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 nearly 500 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.
0-1 • A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • L • M • N • O • P • Q • R • S • T • U • V • W • X • Y • Z
| 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, Headshart 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) |
| 65c-11 | Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child protective services (DCF is rulemaking authority) |
| 65c-12 | Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding emergency shelter care (DCF is rulemaking authority) |
| 65c-13 | Florida Administrative Code (rules) for foster parent licensing (DCF is rulemaking authority) |
| 65c-14 | Florida Administrative Code (rules) regarding child-caring agency licensing (DCF is rulemaking authority) |
| 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) |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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-# | 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 |
| CDRT | Child Death Review Team |
| CE | Continuing Education |
| CEC | Continuing Education Credits |
| CEU | Continuing Education Units (Credits) |
| CFOP, OP | Children and Families Operating Procedures |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| CPC | Community Partnership for Children |
| CPI | Child Protective Investigator |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| CSEC | Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Human Trafficking) |
| CSFR | Child and Family Services Review |
| CSP | Child Support Program (Formerly CSE – Child Support Enforcement) |
| CW | Caseworker |
| CWLS | Child Welfare Legal Services |
| CWPMHP | Child Welfare Prepaid Mental Health Plan |
| Cx | Child/Children |
| D&A | Drug and Alcohol (Not recommended, only useful in print, verbally challenging as it sounds like “DNA”) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| DVRA | Domestic Violence Risk Assessment |
| EBP | Evidence Based Practice |
| ECA | Eckerd Community Alternatives (former name of Eckerd Kids CBCs in Tampa Bay Area) |
| ECC | Early Childhood Court |
| ED | Emotionally Disturbed |
| EFC | Extended Foster Care |
| EH | Emotionally Handicapped |
| 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 |
| ES | Emergency Shelter |
| ESI | Early Services Intervention |
| ESS | Economic Self-Sufficiency (public assistance program) |
| ESY | Extended School Year |
| EYA | Eckerd Youth Alternatives (Now operates as Eckerd Kids, parent of Eckerd Kids CBCs in circuits 6 & 13) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| FSC | Family Services Counselor (term used in place of “case manager” or “case worker” in some agencies) |
| FSFAPA | Foster State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association (see also FPA & NFPA) |
| FSFN | Florida Safe Families Network – State controlled database of all case related information |
| FSS | Familiy Support Services |
| FSYR | Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches |
| 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) |
| Fx | Father |
| FY | Fiscal Year (Child welfare operates on government fiscal year; July 1-June 30 |
| FYLA | Florida Youth Leadership Academy |
| GAL | Guardian ad Litem (Note: plural is “Guardians ad litem;” possessive is “Guardian ad Litem’s”) |
| GF (GF!) | Go Foster! |
| GFx | Grandfather |
| GMx | Grandmother |
| 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 |
| HV | Home Visit |
| 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) |
| 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 |
| IV-E (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 |
| JAC | Justice Administrative Commission |
| JAC | Juvenile Assessment Center |
| JDC | Juvenile Detention Center |
| JJ | Juvenile Justice |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| LD | Learning Disability |
| LE | Law Enforcement |
| LEA | Local Education Agency |
| LEO | Law Enforcement Officer |
| LEP | Limited English Proficient |
| LGBTQ | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexal, Trans, Queer |
| 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) |
| 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 | Medical Examiner |
| MEPA | Multiethnic Placement Act |
| MGFx | Maternal Grandfather |
| MGMx | Maternal Grandmother |
| MH | Mental Health |
| MH | Multiple Handicapped |
| MIBH | Manifest Best Interest Hearing |
| Misd | Misdemeanor |
| MR | Mental Retardation |
| MRC | Multidisciplinary Review Committee (formally FSPT & CRC) |
| MS | Multiple Sclerorsis |
| MSW | Master’s of Social Work |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| ODD | Oppositional Defiance Disorder |
| OEL | Office for Early Learning |
| OEO | Office of Equal Opportunity / CDE |
| OHC | Out of Home Care |
| OHI | Other Health Impaired |
| OI | Orthopedically Impaired |
| OK | Our Kids Miami-Dade/Monroe, Inc. (CBC, Circuits 11 & 16) |
| OOH, OOHC | Out of Home Care (also OHC) |
| OPA | Operations Program Administrator |
| 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 |
| Pa | Parent |
| PA | Performance Agreement |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| PGFx | Paternal Grandfather |
| PGMx | Paternal Grandmother |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| PTI | Parent Training and Information Center |
| PTSD | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| PWN | Prior Written Notice |
| 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 | 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 |
| RGC | Residential Group Care |
| RMD | DCF Regional Managing Director |
| 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 (Florida State Foster Adoptive Parent Association representative designated to an area of the state) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| SLD | Specific Learning Disability |
| SLI | Speech/Language Impaired |
| SLP | Speech Language Pathologist |
| 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 |
| SPED | Special Education |
| SPOA | Single Point of Access |
| 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 |
| TANF | Temporary Assistance for Needy Families |
| TBI | Traumatic Brain Injury |
| TBOSS | Therapeutic Behavioral On Site Services |
| 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”) |
| 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 |
| Tx | Treatment |
| UA | Urine Analysis / urninalysis (drug testing) |
| UCCJEA | Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act |
| UFC | Unified Family Courts |
| UHS | Unified Home Study |
| 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 |
| VC | Victim Child |
| VI | Visually Impaired |
| VPK | Voluntary PreKindergarten Education (administered by local Early Learning Coalitions – ELC) |
| VPS | Voluntary Protective Services |
| WIC | Women, Infants & Children Program |
| WWK | Wendy’s Wonderful Kids |
| XIX (Title XIX) | Portion of the Social Security Act that establishes Medicaid as well as related funding and regularions |
| 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) |
