Glossary

Welcome to our glossary. We know how hard it can be to navigate all of the technical terms and abbreviations related to special care needs. Some people compare it to a bowl of alphabet soup. That’s why we’ve put together a list of common words and phrases associated with children and youth with special health care needs.

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Term Definition
504 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 This national law protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. Section 504 forbids organizations and employers from excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services. It defines the rights of individuals with disabilities to participate in and have access to program benefits and services. This is for students.
AAC Augmentative and Alternative Communication Augmentative means to add to someone’s speech. Alternative means to be used instead of speech. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. Children and adults with severe speech or language problems may need to find other ways to communicate besides talking. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can help.
ABA Applied Behavioral Analysis Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. ABA therapy applies our understanding of how behavior works in real situations. The goal is to increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful or affect learning. It uses scientific and systematic processes to help influence an individual’s behavior.
ADA American with Disabilities Act of 1990 This federal law protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities in many areas of public life.
ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often extends into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention or controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be) and may be overly active.
AIS Academic Intervention Services
APE Adapted Physical Education Adapted Physical Education (APE) is physical education that has been modified so that it is appropriate for students with disabilities. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) should receive effective physical education services.
APR Annual Performance Report
Arc The Arc (formerly Association for Retarded Citizens)
ASD Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Individuals with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.
AT Assistive Technology (including devices and services) Any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities is considered Assistive Technology (AT).
BEI Bureau of Early Intervention at the New York State Department of Health
BIP Behavioral Intervention Plan A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is a formal, written plan that teaches and rewards good behavior. The purpose is to prevent or stop misbehavior. The BIP should describe how antecedents that trigger the interfering behavior will be addressed and how new skills and replacement behaviors will be taught and reinforced.
CAH Care at Home Waiver
CAPTA Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
CBVH Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped
CCF NYS Council on Children and Families
CCH Center for Community Health at the NYS Department of Health
CCR&R Child Care Resource and Referral Services
CDOS Career Development and Occupational Studies Commencement Credential
CDRC Community Dispute Resolution Center
CF Child Find
CHC Community Health Care Center
CHHA Certified Home Health Agency
CHIP Child Health Improvement Program
CHP Child Health Plus
CM Case Management
CMCM Comprehensive Medicaid Case Management
CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
COTA Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
CPG Clinical Practice Guidelines
CPS Child Protective Services
CPSE Committee on Preschool Special Education (3-5 years)
CPSE Committee on Preschool Special Education
CQCAPD Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (formerly Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled)
CSE Committee on Special Education (5-21 years)
CSE Committee on Special Education
CSHCN Children with Special Health Care Needs
CSPD Comprehensive System of Personnel Development
CTE Career and Technical Education Career and Technical Education (CTE) includes courses and programs designed to prepare students for careers in current or emerging professions. At the high school level, CTE provides students with opportunities to explore a career theme of interest while learning a set of technical and employability skills that integrate into or complement their academic studies.
D & TC Diagnostic and Treatment Center
DD Developmental Disability
DDPC Developmental Disability Planning Council
DDSO Developmental Disabilities Services Office (OPWDD)
DFA NYS Department of Family Assistance (formerly NYS Dept. of Social Services)
DHH Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing An individual who has hearing loss, aided or unaided, that impacts the processing of linguistic information and adversely affects performance in the educational environment is considered deaf or hard-of-hearing. The degree of loss may range from mild to profound.
DME Durable Medical Equipment
DOE Department of Education
DP Due Process Due process is the formal way to resolve disputes with a school about your special education. As it applies to special education, due process includes the legal procedures and requirements developed to protect the rights of children, parents, and school districts.
ECDC Early Childhood Direction Centers
ECO Early Childhood Outcome Center
ED Emotional Disturbance Emotional Disturbance (ED) is a condition that impacts a person's ability to effectively recognize, interpret, control, and express fundamental emotions. This condition adversely affects a child's educational performance.
