DCF Toolbox

To save time many agencies use acronyms and abbreviations on reports and other documents, while this saves time for people familiar with these handy short cuts, they be somewhat confusing for anyone seeing them for the first time. The acronyms listed below are commonly used by DCF and are listed in alphabetical order.

AA – Adoption Assistance
ABA – Applied Behavior Analyst
ABC Unit – Acute Behavioral Crisis Unit at Mt Sinai Hospital
ABLE – Adult Basic and Literacy Education
ACR – Administrative Case Review
AAG – Assistant Attorney General
ABH – Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc.
ACF – Administration for Children and Families (Federal)
AD – Area Director
ADA – American’s with Disabilities Act
ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
AFCAMP – African, Caribbean, and American Parents of Children with Disabilities
AG – Attorney General
AIC – Alternative Incarceration Center
AO – Area Office
AOSW – Area Office Social Worker
APHSA – American Public Human Services Association
APPLA – Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement
APS – Adult Protective Services
ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASFA – Adoption and Safe Families Act
ASO – Administrative Service Organization
B23 – Birth to Three
Beacon – Beacon Health Options
BEA – Bureau of External Affairs
BHP – Behavioral Health Partnership
BIP – Behavior Intervention Plan
BLS – Bureau of Labor Statistics
BOR – Board of Regents (Education)
BSF – Building Stronger Families
CA – Case Aide
CAFAF – Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families
CAN – Connecticut Association of Non-profits
CAN Codes – Child Abuse and Neglect Codes for LINK reporting
CAPTA – Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
CARA – Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act
CARES – Child and Adolescent Rapid Emergency System
CASAC – Connecticut State Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Coordination Project
CBHAC – Children’s Behavioral Health Advisory Council
CBITS – Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools
CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CCMC-IPC – Connecticut Children’s Medical Center-Injury Prevention Center
CCPA – Connecticut Community Providers Association
CDHI – Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired
CDl – Commercial Drivers license
CHIPS – Children’s Hospital Inpatient Psychiatric Services
CHDI – Children’s Health Development Institutive
CHOICE – Children’s Homes Offering Individualized Cooperative Environment
CFSR – Child and Family Service Review
CHAP – Community Housing Assistance Program
CHEER – Community, Housing, Educational and Enrichment Resources Program
CIP – Children in Placement
CJR – Connecticut Junior Republic
CJTS – Connecticut Juvenile Training School
CLOC – Children’s League of Connecticut
CMCU – Centralized Medication Consent Unit
CO – Central Office (505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT 06106)
CONCEPT – Connecticut Collaboration on Effective practices for Trauma
COSP – Circle of Security Parenting
CPA – Child Placing Agency
CPI – Confidential Personal Information
CPHS – Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS) of Biomedical and Behavioral and Statistical Research
CPP – Child and Parent Psychotherapy
CPS – Child Protective Services
CPT – Child Placement Team
CREC – Capital Region Education Council
CR-CFT – Considered Removal – Child and Family Teaming
CSC – Children’s Services Consultant
CSEA – Child Support Enforcement Agency
CSEC – Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
CSHCN – Children with Special Health Care Needs
CSSD – Court Support Services Division (Judicial Branch)
CST – Caregiver Support Team
CTBHP – Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership
CTJJA – Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance
CWLA – Child Welfare League of America
CY – Calendar Year
CYSA – Connecticut Youth Services Association
CYSPI – CT Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative
DART – Detection Assessment Research & Treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital
DAS – Department of Administrative Services
