REVISED: February 2023
Child welfare is a difficult place to spend your time … it can almost simultaneously provide you with the most rewarding, frustrating, exciting and depressing experiences you have ever felt.

One frustration shared often — even by “seasoned” foster parents — is that it seems like everyone in child welfare talks funny (and writes even worse!)  The worst offenders seem to just vomit alphabet soup every time they open their mouth. (Keep in mind, they accumulate these acronyms over a period of time immersed in the system, how’s a foster parent supposed to keep up?)

In our effort to help Foster and Adoptive Parents navigate the system, we’ve compiled a list of more than 550 acronyms that we have accumulated that may help you better understand what your CM means when they say that “The ICPC will be requested by CLS (or SAO/SAG) at the JR unless the GAL or AAL object.” … OK?

If you have any additions, click here.  To download this list as a PDF, click here.

0-1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

0-1

120, 120 Hearing – Chapter 120 of the Florida admin code that deals with due process rights with decisions made by agents of the state

4C – Community Coordinated Care for Children (Community Services Council in Orlando, Contracts with ELCs in Orange, Osceola counties to oversee VPK, Headstart and School Readiness)

504 (Plan) – educational plan developed for child with disability that includes accomodations (federal law)

65c-10 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child protective investigations (DCF is rulemaking authority) REPEALED, Replaced by 65c-29

65c-11 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child protective services (DCF is rulemaking authority) REPEALED, Replaced by 65c-29

65c-12 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding emergency shelter care (DCF is rulemaking authority) REPEALED

65c-13 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) for foster parent licensing (DCF is rulemaking authority) REPEALED

65c-14 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child-caring agency licensing (DCF is rulemaking authority) Mostly REPEALED, some parts transferred to 65C-46

65c-15 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child-placing agencies (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-16 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding adoptions (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-28 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding out of home care (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-29 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child protective investigations (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-30 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding general child welfare provisions (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-35 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding psychotropic medications for children in out of home care (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-41 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding extended foster care (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-42 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding Road to Independence (DCF is rulemaking authority)

65c-45 – Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding levels of licensure (DCF is rulemaking authority)

A

A/N – Abuse and/or Neglect

AAL – Attorney ad Litem (Note: plural is “Attorneys as Litem” … possessive is “Attorney ad Litem’s”)

AARC – Adoption Application Review Committee

ABA – American Bar Association

ABA – Applied Behavioral Analysis

ACCESS – Program used by Economic Self-Sufficiency program to allow customers to connect with their public assistance info

ACE/ACES – Adverse Childhood Experiences

ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act

ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ADJ – Adjudication

ADM – Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Office

ADR – Alternative Dispute Resolution

ADS – Affidavit of Diligent Search

AES – Adoption Exchange System

AFCARS – Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (national data collection)

AG – Office of Attorney General (acts as CLS in some counties)

AHCA – Agency for Health Care Administration

AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ALJ – Administrative Law Judge

AP – Absent Parent (Not recommended, careful with context can mean “adoptive parent” or “alleged perpatrator”)

AP – Adoptive Parent (Not recommended, careful with context can mean “absent parent” or “alleged perpatrator”)

AP – Alleged Perpetrator (Not recommended, careful with context can mean “absent parent” or “adoptive parent”)

APD – Agency for Persons with Disabilities

APE – Adapted Physical Education

APHSA – American Public Human Services Association

APPLA – Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement

APS – Adult Protective Services

ARIS – Abuse Reporting Information Services

ARS – Adoption & Related Services

ASA – Assistant State Attorney

ASFA – Adoption & Safe Families Act

ASL – American Sign Language

AT – Assistive Technology

ATC – Adoption Tax Credit

ATTY – Attorney

B

BA – Behavior Analyst

BA or BA-52 – Baker Act (Involuntary Commitment for mental health; up to 72 hours)

BASP – Behavior Analysts Services Program

BBCBC – Big Bend Community Based Care

BD – Behavior Disorder

BD – Bio Dad or Birth Dad (informal, generally on social media discussions between foster parents)

BFP – Brevard Family Partnership (CBC Circuit 18)

BIA – Bureau of Indian Affairs

BIP – Batterers Intervention Program/Plan

BM – Bio Mom or Birth Mom (informal, generally on social media discussions between foster parents)

BSHCN – Federal Bureau of Special Health Care Needs

BSIU – Background Screening and Investigation Unit

BSW – Bachelor’s of Social Work

C

C-# – Judicial Circuit (i.e. C-6 or C6 = Circuit 6)  Florida has 20 judicial circuits, most consist of multiple counties.