EHDI Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
EHS Early Head Start
EI Early Intervention
EICC Early Intervention Coordinating Council
EIM Early Intervention Manager
EIO Early Intervention Official
EIO/D Early Intervention Official/Designee
EL English Learner English Learner is a term to describe an individual who is learning the English language and has a native language that is not English.
ELL English Language Learner
EOB Explanation of Benefits
EPSDT Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
ESSA Every Student Succeeds Act Signed into law in 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorizes the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and long-standing commitment to equal opportunity for all students. The previous version of ESEA was the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
ESY Extended School Year Special education and related services that are provided to students with disabilities beyond the normal school year is referred to as Extended School Year (ESY). The intent is to provide students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in accordance with the child's individualized education program (IEP) at no cost.
FAP Families as Partners
FAPE Free and Appropriate Public Education Students with disabilities have a legal right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Each qualified person with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person’s disability, is entitled to FAPE.
FAS Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
FASD Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
FBA Functional Behavior Assessment A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is an ongoing process of collecting information used to determine the function of target behaviors and the factors that maintain it. The information is used to design an intervention that will help the student learn a new, more acceptable method of getting what they want.
FC Foster Care
FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act This federal law protects the privacy rights of students and their families. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records.
FM Fine Motor (skills)
FOIL Freedom of Information Law
FSS Family Support Services
GM Gross Motor (skills)
HCBS Home and Community-Based Waiver Program
HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HMO Health Maintenance Organization
HPN Health Provider Network
HR Home Relief
HRSA Health Resources and Services Administration (Federal)
ICHAP Infant-Child Health Assessment Program, now Child Find
ICT Integrated Co-Teaching
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that ensures students with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that is tailored to their individual needs.
IEP Individualized Education Program An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written plan developed for a student identified with a disability by a team of education professionals, the parent/guardian, and the child (when appropriate) that describes the special education instruction, supports, and services a student needs to receive free appropriate public education (FAPE).
IFSP Individualized Family Service Plan An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a written plan developed by a team of education professionals and a child's family to obtain special education services for young children aged 0–3 years within U.S. public schools. The plan includes early intervention services that will best help reach agreed-upon outcomes and describes when, where, and how those services will be delivered.
IHO Impartial Hearing Officer
ISC Initial Service Coordinator
ITCA Infant Toddler Coordinator Association
LBW Low Birth Weight
LD Learning Disability
LDSS Local Department of Social Services
LEA Local Educational Agency A Local Educational Agency (LEA) means a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a state for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a state, or for a combination of school districts or counties as are recognized in a state as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools.
LEICC Local Early Intervention Coordinating Council
LRE Least Restrictive Environment Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is the placement in which a student is educated alongside students without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate. The general education classroom is the presumed LRE and removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of a child's disability is such that education in regular classes, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
LTCC Long Term Care Council
MAP Medicaid Assistance Program
MCHB Maternal and Child Health Bureau
MDE Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation
MDR Manifestation Determination Review
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
NBHS Newborn Hearing Screening
NCSEAM National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring
NE Natural Environments
NICHQ National Initiative for Child Healthcare Quality
NICU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
NPI National Provider Identifier
NYEIS New York Early Intervention System- data collection system
NYSAC New York State Association of Counties
NYSACHO New York State Association of County Health Organizations
NYSDOH New York State Department of Health
NYSDRA New York State Dispute Resolution Association
NYSPHL New York State Public Health Law
OASAS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS)
OCD Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviors.
OCFS Office of Children and Family Services (NYS)
OCR Office for Civil Rights The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces several federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. The OCR mission is to ensure equal access to education and promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights.
ODD Oppositional Defiant Disorder Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a behavioral disorder in childhood marked by defiant, hostile, and disobedient behavior to authority figures.
OHI Other Health Impairment Other Health Impairment (OHI) is a disability category defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that characterizes those who have limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment. Common health problems that are examples of OHI can include asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome.