DBT – Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DCF – Department of Children and Families
DDS – Department of Developmental Services
DMHAS – Department of Mental Health and Addition Services
DMHAS-YAS – Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services – Young Adult Services
DMST – Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
DOB – Date of Birth
DOC – Department of Correction
DOH – Department of Housing
DOL – Department of Labor
DPH – Department of Public Health
DR – Differential Response
DRS – Differential Response System
DSM – Diagnostic Service Manual
DSS – Department of Social Services
ECCP – Early Childhood Consultation Partnership
EAP – Employee Assistance Program
EBP – Evidence-Based Practice
EBT – Evidence-Based Treatment
EBT – Electronic Benefit Transfer
ED – Emergency Departments (at hospitals)
EDT – Extended Day Treatment
EEO – Equal Employment Opportunities
EEOC – Equal Employment Opportunities Commission
EIP – Early Intervention Program
EITC – Earned Income Tax Credit
EPSDT – Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment
ESL – English as a Second Language
FAED/FASD – Fetal Alcohol Effect / Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
FAR – Family Assessment Response
FASU – Foster and Adoptive Services Unit
FAVOR – Family Advocacy for Children’s Behavioral Health
FBA – Functional Behavior Analysis
FBR – Family Based Recovery
FCT – Family and Community Ties
FIT – Family Intensive Therapy (Waterford Country School Program)
FFPSA – Family First Prevention Services Act
FFT – Functional Family Therapy
FFY – Federal Fiscal Year
FPL – Federal Poverty Level
FSATS – Family Substance Abuse Treatment Services
FSE – Family Search and Engagement
FSP – Family Stability Project
FST – Family Support Teams
FT – Full Time
FTI – Federal Tax Information
FWSN – Family With Service Needs
FY – Fiscal Year
FYI – Foster Youth to Independence (Federal Waiver)
GA – General Assembly
GAFS – Global Assessment Functioning Scale
GAIN – Global Appraisal for Individual Needs
GAL – Guardian Ad Litem
GED – General Educational Development
GID – Gender Identity Dysphoria
GSD – Gender and Sexual Diversity (an alternative to: LGBTQQIAA)
HART – Human Anti-trafficking Response Team
HB – House Bill
HHS – Department of Health and Human Services (Federal)
HR – Human Resources
HUD – Housing and Urban Development (Federal)
HYP – Hartford Youth Project
IAC – Interagency Client Planning
ICFSS – Intensive Community Family Support Service Programs
ICO – Interstate Compact Office
ICJ – Interstate Compact on Juveniles
ICMH – Interstate Compact on Mental Health
ICPC – Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children
ID – Intellectual Disability
IEP – Individualized Education Program
IFP – Intensive Family Preservation
IFSS – Intensive Family Support Services
IICAMA – Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance
IICAPS – Intensive In-home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services
IOP – Intensive Out Patient
IPV – Intimate Partner Violence
IPV-FAIR – Intimate Partner Violence-Family Assessment Intervention Response
IS/MIS – Information Systems/Management Information Systems
ITC – Immediate Temp. Custody – Probate Court
IS – Information Systems
IV-E – Title IV-E of the Federal Social Security Act
JJ – Juvenile Justice
JJPOC – Juvenile Jurisdiction Policy and Operations Coordinating Council
JJPIC – Juvenile Jurisdiction Planning and Implementation Committee
LD – Learning Disabled
LEA – Local Education Agency
LEP – Limited English proficiency
LGBTTQQIAAP (or LGBT, LGBTQ, etc.) – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two Spirit, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Allies and Pansexual
Manson – Manson Youth Correctional Institution
MATCH – Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma or Conduct Problems
MBE – Minority Business Enterprise
MCIS – Mobile Crisis Intervention Services
MDFT – Multi-Dimensional Family Therapy
MEPA – Multi Ethnic Placement Act
MET – Motivation Enhancement Therapy
MIT – Multidisciplinary Investigation Team
MSS – Managed Service System
MST – Multi-Systemic Therapy
