---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-381. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 15-11-381
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-381 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-381
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-381.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-381/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d8a8826c_0#page=1096
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COURTS / JUVENILE CODE / CHILD IN NEED OF SERVICES / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-381. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) ‘‘Comprehensive services plan’’ means an interagency treatment, habilitation, support, or supervision plan developed collaboratively by state or local agency representatives, parties, and other interested persons following a court’s finding that a child is incompetent to proceed.

(2) ‘‘Habilitation’’ means the process by which a child is helped to acquire and maintain those life skills which will enable him or her to cope more effectively with the demands of his or her own person and of his or her environment and to raise the level of his or her physical, mental, social, and vocational abilities.

(3) ‘‘Plan manager’’ means a person who is under the supervision of the court and is appointed by the court to convene a meeting of all relevant parties for the purpose of developing a comprehensive services plan.

(4) ‘‘Runaway’’ means a child who without just cause and without the consent of his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian is absent from his or her home or place of abode for at least 24 hours.

(5) ‘‘Status offense’’ means an act prohibited by law which would not be an offense if committed by an adult.

(6) ‘‘Truant’’ means having ten or more days of unexcused absences from school in the current academic year.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-381, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242.