OHIP Office of Health Insurance Programs (NYSDOH)
OMB U.S. Office of Management and Budget
OMH Office of Mental Health (NYS)
OMIG Office of Medicaid Inspector General (NYS)
OPT Office of Pupil Transportation
OPWDD Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (NYS)
OSC Ongoing Service Coordinator
OSEP Office of Special Education Programs The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), located within the U.S. Department of Education, administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
OSERS Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) provides a wide array of supports to parents, individuals, school districts, and states in two main areas—special education and vocational rehabilitation.
OT Occupational Therapy A form of therapy for those recuperating from physical or mental illness that encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life
OTDA Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (NYS)
P & A Protection and Advocacy Program
PA Public Assistance
Part C Section of IDEA pertaining to children from birth to 3 years of age
PBIS Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, three-tiered framework to improve and integrate all of the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes every day.
PCAP Prenatal Care Assistance Program
PCP Primary Care Provider (Physician)
PDD Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Autism Spectrum)
PHCP Physically Handicapped Children's Program (Birth-21 years of age) NYSDOH
PHL Public Health Law
PICECP Permanent Interagency Committee on Early Childhood Programs
PL Public Law
PLAAFP Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (also known as Present Level of Educational Performance (PLEP); Present Level of Performance (PLOP)) Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) describes a student's skills and abilities based on their initial special education evaluation.
PPN Prenatal and Perinatal Networks
PRC Pediatric Resource Center
PT Physical Therapy Physical Therapy (PT) is the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods, such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than by drugs or surgery.
PTA Physical Therapy Assistant
PTI Parent Training and Information Center
PTSD Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress that occurs as a result of injury or severe psychological shock, typically involving disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recall of the experience, with dulled responses to others and the outside world.
PWR Prior Written Notice Prior Written Notice (PWN) must be provided to parents/guardians within a reasonable time frame before the district proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a student or the provision of free appropriate public education (FAPE) to a student.
QA Quality Assurance
QI Quality Improvement
RCT Regents Competency Test
RSA Related Services Authorization
RTI Response to Intervention Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavioral needs.
SACC Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential
SBST School Based Support Team
SCHIP State Child Health Insurance Program
SCR State Central Registry
SEA State Educational Agency A State Educational Agency (SEA) is primarily responsible for the supervision of a state’s public elementary and secondary schools.
SED State Education Department
SEL Social and Emotional Learning Social and emotional learning (SEL) is defined as the process of developing self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for success in school, work, and life.
SETRC Special Education Training and Resource Center
SETSS Special Education Teacher Support Services
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SID State Insurance Department
SISP Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) are individuals who work with teachers, school support staff, parents/guardians, community members, and other education stakeholders to help students remove learning barriers while examining their individual strengths, talents, interests, and insecurities. SISP includes school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other qualified professional personnel, such as school nurses, speech-language pathologists, and school librarians.
SLD Specific Learning Disability Specific Learning Disability (SLD) means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. An SLD does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
SLP Speech-Language Pathologist Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are professionals who address a broad range of physical and cognitive communication disorders, including issues with articulation, stuttering, word finding, semantics, syntax, phonics, vocalization, and swallowing.
SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NYSDOH)
SPED Special Education Special Education (SPED) is the practice of educating students, at no cost to the parents, in a way that accommodates their individual differences, disabilities, and special needs. This involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials, and accessible settings.
SPP State Performance Plan
SSA Social Security Administration (Federal)
SSI Supplemental Security Income
SW Social Work
TBI Traumatic Brain Injury A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a form of acquired brain injury, which occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain.
TCM Targeted Case Management
TRAID Technology Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities (NYS)
TSHH Teacher of the Speech and Hearing Handicapped
TVI Teacher of the Visually Impaired
UDL Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, that guides the development of flexible learning environments and learning spaces that can accommodate individual learning differences.
VESID Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (NYS)
VI Visually Impaired Visually impaired is defined as an impairment in which a person's eyesight cannot be corrected to a “normal” level. Visual impairment may be caused by a loss of visual acuity, where the eye does not see objects as clearly as usual.
WIC Women, Infant and Children (NYSDOH Supplemental Food Program)
WMS Welfare Management System

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