MST-BSF – Multi Systemic Treatment-Building Stronger Families
MST-FIT – Multi-Systemic Therapy – Family Intensive Therapy
MST-IPV – Multi Systemic Treatment-Intimate Partner Violence
MST-PSB – Multi-systemic Therapy – Problem Sexual Behavior
MYI – Manson Youth Correctional Institution
NAMI-CT – National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Connecticut
NCSEA – National Child Support Enforcement Association
OA – Office Assistant
OCA – Office of the Child Advocate
OEC – Office of Early Childhood
OFAS – Office of Foster and Adoption Services
OOS – Out of State
OPCC – Outpatient Psychiatric Clinics for Children
OPM – Office of Policy and Management
OPP – Our Piece of Pie Program
OTC – Order of Temporary Custody
PASS – Preparing Adolescents for Self-Sufficiency Group Home
PATH – Parents Available to Help
PD – Program Director
PDCs – Permanency Diagnostic Centers
PEAS – Parent Education and Assessment Child Services
PFC – Professional Foster Care
PIP – Program Improvement Plans
PHP – Partial Hospitalization Program
PIP – Preschool Intervention Program
PM – Program Manager
PMAC – Psychotropic Medication Advisory Committee
PMI – Psychotropic Medication Information
PO – Probation Officer
POSC – Plan of Safe Care
PPSP – Permanency Placement Services Program (Policy Chapter 48-22-2)
PPT – Permanency Planning Team
PPT – Pupil Placement Team
PRT – Placement Review Team
PRTFs – Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities
PS – Program Supervisor/Protective Supervision
PSS – Parenting Support Services
PT – Permanency Teaming
PT – Part Time
PWDCA – Parents with Differing Cognitive Abilities
PY – Program Year
PYDI – Positive Youth Development Initiative
QA – Quality Assurance
QC – Quality Control
RA – Regional Administrator
RBA – Results Based Accountability
RBT – Reinforcement Based Therapy
RFP – Request for Proposal
RJW – Racial Justice Workgroup
ROM – Results Oriented Management
RRG – Regional Resource Group
RTA CT – Raise the Age Connecticut
RTC – Residential Treatment Center
SAC – State Advisory Council
SACS – Sexual Assault Crisis Services
SAFAR – Substance-Abusing Families at Risk
SB – Senate Bill
SCAN – Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect – clinic at CCMC
SCJM – Superior Court for Juvenile Matters
SDE – State Department of Education
SED – Serious Emotional Disturbance
SEI – Substance Exposed Infant
SFY – State Fiscal Year
SHF – Supportive Housing for Families
SHP – Safe Harbor Project
SIU – Special Investigations Unit
SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SSA – Social Security Administration
SSI – Social Security Income
SSN – Social Security Number
SRJW – Statewide Racial Justice Workgroup
STAR Home – Short-Term Assessment and Respite Home
STEP – Support Team for Educational Progress
SU – Substance Use
SUD – Substance Use Diagnosis
SW – Social Worker
SWCA – Social Work Case Aide
SWET – Supportive Work, Education and Transition Program
SWS – Social Work Supervisor
SWT – Social Worker Trainee
TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TDM – Team Decision Making
TFC – Therapeutic Foster Care
TF-CBT – Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy
TFH – Therapeutic Foster Home
TIPS-MAPP Training – Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting.
TI-TCC – Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Child Care
TOG – Transfer of Guardianship
TOPS – Time Out for Parents
TPC – Treatment Planning Conference
TPR – Termination of Parental Rights
TRHAP – Temporary Rental Housing Assistance Program
TSS – Therapeutic Support Staff
TSS – Transitional Support and Success
TPR – Termination of Parental Rights
UC – Unemployment Compensation
UI – Unemployment Insurance
USD2 – Unified School District 2
USDA – United States Department of Agriculture
USDOL – United States Department of Labor
Voluntary – Voluntary Care Management (Beacon)
WATCH – Wraparound Services – Community Child Guidance Clinic
WEP – Work Experience Program
WIA – Workforce Investment Act
YAB – Youth Advisory Board
YCI – York Correctional Institution
YIC – Youth In Crisis
YPP – Youth Parents Program
YSAB – Youth Suicide Advisory Board
YSB – Youth Service Bureau
YSO – Youth Services Officer