Acronyms AAG
Assistant Attorney General
An attorney who represents DCS (CPS) in juvenile dependency cases. ADES
Arizona Department of Economic Security www.azdes.gov
The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is a government agency of the State of Arizona, providing a variety of social support services to Arizona residents. Program divisions include:
• Child Support Services • Aging and Adult Services • Benefits and Medical Eligibility
• Employment and Rehabilitation Services • Developmental Disabilities
ADD/ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
A chronic problem of not being able to focus, being overactive, not being able control behavior, or a combination of these.
ADHS
Arizona Department of Health Services
Programs and services include Education, Community Health, Safety, Prevention and Health Preparedness, Licensing and Certification, Mental/Behavioral Health, Vital Records, and Health Data and Evaluation. More information is available at http://azdhs.gov
ADJC
Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections
The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) is responsible for all juveniles
adjudicated as delinquent and committed to its jurisdiction by the county juvenile courts. “Dually Adjudicated” youth are youth who have been adjudicated delinquent and are wards of the state (foster care).
Adoption – Adoption is the legal transfer of all parenting rights and responsibilities from the original parent to a new parent. Adoption extends throughout lifetime. Adoptive parents have all the rights of birth parents.
AFFCF
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation www.affcf.org
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation
Provides funding for social, athletic and educational opportunities for children in foster care that are not funded in any other way.
AG
Attorney General
Represents and provides legal advice to most State agencies including the Department of Child Safety (DCS).
AHCCCS
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
AHCCS is th state Medicaid program. There are four health insurance programs under AHCCCS:
• Medicaid - for adults and children with limited income.
• KidsCare* - for children under age 19 who are uninsured and have income higher than the Medicaid limit.
• Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS)* - for adults and children who need long term care services like services provided by a nursing home. Services may be provided in the person's own home.
• Medicare Cost Sharing*- for adults and children who have or could have Medicare. APM
Assistant Program Manager
Each DCS office has an Assistant Program Manager. Your DCS Specialist reports to the DCS Unit Supervisor, who reports to the Assistant Program Manager. The Assistant Program Manager reports to the Program manager.
DCS Child Protective Sevices Specialist CPSUS CPS Unit Supervisor
APM Assistant Program Manager DPM Deputy Program Manager
PM Program Manager
ARS
Arizona Revised Statutes
Laws of the state of Arizona. Many ‘statutes’ define how DCS must work with children, biological families and foster care providers.
AZAFAP
Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents www.azafap.org
All volunteer group comprised of foster, adoptive and kinship families. AZAFAP mission is support, empower and educate the state’s foster, adoptive and kinship parents.
AzEIP
Arizona Early Intervention Program www.azdes.gov/azeip
Statewide, interagency system of supports and services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families
CAP
Corrective Action Plan
Written corrective plan which describes the steps a foster family must take to remedy licensing violations within a specific period of time. If a licensing complaint leads to a CAP, the CAP is not appealable by the foster parent.
CASA
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Trained volunteer appointed by a judge to speak up for children in foster care in court. CCR&R
Child Care Resource and Referral http://www.arizonachildcare.org
Provides assistance to families seeking child care and to child care providers at no charge CDH
Child Developmental Home
Foster home for a child with a developmental disability. Licensed by the Department of Develomental Diabilities.
CFT
Child & Family Team
Behavioral health practice for children in foster care in the behavioral health system. A defined group of people is invited to participate by the child and family including, at a minimum, the child and his/her family, a behavioral health representative, and any individuals important in the child’s life. This may include, for example, physical health provider, teachers, extended family, members, friends, family support partners, healthcare providers, coaches, community resource providers, representatives from churches, synagogues or mosques, agent from other service systems like CPS or DDD
CIT
Crisis Intervention Team
Crisis intervention services provided by a mobile team or individual who travels to the place where the person is experiencing the crisis (e.g., person’s place of residence, emergency room, jail, community setting) to: • Stabilize acute psychiatric or behavioral symptoms; • Evaluate treatment needs; and • Develop plans to meet the needs of the persons served. Depending on the situation, the person may be transported to a more appropriate facility for further care (e.g., a crisis services center).
CMDP
Comprehensive Medical & Dental Program
State health plan which covers medical, dental, and vision care and prescriptions for foster children.
CP
Case Plan
Every child and family receiving ongoing services from DCYF has an individualized family centered case plan. The family centered case plan includes the following components:
Permanency Goal for the child, and expected date of achievement; Risk areas; Safety Threats; Children’s Needs; and Characteristics of out of home placement for each child. DCS
encourages the participation of parents, children age 12 and older, out-of-home care providers and when appropriate, extended family members in the case planning process.
