(1) "Appropriate living arrangement" means any arrangement for an elderly person or a person with a disability in a residential setting which is appropriate for the person considering, in order of priority, the following criteria:

(a) The desires and goals of the person;

(b) The right of the person to live as independently as possible, in the least restrictive environment; and

(c) The cost of the living arrangement compared to other types of living arrangements, based on the criteria in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection.

(2) "Area agency" means:

(a) An established or proposed type A or type B Area Agency on Aging within a planning and service area designated under Section 305 of the Older Americans Act; or

(b) Any public or nonprofit private agency which is designated as a type A or type B Area Agency on Aging under Section 305 of the Older Americans Act.

(3) "Area agency board" means the local policy-making board which directs the actions of the area agency within state and federal laws and regulations.

(4) "Department" means the Department of Human Services.

(5) "Elderly person" means a person who is served by a type A area agency or type B area agency or by the department and who is 60 years of age or older.

(6) "Local government" means a political subdivision of the state whose authority is general or a combination of units of general purpose local governments.

(7) "Person with a disability" means a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

(8) "Preadmission screening" means a professional program within the department or type B area agencies, with staff that includes registered nurses and social workers, that assesses the needs of clients and recommends appropriate placements in residential programs administered by the department or type B area agencies.

(9) "Protective services" means a service to be provided by the department directly or through type B area agencies, in response to the need for protection from harm or neglect to elderly persons and persons with disabilities.

(10) "Title XIX" means long term care and health services programs funded by Title XIX of the Social Security Act available to elderly persons and persons with disabilities.

(11) "Type A area agency" means an area agency:

(a) For which either the local government or the area agency board does not agree to accept local administrative responsibility for Title XIX; and

(b) That provides a service to elderly persons.

(12) "Type B area agency" means an area agency:

(a) For which the local government agrees to accept local administrative responsibility for Title XIX;

(b) That provides a service to elderly persons or to elderly persons and persons with disabilities who require services similar to those required by elderly persons; and

(c) That uses the term "disabled services" or "disability services" in its title to communicate the fact that it provides services to both populations described in paragraph (b) of this subsection. [1981 c.784 §1; 1985 c.180 §4; 1989 c.224 §73; 1993 c.116 §2; 2001 c.900 §75; 2007 c.70 §166; 2011 c.36 §1; 2011 c.658 §37; 2011 c.720 §82]