CAC – Community Advisory Committee on Special Education

CAC – Children’s Advocacy Center. In many counties, provides forensic examinations and interviews for allegations of child abuse, and provides therapy for sexually abused children and non-offending parents.

CAM – Child Advocate Manager (part of the GAL office)

CAP – Corrective Action Plan

CAPTA – Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act

CASA – “Court Appointed Special Advocate” (Florida uses term Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)

CASE – Community Alliance for Special Education

CATT – Child to Adult Transition Team

CBC – Community Based Care

CBCCF, CBCCFL – Community Based Care of Central Florida (CBC serving circuits 9 and 18; Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties)

CBHA – Comprehensive Behavioral Health Assessment

CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT – Competency Based Training

CD – Chemical Dependency

CDRT – Child Death Review Team

CE – Continuing Education

CEC – Continuing Education Credits

CEU – Continuing Education Units (Credits)

CFOP, OP – Children and Families Operating Procedures

CFSR  – Child and Family Services Review

CFWB – Child and Family Well-Being

CH – Child

CHAMPs – Children Need Amazing Parents; a national communications and policy campaign focused on quality parenting (Part of QPI program)

Chapter 39 – Florida Statute relating to children

Chapter 409 – Florida Statutes regulating social & economic assistance (also outlines CBC and DCF duties and accountability)

Chapter 63 – Florida Statutes regulating Adoption

CHN  – Children’s Home Network

Chrono – Chronological Notes

CHS – Childrens Home Society (child welfare services provider across the state of Florida, services vary by area)

CIC – Child in Care

CIO – Chief Information Officer

CIP – Court Improvement Program/Continuous Improvement Program

CIRRT – Critical Incident Rapid Response Team (Multidiciplinary team from DCF that investigates child fatalities)

CIS – Client Information System

CJC – Child Justice Center

CJIS  – Criminal Justice Information Services

CLS – Children’s Legal Services (Attorney)

CM – Case Manager

CMA – Case Management Agency (same as CMO)

CMAT – Children’s Multidisciplinary Team

CMH – Children Mental Health

CMO – Case Management Organization

CMS – Children’s Medical Services

CN or CNI – ChildNet, Inc.  Broward and Palm Beach (CBC, Circuits 15 & 17)

CNSWFL – Childrens Network Southwest Florida (CBC in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties; Circuit 20)

CoF – Circle of Friends – http://www.cofsfl.org/index.php

CoP – Circle of Parents

CP – Cerebral Palsy

CP – Case Plan

CPA  – Child Placing Agency

CPC – Community Partnership for Children

CPC – Case Planning Conference

CPC – Child Protection Center

CPI – Child Protective Investigator

CPIS – Child Protective Investigator Supervisor

CPP – Child Parent Psychotherapy(ist)

CPS – Child Protection Specialist

CPT – Child Protection Team

CQI – Continuous Quality Improvement (process)

CRC – Case Review Committee

CRP – Citizen Review Panel

CS – Courtesy Supervision

CSA – Abuse Report/Child Safety Assessment

CSA – Caregiver Support Agency

CSC – Childrens Service Council; special taxing district under FS Ch 125 and the agencies created to manage funds and services for the needs of chidren in that community

CSE  – Child Support Enforcement

CSEC – Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Human Trafficking)

CSFR – Child and Family Services Review

CSP – Child Support Program (Formerly CSE – Child Support Enforcement)

