Definitions

• “Adult” means a person 18 years of age or older.
• “Child abuse” as defined under Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law means any of the following:
  “(i) Any recent act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious physical injury to a child under 18 years of age.
  (ii) An act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious mental injury to or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age.
  (iii) Any recent act, failure to act or series of acts or failures to act by a perpetrator which creates an imminent risk of serious physical injury to or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age.
  (iv) serious physical neglect by a perpetrator constituting prolonged or repeated lack of supervision or the failure to provide essentials of life, including adequate medical care, which endangers a child’s life or development or impairs the child’s functioning.
  No child shall be deemed to be physically or mentally abused based on injuries that result solely from environmental factors that are beyond the control of the parent or person responsible for the child’s welfare, such as inadequate housing, furnishings, income, clothing and medical care.”
• For the purposes of this Policy, this definition includes vulnerable adults.
• “Child” means any person under the age of 18.
• “Children’s activities” means any activity or program in which children are under supervision of staff persons or volunteers.
• “Conference” means the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. 
• “Staff person” means any person employed by the Conference who is responsible for children’s activities.
• “Volunteer” means a person 18 years of age or older who assists in conducting children’s activities under the supervision of a staff person.
• “Persons required to report child abuse” means persons, who, in the course of their employment, occupation, or practice of their profession, come into contact with children. Such persons include, but are not limited to, medical professionals; school administrators, teachers and nurses; social services workers; day-care center workers; mental health professionals; peace and law enforcement officers.
• “Staff person in charge of a children’s activity” means the Conference employee responsible for the conduct of this activity such as the Conference’s Associate Council Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministries in the case of a Conference-wide youth event, or the Associate Council Director - Camping in the case of Conference camping programs.
• “Vulnerable adult” means any person over 18 years of age with diagnosed diminished physical, mental or emotional capacities.
• “We” means the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference.

Footnotes: Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law 23 Pa.C.S.A.§6303. Note that this section of state law also provides that, “If, upon investigation, the county agency determines that a child has not been provided needed medical or surgical care because of seriously held religious beliefs of the child’s parents, guardian or person responsible for the child’s welfare, which beliefs are consistent with those of a bona fide religion, the child shall not be deemed to be physically or mentally abused. The county agency shall closely monitor the child and shall seek court-ordered medical intervention when the lack of medical or surgical care threatens the child’s life or long-term health.”