Acronyms

The human services field has no shortage of acronyms. To help you, your family, or your advocate tune in and communicate more clearly with the human services professionals serving you, we’ve developed this list of acronyms and the terms they represent.

General Terms

ADA: American’s with Disabilities Act

ADL: Activities of Daily Living

AFC: Adult Foster Care

ARC: Formerly Association for Retarded Citizen’s, now used as The Arc

ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder

BDS: Bureau of Developmental Services

BEAS: Bureau of Elderly & Adult Services

BID: twice a day

BSMS: Bureau of Special Medical Services

C-3: Client Centered Conference

CHINS: Child In Need of Services

CLASP: Center for Law & Social Policy

CM: Case Management now called Service Coordination

CSNI: Community Service Network, Inc.

DCYF: Division of Children, Youth and Families

DDC: Developmental Disabilities Council

DD/ DDMH: Developmental Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities Mental Health

DNR: Do Not Resituate

DRC: Disabilities Rights Center

EFC: Enhanced Family Care

ESS: Early Supports and Services

FCESS: Family Centered Early Supports and Services

GMASA: Greater Manchester Association of Service Agencies

GMMHC: Greater Manchester Mental Health Center

HCFA: Health Care Financing Administration

HCBC: Home & Community Based Care

HCBC-CFI: Home & Community Based Care Choices for Independence

HUD: Housing & Urban Development

IEP: Individual Education Plan

IOD: Institute on Disabilities

I & R: Information & Referral

ISO: Individual Service Option

ISP: Individual Service Plan

IWRP: Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan

JSO/JSA: Juvenile Service’s Officer/JS Assistant

LDA: Learning Disabilities Association

MH: Mental Health

MICE: Multi-sensory Intervention, Consultation and Education

MOAB: Management of Aggressive Behaviors

NORD: National Organization on Rare Disorders

PASARR: Pre Admission Screening and Annual Resident Review

PIC: Parent Information Center

PODS: Parent’s of Down Syndrome, a support group

PTAN: Preschool Technical Assistance Network

Respite: A time away for parents and caregivers

Respitality: A hotel stay for parents

VCS: Vocational Community Services

VR: Vocational Rehabilitation

YDC: Youth Development Center

School-Related Terms

ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis

ABD: Acquired Brain Disorder Achievement Testing: level of accomplishment /grade level measurement

ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ATEC: Assistive Technology, Evaluation & Consultation Services

CI: Cognitive Impairment Cognitive Testing: usually IQ testing / measures thought process

DOE: Department of Education

EH: Emotionally Handicapped

EIP: Early Intervention Program

ESY: Extended School Year

EYP: Extended Year Program

IEP: Individual Education Program

IQ: Intelligence Quotient

LD: Learning Disability

LEA: Local Education Authority

OT: Occupational Therapy

PDD: Pervasive Developmental Disorder Projective Testing: measures emotional state

PT: Physical Therapy

PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

SAU: School Administration Unit

SI: Sensory Integration

SPEDIS: Special Education Identification System

SPL: Speech and Language Tactile Defensiveness

WAIS: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

WISC-R: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Revised

WPPSI: Wechsler Preschool & Primary Scale of Intelligence

Benefits – Related Acronyms

APTD: Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled, starts at the 18 birthday and can have a monthly cash benefit based on adult’s income

ANB: Aid to the Needy Blind

CCW: Community Care Waiver

CHAP: Child Health Assurance Program from birth until age 21, provides extra services such as home health aides, nursing, extra therapies, school services, etc.

CSD MEDICAID: Children with Severe Disabilities, Medicaid for children whose disability isn’t as severe as HC-CSD where some parental income counts

DDS: Disability Determination Services who make the decisions for SSI and SSDI

DHHS: Department of Health and Human Services

EBT: Electronic Benefits Transfer card is like an ATM card that replaces checks from HHS (Health & Human Services)

FAP: Family Assistance Program replaces AFDC, aid to families with dependant children

HC-CSD MEDICAID: Home Care Children with Severe Disabilities (also known as Katie Beckett), a way to get Medicaid for someone under 19 without parents’ income counting – only the child’s income and resources count toward eligibility

HCBC/DD: Home & Community Based Care/Developmental disabilities

HCBC/EC: Home & Community Based Care / Elderly Care

HKG: Healthy Kids Gold, Medicaid

HKS: Healthy Kids Silver, Insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield) based on parents income

HMO: Health Management Organization

ICF/MR: Intermediate Care Facility/ for the Mental Retarded

IRWE: Impairment Related Work Expenses

NHEP: New Hampshire Employment Program

OAA: Old Age Assistance

QMB: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

SGA: Substantial Gainful Activity (work)

SLMB: Specified Low Income Beneficiary

SON: Standard of Need

SSI: Supplemental Security Income

SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance

SSA: Social Security Administration

TANF: Temporary Aide to Needy Families (Replaces AFDC Aide to Families with Dependent children)

Legislative Terms

ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis

AMA: against Medical Advice

CCW: Community Care Waiver

CASA: court appointed special advocate

MCAC: Medical Care Advisory Committee.