CSM  – Caregiver Support Manager

CSU – Crisis Stabilization Unit

CTF – Client Trust Fund

CTS  – Case Transfer Staffing

CV – Child Victim

CW – Caseworker

CWLS – Child Welfare Legal Services

CWPMHP – Child Welfare Prepaid Mental Health Plan

CWSP  – Child Welfare Specialty Plan

Cx – Child/Children

D

D&A – Drug and Alcohol (Not recommended, only useful in print, verbally challenging as it sounds like “DNA”)

D&E  – Diagnostic & Evaluation

DA – District Administrator

DB – Deaf/Blind

DCA – District Court of Appeals

DCF, The Department – Florida Department of Children & Families

DCIC – Dependency Court Improvement Council/Committee

DCM – Dependency Case Manager

DCMS – Dependency Case Manager Supervisor

DD – Developmental Disability

DFL – Directions For Living (a social services provider in the Tampa Bay Area with focus on mental health; also a CMO in Pinellas County)

DHHS – Department of Health and Human Services

DIS – Designated Instruction and Services

Dispo – Dispositional hearing

DJJ – Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid (Molecular level of blood that contains genetic information, used for paternity/relative testing)

DOAH – Administrative Hearings (120 Hearing) – Acronym stands for Division of Administrative Hearings

DOB – Date of Birth

DOC – Department of Corrections

DOD  – Date of Death

DOE – U.S. Department of Education

DOH – Department of Health (usually reference to the state or local entity, federal is HHS or Dept of Health and Human Services)

DOR – Florida Department of Revenue

DPM – District Program Manager

DQM – Data Quality Management

DREDF – Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

DS – Developmental Services

DSM – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (currently in 5th edition so sometimes DSM-5); official US classifications for diagnoses of disorders

DTF – Diversity Task Force (Not recommended, there are other informal uses of this acronym that are sexual in nature)

DV – Domestic Violence

DV  – Domestic Violence

DVRA – Domestic Violence Risk Assessment

E

E-MAS  – Extended Maintenance Adoption Subsidy

EBP – Evidence Based Practice

ECA – Eckerd Community Alternatives (former name of Eckerd Kids CBCs in Tampa Bay Area) – No longer in service as CBC effective 2023

ECC – Early Childhood Court

ED – Emotionally Disturbed

EFC – Extended Foster Care/Enhanced Foster Care

EH – Emotionally Handicapped

EHS – Early Head Start

EI – Early Intervention

ELC – Early Learning Coalition, local branch of Florida’s office of Early Learning; oversees VPK and school readiness programs (including child care assitance funding)

ELL – English Language Learner (previously ESL)

EMH – Emotionally & Mentally Handicapped

EPSDT – Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment

ER – Emergency Room

ERAT – Emergency Response Assessment Team

ES – Emergency Shelter

ESI – Early Services Intervention

ESS – Economic Self-Sufficiency (public assistance program)

ESSA – Every Student Succeeds Act, Federal education legislation passed in Dec. 2015, updates/replaces No Child Left Behind in many cases.

ESY – Extended School Year

EYA – Eckerd Youth Alternatives (One of many names of former CBC “Eckerd,” formerly served in circuits 6 & 13)

F

FAC – Florida Administrative Code, documents how state agencies apply statutes

FAF – Fostering Achievement Fellowship

FAHIS – Florida Abuse Hotline Information System

FAPA – Foster and Adoptive Parent Association

FAPE – Free and Appropriate Public Education

FAS – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

FASD – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

FAST – Foster Allegations Support Team

FBA – Functional Behavioral Assessment

FBCH – Florida Baptist Children’s Home (service provider and CMO in many areas of state)

FBO – Faith Based Organization

FC – Foster Care

FC – Foster child (tends to be more casual use, i.e. among foster parents on closed social media groups)

FCC – Florida Coalition for Children (Comprised of various CBCs and child welfare provider agencies)

FCM – Family Care Manager

FCP – Family Centered Practice

FD – Foster daughter (tends to be more casual use, i.e. among foster parents on closed social media groups)

FDLE – Florida Department of Law Enforcement

FDLRS – Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System

FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FF – Family Finding/Family Finders

