A collection of terms related to services for persons with disabilities.

adaptive behavior ~ a collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that people learn to function in everyday life, including but not limited to receptive and expressive language, reading and writing, interpersonal social skills, following rules, meal preparation, using the telephone and managing money; behavior that reflects the extent to which a person meets the standards of independence and social responsibility typically expected of his/her age and cultural group.

adaptive equipment ~ specialized equipment and technology designed to aid individuals with physical challenges; provides assistance with daily activities while enhancing quality of life; examples include but are not limited to wheelchair ramps, voice activated computers, shower chairs and eating utensils with special grips.

ADD ~ see Attention Deficit Disorder.

ADHD ~ see Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

advocacy organization ~ related to developmental disabilities, typically a non-profit group of and for people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families; devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for people with mental retardation and their families, and fostering research and education regarding the prevention of mental retardation in infants and young children.

advocate ~ an individual who supports and represents the rights and interests of another individual in order to ensure the individual’s full legal rights and access to services; functions as a representative for the best interests of another person.

American Sign Language (also ASL) ~ a complex visual-spatial language that is used by the deaf community in the United States and English-speaking parts of Canada; consists of a variety of hand gestures, facial expressions and mouth-lip movements.

ASL ~ see American Sign Language.

Asperger’s syndrome ~ a developmental disorder falling within the spectrum of autism; characterized by deficits in two-way social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and a reluctance to accept change, inflexibility of thought and all absorbing narrow areas of interest.  Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome usually possess strong rote memory skills (facts, figures, dates, times etc.), while many excel in math and science. There is a range of severity of symptoms within the syndrome; the very mildly affected individual often goes undiagnosed and may just appear “different” or “eccentric”.

Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (also ADD, ADHD) ~ a disorder that consists of two basic symptoms:  poor attention span and poor impulse control; hyperactivity may or may not be present.

assistive technology ~ see adaptive equipment.

autism ~ a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life, resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain.  Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.   As a spectrum disability, the range of the severity of symptoms varies widely from individual to individual.

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behavior therapy ~ techniques designed to influence existing behavior in some predetermined manner, replacing maladaptive or problem behaviors with behaviors that are adaptive.

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case management ~ a system in which a designated professional performs activities in the service of an individual, ensuring to the maximum extent feasible that the individual has access to and receives all resources and supports necessary to attain and maintain an optimal level of functioning and a positive quality of life.

cerebral palsy ~ an umbrella-like term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. These disorders are caused by faulty development of or damage to motor areas in the brain that disrupts the brain's ability to control movement and posture. Symptoms of cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks (such as writing or using scissors), difficulty maintaining balance or walking, and lack of control over involuntary movements. The symptoms differ from person to person and may change over time.

CMS ~ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration), in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the federal agency charged with overseeing and approving states’ implementation and administration of the Medicaid program.

community-based services ~ services and supports for persons with disabilities that are provided in a community environment, as opposed to an institutional or facility-based setting.

community-based waiver ~ a Medicaid program that provides home and community-based supports and services to eligible persons with developmental disabilities living at home or in a home-like setting, as an alternative to living in an Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICF-MR).

community inclusion/integration ~ the philosophy of offering persons with disabilities a variety of opportunities to learn and practice skills necessary for maximum independence and optimal functioning in the community.

consumer ~ an individual who is receiving health, social or human services and/or supports.

consumer directed services ~ describes services and supports that are driven or directed by the service recipient or consumer; a service model in which supports are designed in response to consumer preferences, needs and wants.

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DD ~ see developmental disability.

day program ~ refers to services and supports offered to persons with disabilities in a location outside of the residential setting; services may be therapeutic, educational, activity, and/or vocational in orientation.

developmental disability (also DD) ~ a disability of a person manifested before the age of 22, and expected to continue indefinitely, attributable to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, brain injury or another neurological condition closely related to mental retardation or requiring treatment similar to that required for mental retardation, and that results in substantial functional limitations in three or more major areas of life activity.

direct service professional (also DSP) ~ an employee who provides services, supports, teaching, supervision and care to persons with disabilities.

disability ~ a personal limitation or challenge that represents a substantial disadvantage when attempting to function in society: should be considered within the context of the environment, personal factors, and the need for individualized supports.  ­        

Down Syndrome ~ a genetic condition where an individual has 47 chromosomes instead of 46, typically characterized by physical anomalies and developmental delays; the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder.     

DSP ~ see direct service professional.

dual diagnosis ~ refers to a diagnosis of both a developmental disability and a mental illness.

dyslexia ~ a specific learning disability, neurological in origin, characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

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epilepsy ~ a neurological condition characterized by seizure activity, triggered by brief disturbances in the normal electrical functions of the brain.

