N.J. Admin. Code § 8:20-2.2
The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
"Asperger Syndrome" means a disorder defined by the DSM that is marked by clinically significant impairments in social interaction and the presence of restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. There are no clinically significant delays in the development of language, cognition, self-help skills, or adaptive behavior. These criteria are not met for another specific pervasive developmental disorder.
"Autism" means a developmental disability as defined by and diagnosed according to the DSM, which is marked by significant impairments in social interaction and communication and the presence of unusual behaviors and interests. Autism includes the following diagnoses commonly known as the Autism Spectrum Disorders: Asperger Syndrome; Autistic Disorder; and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not otherwise Specified; and the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, including Rett Syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, the causes of which are currently not known.
"Autistic disorder" means a disorder as defined by the DSM that is marked by qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication and the presence of repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior with onset prior to three years of age, which is not better accounted for by Rett Syndrome or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
"Child" means an individual from birth through 21 years of age.
"Childhood Disintegrative Disorder" means a disorder as defined by the DSM that appears after at least two years of normal development after birth and results in the clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills in at least two areas of functioning (language, social skills, adaptive behavior, bowel/bladder control, play, or motor skills) before age 10. There are abnormalities of functioning in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted and stereotyped patterns of behavior, which is not better accounted for by another pervasive developmental disorder or by schizophrenia.
"Custodian" means a person, financial institution or agency that has charge or custody of property, securities, papers and other such assets of an individual.
"DSM " means the professional standard behavioral criteria for autism (criterion F84), published in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision ( DSM-5-TR<(R)>) (2022), of the American Psychiatric Association, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, and available from American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 800 Maine Avenue, SW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20024.
"Health care professional" means a physician, psychologist and any other health care professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes and who is qualified by training to make a diagnosis of autism.
"Legal guardian" means a person who has the legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of another person.
"Parent" means a biological parent, stepparent or adoptive parent.
"Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified" means a disorder as defined by the DSM that is marked by severe and pervasive impairment in the development of social interaction or verbal and non-verbal communication or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific pervasive developmental disorder. This category includes "atypical autism."
"Rett Syndrome" means a disorder as defined by the DSM that appears after apparently normal prenatal and perinatal development, which results in severe impairment in expressive and receptive language, loss of social engagement, retardation of psychomotor development, loss of previously acquired purposeful hand skills, and the development of stereotyped hand movements.
N.J. Admin. Code § 8:20-2.2