Commonly Used Acronyms
504	Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
619	Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (3 through 5 year olds)
A & R	Advocacy and referral
AC	Augmentative Communication
AC	Attendant Care
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
ADD/ADHD	Attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
AE	Age Equivalent
AFH	Adult Family Home
APS	Adult Protective Services
Arc	Formerly ARC - Association for Retarded Citizens, now Advocates for the Rights of Citizens with Developmental Disabilities and their Families
ASD	Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASL	American Sign Language
ASW	Autism Society of Washington
BD	Behavior disability or disorder
CA	Chronological Age
CA	Community Access
CAP	Community Alternatives Program
CCF	Congregate Care Facility
CCR&R	Child Care Resource and Referral
CCSHCN	Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA
CD	Communication disordered
CDRC	Childhood Development Research Center at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland
CDS	Communication disorder specialist (speech)
CEC	Council for Exceptional Children
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations (also written as C.F.R.)
CHDD	Center on Human Development and Disability at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA
CHRMC	Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA
COTA	Certified Occupational Therapy Aide
CP	Cerebral Palsy
CPS	Child Protective Services
CRSA	Community Residential Service Association
CSHCN	Children with Special Health Care Needs; most commonly used in reference to public health nursing programs
CSO	Community Service Office
CSO	Community Services Office (Medicaid)
CSPD	Comprehensive System of Personnel Development
DAC	Disabled Adult Child
DCFS	Division of Children and Family Services; a division of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in WA
DD	Developmental Delay or Developmental Delayed (in children); a child who has not reached 50% of the developmental milestones expected at his/her chronological age in one or more of the following areas of development:  physical, cognitive, language/communication, social/emotional and adaptive self-help.
DDC	Development Disabilities Council
DDD	Division of Developmental Disabilities
DOH	Department of Health; state agency responsible for health-related programs, includes Children with Special Health Care Needs and WIC
DSB	Department of Services for the Blind
DSD	Department of Services for the Deaf
DSHS	Department of Social and Health Services
DVR	Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
EBD	Emotional/behaviorally disabled
EDGAR	Education Department General Administrative Regulations
EEOO	Equal Employment Opportunity Office
EEU	Experimental Education Unit (Birth to 3)
EHA	Education for All Handicapped Children Act
EI	Early Intervention; a collection of services provided by public and private agencies and designed by law to support children's growth and development from birth until his/her 3rd birthday
ENT	Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist
EOB	Explanation of Benefits, used in reference to insurance benefits
EOCF	Education Opportunities for Children and Families
ESD	Educational Service District; composed of regional clusters of school districts which offer a variety of support services
FAE	Fetal Alcohol Effect
FAPE	Free and Appropriate Public Education
FAS	Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
FEPP	Family/Educator Partnership Project
FERPA	Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FHA	Federal Housing Association
FISP	Family Individual Service Plan
FOIL	Freedom of Information Law
FRC	Family Resource Coordinator; a service coordinator who assists a child's family in receiving the rights, safeguards and services that are authorized to be provided under federal law.
FRC	Family Resource Center (0-6)
FS	Family support
FTE	Full-time Equivalent
GAO	General Assistance Office
GAU	General Assistance Unemployable
GED	General Equivalency Diploma – High School
GEPA	General Education Provisions Act
GH	Group home
HB	House Bill
HHS	Health & Human Services (federal)
HIPPA	Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
HMHB	Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, a program of WIC
HMO	Health Maintenance Organization
HoH	Hard of Hearing
HRC	Human Rights Commission (state)
HUD	Housing and Urban Development
I&R	Information and Referral
ICC	Interagency Coordinating Council
ICFMR	Intermediate Care Facility – Mentally Retarded (institutions and some GH)
IDEA	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; a federal law that guarantees certain educational rights for all people, including those with disabilities.
IE	Individual employment
IEE	Independent Educational Evaluation
IEP	Individualized Education Plan; a written individualized plan for every student age 3-21 receiving special education services that indicates the special education and related services each student will receive, among other things.