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FAS ~ see fetal alcohol syndrome

fetal alcohol syndrome (also FAS) ~ a group of physical and/or mental anomalies in a newborn child resulting from the mother's drinking of large quantities of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.

foster care ~ a model of service in which a child and/or an individual with a disability resides in the family home of the service provider/companion.

Fragile X syndrome ~ a hereditary condition which causes a wide range of mental impairment, from mild learning disabilities to severe mental retardation; is also associated with a variety of physical and behavioral characteristics.

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guardian ~ an individual who has been entrusted by the law for the care of another person or for his/her estate (finances) or for both.

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HCFA ~ the former Health Care Financing Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, now called the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

HIPAA ~ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, PL 104-191; requires health care providers to implement policies and procedures with respect to protected health information.

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ICF/MR ~ an Intermediate Care Facility serving only or mainly individuals with mental retardation, providing active treatment for residents, and certified under 42 CFR 435 and 442.

IDT ~ see interdisciplinary team.

in-home services ~ services and supports provided to an individual with disabilities in his/her personal home; typically the service recipient is a child or an adult residing with parents or other family members.

interdisciplinary team(also IDT) ~ a group of individuals with a mutual interest of assisting an individual with disabilities to make decisions; composition of the team typically includes the service recipient, guardian, family members, advocates, case managers, residential and/or vocational provider staff and other professional staff.

ISP ~ Individualized Service Plan or Individualized Support Plan; a written outline of the services and supports to be provided to an individual with disabilities.

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job coaching  ~ a form of support offered to a person with disabilities to assist him/her in learning and mastering the responsibilities of a job in the community.

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least restrictive alternative  ~ the intervention in an individual’s life that is the least intrusive and disruptive and that represents the least departure possible from the normal patterns of living.

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Medicaid ~ Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act and 42 CFR 430 to 456; pays for medical care for low-income persons; is a state-administered program.

Medicaid waiver ~ a federal statute that allows states to “waive” certain Medicaid requirements and provide services to persons with disabilities in community settings rather than in institutional or facility-based settings.

Medicare ~ Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act and 42 CFR 405 to 424; insurance-like payments for medical care of persons aged 65 and over; administered by federal Social Security Administration.

mental retardation ~ a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functions and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills, manifested before the age of 18.

MS ~ see multiple sclerosis.

multiple sclerosis (also MS) ~ a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord), thought to be an autoimmune disorder; can cause blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, paralysis, and blindness.

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person centered planning ~ an approach that creates a team of people who know and care about the individual with a disability, who come together to develop and share a dream for the person's future, and who work together to organize and provide the supports necessary to make that dream a reality.

people first language ~ a style of communication that puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not what a person is; e.g., a person with a disability rather than a disabled person.

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residential services ~ a variety of residential options and arrangements for persons with disabilities who are not residing with their families and do not live independently.

respite services ~ a model of services and supports offered to a person with disabilities while the primary caregiver/service provider is elsewhere or engaged in other activities.

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schizencephaly ~ a rare developmental disorder characterized by abnormal clefts in the brain's cerebral hemispheres; characterized by varying degrees of developmental delays, seizures, delayed speech and language skill, vision and eating disorders, as well as microcephaly (abnormally small head), mental retardation, hemiparesis or quadriparesis (partial or complete paralysis) and reduced muscle tone (hypotonicity).

seizure disorder ~ see epilepsy.

self-advocacy ~ acting and communicating for oneself; the act of persons with disabilities speaking or acting on behalf of themselves or others or on behalf of issues that affect people with disabilities. 

self-determination ~ the ability of individuals to make the choices that allow them to exercise control over their own lives, to achieve the goals to which they aspire and to acquire the skills and resources necessary to participate fully and meaningfully in society; consist of four basic rights and responsibilities: freedom, control of own life, chosen supports and community involvement. 

supported employment ~ a service model in which a person with disabilities is placed in a community job, and may be supported by a job coach.

supported living services ~ a broad range of services to individuals with developmental disabilities who choose to live in homes they themselves own or lease in the community; supports provided may include but are not limited to assistance with selecting and moving into a home, choosing personal attendants and housemates, acquiring household furnishings, common daily living activities and emergencies, becoming a participating member in community life, and managing personal financial affairs.

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TBI ~ see traumatic brain injury.

traumatic brain injury (also TBI) ~ an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both; applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psycho-social behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.

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vocational services ~ supports that assist individuals with disabilities in preparing for, securing and maintaining employment.

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