DCS
Arizona Department of Child Safety
The Arizona Department of Child Safety is the state’s child welfare organization charged with achieving safety, well being and permanency for children, youth and families.
DCSE
Division of Child Support & Enforcement
Child Support Services program is a federal/state/local program that collects child support from parents who are legally obligated to pay.
DDD
Division of Developmental Disabilities www.azdes.gov/ddd/about.asp
Division of the Arizona Department of Economic Security that provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families.
DPM Deputy Program Manager
EPSDT Early & Periodic Screening & Diagnosis & Treatment FAE
Fetal Alcohol Effect
Disorder associated with cognitive and behavioral difficulties in children whose birth mothers drank alcohol during her pregnancy
FAS
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Birth defects and serious, life-long mental and emotional impairments that result from a woman's heavy alcohol consumption during her pregnancy
FC
Foster Child(ren)
Child removed from a parent and taken into state custody FCC
Fingerprint Clearance Card
Licensed foster parents are required to have a Level 1 Fingerprint Card FCRB
Foster Care Review Board
Board of volunteers that advises court on progress toward achieving a permanent home for a child or children involved in a dependency action and in an out-of-home placement
FGDM
Family Group Decision Making
Meeting where family members come together to make decisions about caring for their children and to develop a plan for services
FTT
Failure To Thrive
Diagnosis when a child’s weight or rate of weight gain is significantly below that of other children of similar age and gender
GAL
Guardian Ad Litem
An attorney appointed by the court to represent the best interest of the child GED
General Education Diploma
A credential earned by passing a test that's commonly considered equivalent to a high school diploma
ICM Intensive Case Manager ICPC
Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children
Rules and process to ensure protection of and services for children who are placed across state lines for foster care and adoption.
ICWA
Indian Child Welfare Act
Federal law governing American Indian children removed from home due to abuse or neglect which seeks to keep these children in American Indian families
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Federal law which governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities
IEP Individual Education Plan/Program IL Independent Living
ILS Independent Living Skills JPO Juvenile Probation Officer
Legal guardianship – A guardian is a person appointed by the court to provide for the needs of a child, youth, or young adult and protect his or her interests until he or she reaches adulthood. The guardian’s rights are limited.
LTFC
Long Term Foster Care
Case plan for child to remain in foster care until age 18 OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OLR
Office of Licensing and Regulation
State agency which issues licenses and certification to foster homes, group homes, and emergency shelters
OOH Out Of Home PCP
Primary Care Physician
Pediatrician or family practitioner selected for child PIP
Provider Indemnity Program
State insurance program which provides liability coverage for foster parents for acts of a foster child that result in damage to their property or to third parties
Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (long term foster care) – A planned permanent living arrangement is a temporary placement which may be ended at any time by the foster parent, social worker or court. Foster parents have limited rights to make plans and decisions on behalf of children and youth in their care.
PPH
Preliminary Protective Hearing
Initial court hearing; hearing held 5-7 days after the initial removal of the children from home PPC
Preliminary Protective Conference
Meeting held outside presence of the judge with parents, attorneys, CPS case manager, and court facilitator to attempt to reach agreements and discuss services prior to preliminary protective hearing
PPH
Permanency Planning Hearing
Court hearing where the long-term placement plan for children is discussed and the case plan may be changed; hearing held 10-12 months after the initial removal of the children from home PS-MAPP
Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting Thirty hour, state required training course required for all individuals wanting to become licensed as a foster parent.
PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Mental health condition caused by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or terrifying event RAD
Reactive Attachment Disorder
Condition in which an infant or young child doesn't establish healthy emotional attachments with parents or caregivers
RBHA
Regional Behavioral Health Authority
Designated agency contracted by the state to coordinate and manage publicly funded behavioral health services for children, adults and their families within a given county R&R
Report and Review Hearing
Hearing required by law at least every six months to inquire about the status of the children and the compliance of the parents with services
RRT
Rapid Response Team RTC
Residential Treatment Center
Lockdown facility which provides 24-hour supervision and nursing care for children as well as a school for children who need a higher level of behavioral health care.
SEN
Substance Exposed Newborn
Baby who experienced prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and/or illicit drugs SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation is conducted
SMI Seriously Mental Ill
SP2 Special 2 Foster Care Rate SP3 Special 3 Foster Care Rate SSI
Supplemental Security Income
A Federal income supplement designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people with little to no income
TANF
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
A Federal program designed to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency TCA
Tribal Customary Adoption – TCA is a special form of adoption available to Native American families as recommended by the tribe. TCA does not require termination of parental rights, but instead establishes new roles and expectations for adoptive and birth parents.
TCN
Temporary Custody Notice
TDM
Team Decision Making
Meeting to discuss, with the parents and other family members, the options available regarding children taken into state custody
TGH
