Limited Clientele Law and Legal Definition
For purposes of federal benefits based on low income status, limited clientele are defined as abused children, elderly persons (at least 62 years of age), battered spouses, homeless persons, adult disabled persons (see Bureau of Census definition for “severely disabled”), illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant farm workers.
Federal legislation provides a foundation for states by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that define child abuse and neglect. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum:
* Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or
* An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.
Within the minimum standards set by CAPTA, each state is responsible for providing its own definitions of child abuse and neglect. Most states recognize four major types of maltreatment: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.