FFA  – Family Functioning Assessment

FFCPBC – Friends of Foster Children Palm Beach County (Foster & Adoptive Parent Association)

FFH – Family Foster Home

FFN – Families First Network

FH – Foster Home

FHD – Foster Home Development (Licensing)

FICW – Florida Institute for Child Welfare – http://ficw.fsu.edu/

FIP – Family Integrity Program -St. Johns County Bd. of Commissioners (CBC, Circuit 7)

FL CFSR – Florida Child and Family Service Review

FLAC – Florida Local Advocacy Council

FLAG – Family Law Advisory Group

FMLA – Family Medical Leave Act (Federal law regarding upaid family leave)

FP – Foster Parent(s)

FPA – Foster Parent Association (see also FAPA, FSFAPA & NFPA)

FS – Foster son (tends to be more casual use, i.e. among foster parents on closed social media groups)

FS – Florida Statutes

FSA – Family Safety Alliance

FSC – Family Services Counselor (term used in place of “case manager” or “case worker” in some agencies)

FSFAPA – Foster State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association (Now “FloridaFAPA,” see also FPA & NFPA)

FSFN – Florida Safe Families Network – State controlled database of all case related information

FSPT  – Family Services Planning Team

FSS – Familiy Support Services (CBC in circuits 4 & 6)

FST  – Family Services Team

FSW – Family Support Worker

FSYR – Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches

FTC – Family Treatment Court

FTF/F2F – Face to Face

FTM – Family Team Meeting

FTT – Failure to Thrive (common diagnosis for children coming into the system, generally associated with undersize, underweight and/or behind on development)

FVS – Family Voluntary Services

Fx – Father

FY – Fiscal Year (Child welfare operates on government fiscal year; July 1-June 30

FYLA – Florida Youth Leadership Academy

G

GAL – Guardian ad Litem (Note: plural is “Guardians ad litem;” possessive is “Guardian ad Litem’s”)

GAP  – Guardianship Assistance Program

GF (GF!) – Go Foster! (online support groups)

GFx – Grandfather

GH  – Group Home

GMx – Grandmother

Gulf Coast JFCS  – Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services

H

HB – House Bill (Federal or State legislation)

HCFPA – Hillsborough County Family Partnership Alliance (Foster & Adoptive Parent Association)

HCICA – Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption (Netherlands); governs international adoptions between US and 75 countries, implemented by IAA

HFC – Heartland For Children (CBC in Polk, Hardee & Highlands counties – Circuit 10)

HHS – US Department of Health and Human Services, Cabinet level agency (federal iteration of “health department”)

HI – Hearing Impaired

HIPPA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996; often cited for rules establishing data privacy and safeguarding of data

HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus (the virus which leads to AIDS)

HKI – Hillsborough Kids Inc (former Tampa CBC)

HMO – Health Maintenance Organization

HOH – Hard of Hearing

Hotline – Child Abuse Hotline

HS – Home Study

HS – Head Start (school readiness program/education)

HV – Home Visit

I

I&P  – Intake & Placement

IAA – Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, federal law enacting Hague Convention of Intercountry Adoptions in US

ICAMA – Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

ICCP – Intensive Crisis Counseling Program

ICP – Initial Case Plan

ICPC – Interstate Compact for Placement of Children

ICSA – Initial Child Safety Assessment

ICWA – Indian Child Welfare Act

ICWSIS – Integrated Child Welfare Services Information System

ID – Intellectual Disability (to replace MR)

IDEA – Federal law;  Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004

IDS – Initial Decision Summary

IEE – Independent Educational Evaluation

IEP – Individualized Education Plan/Program (under Federal Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004)

IEPA – Interethnic Adoption Provisions of 1996 (Federal legislationt that removed many hurdles to adoptions across ethnicities)

IES  – Information & Eligibility Specialist

IFPS – Intensive Family Preservation Services

IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan

IG – Inspector General (Internal compliance inspector within DCF and many other state agencies)

IL – Independent Living

ILP – Independent Living Program

ILS – Independent Living Services

IPP – Individual Program Plan (Regional Center)