IFSP	Individualized Family Service Plan; the written plan for providing early intervention and other services to eligible children and families.
IHP	Individual Habitation Plan
IRWE	Impairment related work expenses
ISP	Individual Service Plan
ITEIP	Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program in Washington State; contracts with local early intervention programs to coordinate services; includes Family Resource Coordinators.
ITP	Individual Transition Plan
ITS	Intensive Tenant Support (24 hour support)
IWRP	Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan
JRA	Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration
KCPC	King County Parent Coalition
LD/SLD	Learning disability/specific learning disability
LDA	Learning Disabilities Association
LEA	Local education agency
LEP	Limited English Proficient
LRE	Least Restrictive Environment
MAA	Medical Assistance Administration; state and federal health insurance program (also; Medicaid or MA)
MBD	Minimal brain dysfunction
MD	Muscular dystrophy
MMR	Mild mental retardation
MPC	Medicaid Personal Care
MR	Mental retardation; a diagnosis of below average intellectual functioning in two or more life areas (work, education, daily living, etc.)
MSSD	Multi-System Spectrum Disorder
NAEYC	National Association for the Education of Young Children
NASDSE	National Association of State Directors of Special Education
NECTAS	National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System
NI	Neurologically impaired
OCR	Office for Civil Rights
OHSU	Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, OR
OSEP	Office of Special Education Programs; state and federal education agency branch administering education funds for special education, related programs and early intervention services; part of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) within the Department of Education
OSERS	Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services within the Department of Education
OSPI	Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
OT	Occupational Therapy or Therapist
PAC	Parent Advisory Council
PASS	Plan to achieve self-sufficiency (social security)
PAVE	Parents are Vital in Education
PDD	Pervasive Developmental Disorder
PL	Public Law (also written as P.L.)
PRIDE for Kids	Parents Receiving Intensive Developmental Education for Kids
PT	Physical Therapy or Therapist
RCW	Revised Code of Washington
RFP	Request for Proposals
RHC	Residential Habilitation Center (institution)
RRC	Regional Resource Center
RSA	Rehabilitation Services Administration
SAFE	Schools are for Everyone
SB	Senate Bill
SBD	Severe Behavior Disorder
SD	Standard Deviation
SE	Supported Employment
SEA	State Educational Agency
SEAC	Special Education Advisory Council
SEPAC	Special Education Parent/Prof. Advisory Board
SETC	Special Education Technology Center
SI	Sensory Integration
SI	Specialized Industry
SLD	Specific language/learning disability
SLP	Speech-Language Pathology or Pathologist (Speech Therapist)
SOLA	State Operated Living Alternative
SOP	State-operated program
SpED	Special Education
SSA	Social Security Administration; federal agency that administers Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSDI	Social Security Disability Insurance
SSI	Supplemental Security Income
ST	Speech Therapy
TASH	The Association for Severely Handicapped
TBI	Traumatic brain injury
TS	Tenant Support
TTY	Telecommunication device for the deaf
TTY/TDD	Teletypewriter/Telecommunications Device for the Deaf
UAP	University Affiliated Program
UCP	United Cerebral Palsy
VDS	Vocational Development Services
VI	Visually Impaired
VRC	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
WAC	Washington Administrative Code (also written as W.A.C.)
WAEYC/NAEYC	Washington/National Association for the Education of Young Children
WAMI	Washington Advocates for the Mentally Ill
WANSAC	Washington Chapter of the National Society for Children and Adults with Autism
WASA	Washington Association of School Administrators
WaSHIF	Washington State Head Injury Foundation
WCCD	Washington Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
WCLD	Washington Council for Learning Disabilities
WEdNet	Washington Education Network
WIC	Women, Infants and Children Special Supplemental Nutrition Program; administered through the Department of Agriculture; administered by the Department of Health in WA
WPAS	Washington Protection and Advocacy System
WSD	Washington State School for the Deaf
WSSB	Washington State School for the Blind
WWW	World Wide Web