42 U.S.C. § 15092 — Definitions and special rule

(a) Definitions. In this subchapter: (1) "Child with a disability" means someone who either: (A) has a significant physical or mental impairment, as defined by State policy, regardless of the type of disability; or (B) is an infant or young child (birth through age 8) with a substantial developmental delay, or a specific condition present at or acquired after birth, likely to cause a disability if services aren't provided. (2) "Family": (A) generally means whatever the State says it means; (B) but it never includes a paid employee who cares for a child with a disability in an out-of-home place like a hospital, nursing home, or group home. (3) "Family support for families of children with disabilities" means the state-policy-based supports, resources, services, and other help designed to: (A) support families raising their children with disabilities at home; (B) strengthen the family's role as primary caregiver; (C) prevent children from being placed outside the home involuntarily and keep families together; and (D) reunite families with children who were placed outside the home, whenever possible. (4) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (5) "State" means the 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. (6) "Systems change activities" means efforts that produce laws, regulations, policies, practices, or organizational structures that: (A) are family-centered and family-directed; (B) increase access to, provision of, and funding for family support services; and (C) otherwise achieve this subchapter's purposes. (b) Special rule. Wherever this subchapter refers to a "child with a disability," that also includes anyone 18 or older who: (1) has the significant impairment described in subsection (a)(1)(A); and (2) lives with, and gets help from, a family member.