IR-3 – IR-3 Visa for intercountry adoption (completed abroad)

IR-4 – IR-4 Visa for intercountry adoption (to be finalized in the US)

IRAS – Incident Reporting and Analysis System

IRS – Internal Revenue Service (federal)

ISS – International Social Services

ITP – Individual Transition Plan

IV-B – Portion of the social security act whose monies are used for services related to prevention of and response to child abuse and neglect

IV-E – Title IV-E funds (Social Security Administration): Federal funds that provide primary funding for social welfare programs and policies

J

JAC – Justice Administrative Commission

JAC – Juvenile Assessment Center

JDC – Juvenile Detention Center

JJ – Juvenile Justice

JJIS  – Juvenile Justice Information Services

JR – Judicial Review

JRSSR – Judicial Review and Social Study Report (filed by Case Manager)

JTT – Just in Time Trainings

JWB – Juvenile Welfare Board (Childrens Service Council in Pinellas County)

K

KCI – Kids Central Inc. (CBC in Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties – Circuit 5)

KFF – Kids First of Florida, Inc. (CBC in Clay County, Circuit 4)

L

LCSW – Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LD – Learning Disability

LE/ LEO  – Law Enforcement/ Law Enforcement Officer

LEA – Local Education Agency

LEO – Law Enforcement Officer

LEP – Limited English Proficient

Level 1/L1  – Relative/Nonrelative Foster Homes

Level 2/L2  – Traditional Foster Homes

LGBTQ – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexal, Trans, Queer

LMHC – Licensed Mental Health Clinician

LOC – Level of Care Staffing

LRE – Least Restrictive Environment

LSF – Lake Sumter Families – foster adoptive parent association for Lake and Sumter Counties

LSF – Lutheran Services Florida (CMO or service provider; provides case management in Pinellas County)

M

MAPP – Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (one Foster Parent preservice training option)

MAS – Maintenance Adoption Subsidy

MBI – Manifest Best Interest Hearing

MCR – Missing Child Report

MD – Multiple Disabilities

MDCFAPA – Miami Dade County Foster Adoptive Parent Association

MDT – Multidisciplinary Team (also MDT Staffing)

ME – Managing Entity

ME  – Medical Examiner

MEPA – Multiethnic Placement Act

MGF/MGFx – Maternal Grandfather

MGM/MGMx – Maternal Grandmother

MGP – Maternal Grandparent

MH – Mental Health

MH – Multiple Handicapped

MIBH – Manifest Best Interest Hearing

Misd – Misdemeanor

MJV  – My Jump Vault

MO – Month

MR – Mental Retardation

MRC – Multidisciplinary Review Committee (formally FSPT & CRC)

MS – Multiple Sclerorsis

MSW – Master’s of Social Work

MTAM  – Master Trust Account Manager

MTF – Master Trust Fund (Account for holding benefit funds for child in care; genrally Social Security or SSI; can be child support, Veteran’s benefits etc.)

MTSS – Multi-Tiered System of Support Process (part of IEP/504 federal education laws)

Mx – Mother

N

NACAC – North American Council on Adoptable Children

NAMI – National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

NAS – Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (group of problems that occur in newborns opiate exposed prior to birth)

NCANDS – National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

NCIC – National Crime Information Center

NCJFCJ – National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

NCLB – No Child Left Behind, passed 2012, generally superseded by ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015

NCMEC – National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

NCSC – National Center for State Courts

NFPA – National Foster Parent Association

NICU – Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit

NIH – National Instutie of Health (part of US Dept of Health and Human Services)

NIMH – National Institute for Mental Health (part of National Institute of Health under US Dept. of Health and Human Services); researches mental health disorders

NPA – Nonpublic Agency

NPS – Nonpublic School (private)

NYDT – National Youth in Transition Survey

O

OAG – Office of the Attorney General (Acts as CLS in some counties)

