated professional development system created to build a knowledgeable, competent, and stable early childhood workforce.

(29) "Montana ECP Practitioner Registry" or "Practitioner Registry" is a statewide registry that is used to help develop and track a knowledgeable and skilled early childhood work force based on an individual's verified professional achievements.

(30) "Night care" or "non-traditional hours" means care provided for a child between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

(31) "Nonprescription medication" means any over the counter medication that is not specifically prescribed by a physician, but is recommended by a health care provider or a parent or guardian for a specific child.

(32) "Overlap care" means care provided at a day care facility for children age three and older for the times before and after school and approved by the department for a designated period of time not to exceed three hours when the number of children in care may exceed the number of children registered for care on the registration certificate.

(33) "PCV vaccine" means a vaccine containing pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

(34) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine under Title 37, chapter 3, MCA.

(35) "Portable wading pool" means a structure which contains water, is used for aquatic activities, and is less than 24 inches high.

(36) "Preschooler" means a child between 36 months of age and the age the child will be when he or she initially enters a public or private school system.

(37) "Prescription medication" means medication prescribed by a licensed health care provider for a specific person which may only be obtained through a pharmacy by prescription.

(38) "Primary care-giver" means a facility staff person who meets the requirements as outlined in ARM 37.95.622 and who regularly provides direct care to the children who attend the day care facility.

(39) "Probationary license" means a day care facility license or registration certificate whose status has been reduced for a specified period of time for a licensing violation and which will be reinstated to regular status upon successful completion of and compliance with remedial measures identified by the department to address specific deficiencies.

(40) "Provider" means the applicant for license or registration, the licensee or registrant.

(41) "Provisional certificate" means a registration or license status that is given to a day care provider, if the provider does not meet all the registration or license requirements but is attempting to comply. This status can be granted for a period of up to three months. A second three month certificate may be issued at the discretion of the day care licensing program manager.

(42) "Public sewage system" means a system of collection, transportation, treatment, or disposal of sewage that is designed to serve or serves 15 or more families or 25 or more persons for a period of at least 60 days out of the calendar year.

(43) "Public water supply system" means a system for the provision of water for human consumption from any community well, water hauler for cisterns, water bottling plant, water dispenser, or other water supply that is designed to serve or serves 15 or more families or 25 or more persons daily or has at least 15 service connections at least 60 days out of the calendar year.

(44) "Regular certificate" means a license status that is given upon determination that the day care provider is meeting all requirements set forth for family day care homes, or group day care homes, or day care centers.

(45) "Relative care" means the child is the brother, sister, first cousin, nephew, niece, grandchild, or great grandchild of the person providing child care and includes a child in a step, foster, or adoptive relationship.

(46) "Remote means of egress" means escape routes in the day care which consist of two exits whose distance apart is equal to or greater than one half the diagonal distance of the space occupied to minimize the possibility that both exits will be blocked off by a fire or other emergency condition.

(47) "Renewal registration/license" means a registration or license certificate that has reached its expiration date and the holder of that registration/license desires to renew or continue operations allowed by the registration/license.

(48) "Restricted certificate" means a restricted license or registration status assigned when it has been determined that the provider is unable to meet certain specific requirement criteria, but the provider is complying with an agreed upon plan of correction.

(49) "Safe sleep environment" means an environment where an infant is placed in a safety-approved crib with a firm mattress and a firmly fitted sheet or a safety-approved play yard for all naps. For children one year of age or over, a nap mat may be used only when compliant with ARM 37.95.1005. The infant must be placed on their back and only a lightweight blanket is allowed with the infant. The infant should be dressed in safe garments and provided a smoke-free environment.

(50) "Sibling group" means all children are from the same household. For the purposes of FFN, this can also include first cousins and foster children who are not blood related.

(51) "Staff member" is a director, trainee, support staff, substitute, ECAT, ECLT, or ECT.

(52) "Substitute" means any person not regularly employed by a child care facility who temporarily takes the place of an approved staff person, other than the director.

(53) "Supervision" means the provider and all caregivers shall be able to see or hear the children at all times.

(54) "Supplemental parental care" means the provision of day care by an adult other than a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis on a regular basis for daily periods of less than 24 hours.

(55) "Support staff" means a staff member of a child care facility who does not participate in a direct care-giving role and is not counted in ratios. Examples of support staff would be cooks, administrative staff, foster grandparents, or cleaning staff.

(56) "Toddler" means a child who is 19 months of age to 36 months of age.

(57) "Trainee" means a staff member who has been approved to work in a child care facility based on initial criteria but has not yet completed required training.

(58) "Vaccine" means one of the following:

(a) if administered in the United States, an immunizing agent approved by the Bureau of Biologics, Food and Drug Administration, United States Public Health Services; or

(b) if administered outside the United States, an immunizing agent administered by a person licensed to practice medicine in the country where it is administered or by an agent of the principal public health agency of that country and properly documented as required by ARM 37.114.708.

(59) "Varicella" means an attenuated, live virus vaccine to prevent chicken pox disease.

(60) "Waiver" means the department has approved an exception to a rule within this chapter.

 

History: 52-2-704, 53-4-212, MCA; IMP, 52-2-702, 52-2-703, 52-2-704, 52-2-713, 52-2-723, 52-2-725, 52-2-731, 52-2-735, 52-2-736, 53-2-201, 53-4-211, 53-4-212, 53-4-611, MCA; NEW, Eff. 4/5/76; AMD, 1978 MAR p. 205, Eff. 2/5/78; AMD, 1981 MAR p. 1792, Eff. 12/18/81; AMD, 1985 MAR p. 2041, Eff. 12/27/85; AMD, 1986 MAR p. 52, Eff. 1/17/86; TRANS, from Dept. of SRS, 1987 MAR p. 1492, Eff. 7/1/87; AMD, 1992 MAR p. 45, Eff. 1/17/92; AMD, 1993 MAR p. 941, Eff. 7/1/93; AMD, 1994 MAR p. 2740, Eff. 10/14/94; AMD, 1997 MAR p. 1920, Eff. 10/21/97; TRANS, from DFS, 1998 MAR p. 2881; AMD, 2000 MAR p. 2415, Eff. 9/8/00; AMD, 2002 MAR p. 2231, Eff. 8/16/02; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 2136, Eff. 6/2/06; AMD, 2012 MAR p. 1368, Eff. 7/13/12; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 308, Eff. 2/10/18; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 191, Eff. 6/1/18; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 1887, Eff. 9/22/18; AMD, 2021 MAR p. 1787, Eff. 12/11/21.