As used in the Child Placement Agency Licensing Act:
A. "child" means an individual under the age of eighteen years;
B. "child placement agency" means any individual, partnership, unincorporated association or corporation undertaking to place a child in a home in this or any other state for the purpose of foster care or adoption of the child;
C. "department" means the children, youth and families department;
D. "division" means the protective services division of the department;
E. "foster home" means a home maintained by an individual having the care and control, for periods exceeding twenty-four hours, of a child who is not placed for adoption;
F. "person" means any individual, partnership, unincorporated association or corporation; and
G. "secretary" means the secretary of children, youth and families.
History: Laws 1981, ch. 171, § 3; 2011, ch. 130, § 2.
ANNOTATIONSCross references. — For the human services department, see 9-8-1 to 9-8-14 NMSA 1978.
For the social services division, see 9-8-4 NMSA 1978.
For the secretary of human services, see 9-8-5 NMSA 1978.
The 2011 amendment, effective June 17, 2011, assigned responsibility for licensing child placement agencies to the children, youth and families department, and removed homes for abused, neglected, dependent and homeless children from the application of the act.