OAH – Office of Administrative Hearings

OCI – Office of Court Improvement

OCR – U.S. Office for Civil Rights

OCS – On-Campus Suspension

OCS – Out-of-county services

ODD – Oppositional Defiance Disorder

OEL – Office for Early Learning

OEO – Office of Equal Opportunity / CDE

OHC – Out of Home Care

OHI – Other Health Impaired

OHU  – One Hope United

OI – Orthopedically Impaired

OK – Our Kids Miami-Dade/Monroe, Inc. (FORMER CBC, Circuits 11 & 16)

OOH, OOHC – Out of Home Care (also OHC)

OPA – Operations Program Administrator

OPHA  – Other Parent Home Assessment

ORC – Office of Regional Counsel

OSCA – Office of the State Courts Administrator

OSEP – U.S. Office of Special Education Programs / DOE

OSERS – U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Programs

OT – Occupational Therapy/Therapist

OT/PT – Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy

OTI – Out of Town Inquiry

P

P4P – Parents for Parents program

Pa – Parent

PA – Performance Agreement

PA  – Program Administrator

PA – Parent Ally

PAI – Protection and Advocacy, Inc.

PCFAPA – Pinellas County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, Pasco County Foster And Adoptive Parent Association

PCIT – Parent-Child Interactive Therapy

PD – Police Department

PD  – Program Director

PD – Public Defender

PDA  – Present Danger Assessment

PDC – Professional Development Center

PDD – Pervasive Developmental Disorder

PDR – Pre-Dispositional Report

PDS – Predisposition Study

PE, Psych Eval – Psychological Evaluation

PESS – Post Secondary Education and Support Services

PF – Protective Factor (risk factor for abuse/safety of child or caregiver’s ability to protect/bond with child), used in investivgations/removals

PFFC – Preserving Families and Fostering Connections

PFSF – Partnership for Strong Families (CBC in Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Taylor, Baker, Suwanee and Union counties; Circuit 3 & 8)

PG – Permanent Guardianship

PGF/PGFx – Paternal Grandfather

PGM/PGMx – Paternal Grandmother

PGP – Paternal grandparent(s)

PHN – Public Health Nurse

PIP – Program Improvement Plan/Performance Improvement Plan

PL – Public Law

PO – Probation Officer or Police Officer

POA – Program Operations Administrator

POS – Purchase of Service(s) agreement

PPS – Post-Placement Supervision

PRIDE – Parent Resource for Information Development Education (an option for Foster Parent preservice training; alternative to MAPP)

PS – Protective Services or Protective Supervision

PSF – Partnership for Strong Families

PSRS – Procedural Safeguards and Referral Services / CDE

PSS – Placement Support Staffing

PSSF – Promoting Safe and Stable Families program/legislation (federal)

PT – Physical Therapy/Therapist

PTI – Parent Training and Information Center

PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

PU  – Progress Update

PWN – Prior Written Notice

Px  – Parent

Q

QA – Quality Assurance (Can also be for a Quality Assurance Review)

QE – Qualified Evaluator

QPI – Quality Parenting Initiative

QPT – Quality Parenting Training (a foster parent pre-service training, alternative to MAPP; may also be used as generic term for any QPI training)

R

R&R – Rights & Responsibilities

RA – Risk Assessment

RAD – Reactive Attachment Disorder

RAP – Refugee Assistance Program

RCF – Relative Caregiver Funds

RCP – Relative Caregiver Program

RDC – Remote Data Capture

RFA – Request for Assistance/Action

RGC – Residential Group Care

RGC  – Residential Group Care

RMD – DCF Regional Managing Director

RSF  – Rapid Safety Feedback

RSP – Resource Specialist Program

RTC – Residential Treatment Center

RTI – Response to Intervention

RTI – Road to Independence (the old IL program)

Rule – Usually refers to Florida Administrative Code, documenting how state agencies will implement state statutes

RVP – Regional Vice President (Formerly used by FloridaFAPA as representative designated to an area of the state)

S

SA – Sexual Abuse (not recommended to use except in close conversation, i.e. to avoid using term in front of child due to confusion with “Substance Abuse”

SA – State Attorney (State Attorney’s Office acts as CLS in some counties)

SA – Substance Abuse

SAMH – Substance Abuse Mental Health

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

SAO – State Attorney’s Office (acts as Childrens Legal Services – CLS – in some circuits in Florida)

SATP – Sexual Abuse Treatment Program

SB – Senate Bill (Federal or State legislation)

SBS – Shaken Baby Syndrome

SCC – Safe Children Coalition (former Pinellas Pasco CBC, still in Manatee, Sarasota)

SCC – Self-contained Classroom

SCF – Super Cool Foster (Facebook Support Group program of Go Foster!)

