Appendix B: Common Abbreviations and Acronyms
Acronym |
Description |
AAL |
Attorney Ad Litem |
ACTS |
Worker – Aftercare Transitioning Services (through Lifeworks) |
ACYF |
Administration of Children, Youth and Families – Division of US Health and Human Services |
ADA |
Assistant District Attorney |
ADHD |
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder |
ADO |
Adoption Worker |
AG |
Attorney General |
AHT |
Abusive Head Trauma, including Shaken Baby Syndrome |
AOP |
Acknowledgment of Paternity |
APS |
Adult Protection Services |
ARD |
Admission Review and Dismissal |
BIA |
Bureau of Indian Affairs |
BVS/VSU |
Bureau of Vital Statistics (Vital Statistics Unit) |
CAC |
Child Advocacy Center |
CAPTA |
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act |
CAS |
Child Advocacy Specialist |
CASA |
Court Appointed Special Advocate |
CCEJ |
Court of Continuing and Exclusive Jurisdiction |
CDIB |
Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood |
CFRC |
Child Fatality Review Committee |
COS |
“Circle of Support” Meeting or “Court Ordered Services” |
CPA |
Child Placing Agency |
CPC |
Child Protection Court |
CPS |
Child Protective Services |
CPSHB |
Child Protective Services Handbook |
CPU |
Child Placement Unit |
CRCG |
Community Resource Coordination Group |
CRP |
Community Reintegration Project |
CVS |
Conservatorship Worker/Unit |
CWB |
Child Welfare Board |
DADS |
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services |
DEIC |
Designated Emergency Infant Care (Baby Moses Locations) |
DFPS |
Department of Family and Protective Services |
DIF |
Desarollo Integral de Ia Familia |
DNR |
Do not resuscitate order |
DSHS |
Texas Department of State Health Services |
DSM-V |
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders |
ED |
Emotional Disturbance |
FA |
Father |
FAS/FASD |
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Stress Disorder |
FBSS |
Family Based Safety Services |
FGC/FGDM |
Family Group Conference or Family Group Decision Making |
FP |
Foster Parents |
FTM |
Family Team Meeting |
FTT |
Failure to Thrive |
GAL |
Guardian ad Litem |
HHS |
Health and Human Services |
HHSC |
Texas Health and Human Services Commission(umbrella agency over DFPS) |
HSEGH |
Health, Social, Educational and Genetic History |
ICAMA |
interstate Compact on Adoption & Medical Assistance |
ICARA |
International Child Abduction Remedies Act |
ICPC |
Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children |
ICWA |
Indian Child Welfare Act |
IDEA |
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act |
IEP |
Individualized Education Plan |
ISP |
Individualized Service Plan (treatment meeting) |
IV-B IV-E |
Titles IV B and E of the Social Security Act |
JMC |
Joint Managing Conservatorship |
JPO |
Juvenile Probation Officer |
LD |
Learning Disabled |
LOC |
Level of Care |
lOP |
Intensive Outpatient |
MEPA |
Multi-Ethnic Placement Act |
MEPA-IEP |
Multi-ethnic Placement Act, as amended by the Interethnic Adoption Act |
MGF |
Maternal Grandfather |
MGM |
Maternal Grandmother |
MHMR |
Former Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation |
MO |
Mother |
MSA |
Mediated Settlement Agreement |
MSP |
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy |
NCIC |
National Crime Identification Center (source of criminal background checks) |
NOS |
Not Otherwise Specified |
NSUP |
Neglectful Supervision |
OAG |
Office of Attorney General |
PAL |
Preparation For Adult Living |
PC |
Permanency Conference |
PGF |
Paternal Grandfather |
PGM |
Paternal Grandmother |
PHAB |
Physical Abuse |
PKPA |
Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act |
PMC |
Permanent Managing Conservatorship |
PO |
Parole Officer |
R/0 |
Ruled Out |
RAD |
Reactive Attachment Disorder |
RAPR |
Refusal to Accept Parental Responsibility |
RSDI |
Retirement, Survivor and Disability Insurance (Social Security benefit) |
RTB |
Reason To Believe |
RTC |
Residential Treatment Center |
SANE |
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner |
SAPCR |
Suit Affecting the Parent/Child Relationship (a.k.a Original Petition) |
SBS |
Shaken Baby Syndrome aka Abusive Head Trauma |
SIDS |
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome |
SIJS |
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status |
SSI |
Supplemental Security Income (Social Security benefit for a disabled person) |
SWI |
Statewide Intake |
SXAB |
Sexual Abuse |
TAC |
Texas Administrative Code |
TANF |
Temporary Aid for Needy Families |
Title IV-E |
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act |
TMC |
Temporary Managing Conservatorship |
TPR |
Treatment Plan Review |
TPR |
Termination of Parental Rights |
UCCJEA |
Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act |
UTD |
Unable To Determine |
YFT |
Youth For Tomorrow |
“I justified it by saying “I’m just doing what was done to me.”
– Parent Collaboration Group Parent Liaisons