Section 481-C. Definitions

As used in this article:
    1.  "Domestic  violence" shall mean any crime or violation, as defined
  in the penal law, which has been alleged to have been committed  by  any
  family  or  household  member  against  any member of the same family or
  household.
    2. "Family  or  household  members"  shall  mean  persons  related  by
  consanguinity or affinity or unrelated persons who are continually or at
  regular  intervals  living  or  in  the  past  continually or at regular
  intervals lived in the same household,  including  victims  and  persons
  accused of having committed acts of domestic violence.
    3.  "Child  abuse  and  maltreatment"   shall have the same meaning as
  provided for in section four hundred twelve of this chapter.
    4. "Public agency" shall  mean  a  local  office,  board,  department,
  bureau,  commission,  division,  agency,  other instrumentality of local
  government, or public or private educational institution.
    5. "Family  violence"  shall  mean  any  act  which  would  constitute
  domestic  violence  as defined in subdivision one of this section or any
  act which would constitute child abuse and maltreatment  as  defined  in
  subdivision three of this section.
    6. "Primary prevention" shall mean strengthening family functioning to
  insure  that  family  violence  never  takes  place or is less likely to
  occur. Primary prevention shall include: educating family  or  household
  members or prospective parents in order to avoid patterns which can lead
  to  family  violence; increasing in-home services to new and prospective
  parents; strengthening  the  relationships  among  community  resources,
  child  protective  service  units  and  citizen  groups  to  promote and
  encourage  the  development  of  family  violence  prevention  programs;
  increasing  the awareness of professionals and the public to the effects
  of stress, social isolation and the lack of social and parenting  skills
  for the purpose of making available programs deemed helpful for children
  and  adults;  and  any  other  program  deemed  helpful  in  the primary
  prevention of family violence.
    7. "Secondary prevention" shall mean addressing  the  early  signs  of
  family  violence  or  risk  of  family  violence  through  treatment  of
  presenting  problems  to  prevent  further  problems  from   developing.
  Secondary  prevention  shall  include: providing supportive services and
  temporary shelter to family or household members who are  considered  at
  risk  of  family  violence;  strengthening  self-help groups composed of
  individuals with a history of or at risk of family violence;  increasing
  in-home  services  to  families  at  risk  of  violence;  promoting  and
  encouraging the development of community resources for the treatment of,
  and improving the response to family violence; providing information and
  referral  services  to  resources  and/or  establishing  linkages  among
  services  which  are  in  the  community;  and  any other program deemed
  helpful in the treatment of persons at risk of family violence.
    8. "Family resource and support program" shall mean a community-based,
  prevention focused entity that:
    (a) provides, through direct service, core services, including:
    (1) parent education, support and leadership services,  together  with
  services    characterized   by   relationships   between   parents   and
  professionals that are based on equality and respect,  and  designed  to
  assist  parents  in  acquiring  parenting  skills,  learning about child
  development, and responding  appropriately  to  the  behavior  of  their
  children;
    (2)  services  to  facilitate  the  ability  of  parents  to  serve as
  resources to one another (such as  through  mutual  support  and  parent
  self-help groups);

    (3) outreach services provided through voluntary home visits and other
  methods  to  assist parents in becoming aware of and able to participate
  in family resources and support program activities;
    (4)  community  and  social  services  to assist families in obtaining
  community resources; and
    (5) follow-up services;
    (b) provides, or arranges for the provision of,  other  core  services
  through contracts or agreements with other local agencies, including all
  forms of respite care services; and
    (c)  provides  access  to  optional services, directly or by contract,
  purchase of service, or interagency agreement, including:
    (1) child care, early childhood  development  and  early  intervention
  services;
    (2) referral to self-sufficiency and life management skills training;
    (3)  referral  to  education  services,  such  as scholastic tutoring,
  literacy training,  and general educational degree services;
    (4) referral to services providing job readiness skills;
    (5) child abuse and neglect prevention activities;
    (6) referral to services that families with children with disabilities
  or special needs may require;
    (7)  community  and   social   service   referral,   including   early
  developmental screening of children;
    (8) peer counseling;
    (9) referral for substance abuse counseling and treatment; and
    (10) help line services.