SCHIP – State Children’s Health Insurance Program (under Title XXI of Social Security Act) federal funded plan administered by each state

SDC – Special Day Class

SDE – State Department of Education

SDMM  – Safety Decision Making Methodology

SEA – State Education Agency

SED – Severely Emotionally Disturbed

SELPA – Special Education Local Plan Area

SEN – Substance Exposed Newborn

SERR – “Special Education Rights and Responsibilities” book

SFFAPA – South Florida Foster Adoptive Parent Association

SH – Severely Handicapped

SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

SIPP – Statewide Inpatient Psychiatrist Placement/Program

SLD – Specific Learning Disability

SLI – Speech/Language Impaired

SLP – Speech Language Pathologist

SMS  – Safety Management Services

SNA – Special Needs Adoption

SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assitance Program (formerly food stamps)

SO – Sheriffs Office (often preceeded by letters representing jurisdiction; i.e. PCSO could be Pinellas County Sheriffs Office … or Pasco, Polk, Putnam etc.)

SOC – Systems of Care

SP  – Safety Plan

SPED – Special Education

SPOA – Single Point of Access

SRQ – Sarasota County

SSA – Social Security Administration

SSDI – Social security disability insurance (or income) payments for disability

SSI – Supplemental Security Income

SSN – Social Security Number

SST – Student Study Team

STAR – California’s Standard Testing and Reporting

STFC – Specialized Therapuetic Foster Care

STFH – Specialized Therapuetic Foster Home

STGH – Specialized therapeutic group home

SUD – Substance Use Disorder

SW – Social Worker

T

TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury

TBOSS – Therapeutic Behavioral On Site Services

TBRI – Trust-Based Relational Interventions (an emerging intervention model for a wide range of childhood behavioral problems)

TCM – Targeted Case Manager

TF-CBT – Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

TFC – Therapuetic Foster Care (sometimes STFC – adds “Specialized”)

TFH – Therapeutic Foster Home (sometimes STFH – adds “Specialized”)

TGC  – Therapeutic Group Care

TGH – Therapuetic Group Home

TIC – Trauma Informed Care

Title IV-E – Part of the Social Security Act; The major source of federal funds for child welfare, specifies eligibility and allowable use of funds

Title XIX, XIX – Portion of the Social Security Act that establishes Medicaid as well as related funding and regularions

TPR – Termination of Parental Rights

TSS  – Transitional Support Services

Tx – Treatment/Therapy

U

UA – Urine Analysis / urninalysis (drug testing)

UCCJEA – Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act

UFC – Unified Family Courts

UHS – Unified Home Study

UM  – Utilization Management

UMCH – United Methodist Children’s Home; service provider or case management agency in many areas of state

USCIS – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

USDA – US Dept. of Agriculture

V

VC – Victim Child

VI – Visually Impaired

VPK – Voluntary PreKindergarten Education (administered by local Early Learning Coalitions – ELC)

VPS – Voluntary Protective Services

W

WIC – Women, Infants & Children Program

WRAP  – Wraparound Services

WWK – Wendy’s Wonderful Kids

X

XIX (Title XIX) – Portion of the Social Security Act that establishes Medicaid as well as related funding and regularion

Y

YFA – Youth & Family Alternatives (CMO, provides case management in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties)

YLC – Youth Law Center (started QPI, involved in many child welfare initiatives)

YSS  – Youth Support Services

YTM  – Youth Transition Meeting

YTT  – Youth Transition Team

z