Sec. 2.
As used in this act:
(a) "Administrative act" includes an action, omission, decision, recommendation, practice, or other procedure of the department, an adoption attorney, or a child placing agency with respect to a particular child related to adoption, foster care, or protective services.
(b) "Adoption attorney" means that term as defined in section 22 of the adoption code, MCL 710.22.
(c) "Adoption code" means the Michigan adoption code, chapter X of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 710.21 to 710.70.
(d) "Central registry" means that term as defined in section 2 of the child protection law, MCL 722.622.
(e) "Child" means an individual under the age of 18.
(f) "Child abuse" and "child neglect" mean those terms as defined in section 2 of the child protection law, MCL 722.622.
(g) "Child caring institution" means that term as defined in section 1 of 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111.
(h) "Child placing agency" means an organization licensed or approved by the department to receive children for placement in private family homes for foster care or adoption and to provide services related to adoption.
(i) "Complainant" means an individual who makes a complaint as provided in section 5.
(j) "Child protection law" means the child protection law, 1975 PA 238, MCL 722.621 to 722.638.
(k) "Children's ombudsman" or "ombudsman" means the individual appointed to the office of children's ombudsman under section 3.
(l) "Closed session" means that term as defined in section 2 of the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.262.
(m) "Department" means the department of health and human services.
(n) "Foster care" means care provided to a child in a foster family home, foster family group home, or child caring institution licensed by the department under 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128, or care provided to a child in a relative's home under a court order.
(o) "Foster parent's bill of rights law" means the foster parent's bill of rights law created in section 8a of the foster care and adoption services act, 1994 PA 203, MCL 722.958a.
(p) "Full investigation" means an act of fact finding, document review, or systematic inquiry or examination that occurs after the completion of a preliminary investigation.
(q) "Investigation" means either a preliminary investigation or a full investigation.
(r) "Office" means the children's ombudsman office established under section 3.
(s) "Preliminary investigation" means an act of fact finding, document review, or systematic inquiry or examination to determine if there is a correlation between an administrative act and the death of a child or to determine if a trend or systematic issue is identified that would cause the ombudsman to open a full investigation.
History: 1994, Act 204, Eff. Jan. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 560, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2005 ;-- Am. 2014, Act 455, Eff. Apr. 1, 2015 ;-- Am. 2020, Act 186, Imd. Eff. Oct. 8, 2020