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Acronyms

The following acronyms are related to adoption, foster care, infertility, pregnancy, and children's disabilities, along with acronyms you will find regularly on Internet message boards and chat rooms. Please contact us to suggest additions or modifications to this list.

AAAA	American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
AAC	American Adoption Congress
AACAP	American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
AACWA	Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act
AAOAA	American Association of Open Adoption Agencies
AAP	American Academy of Pediatrics
AASK	Adopt a Special Kid
ACAL	Association of California Adoption Lawyers
ACR	Administrative Case Review/Revision Administrative de Cases
ACS	Alberta Children's Services (Canada)
ACSW	Alberta College of Social Workers (Canada)
ACYF	Administration for Children, Youth and Families
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
ADD	Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AFA	Adoptive Families of America
AFCARS	Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System
AFDC	Aid to Families with Dependent Children
AFDC-FC	Aid to Families with Dependent Children in Foster Care
AFK	Away from Keyboard
AIM	Access for Infants and Mothers Program
AISH	Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (Canada)
ALMA	Adoptee Liberty Movement Association
AMA	American Medical Association
AMI	Alliance for the Mentally Ill
ANCRA	Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act
AP	Attachment Parenting
APA	American Psychiatric Association
APC	Adoptive Parents Committee
APHA	American Public Health Association
APRI	American Prosecutors Research Institute
APSAC	American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
APT	Agency Placement Team
ARM	Alberta Response Model (Canada)
ART	Assisted Reproductive Technology
ASFA	Adoption and Safe Families Act
ASPA	American Psychoanalytical Association
BB or BBS	(Internet) Bulletin Board or Bulletin Board System
BBC	BabyCenter
BBL	Be Back Later
BBT	Basal Body Temperature
BC	Because/Birth Control/Before Children
BCIS	Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
BCPs	Birth Control Pills
BD	Behaviorally Disturbed
BF	Boyfriend
BFN	Big Fat Negative (pregnancy test)
BFP	Big Fat Positive (pregnancy test)
BM	Breast Milk or Bowel Movement (depending on context)
BMOM	Birthmom
BN	Birth Name, Bastard Nation
BOCYF	Board on Children, Youth, and Families
BRB	Be Right Back
BTDT	Been There, Done That
BTW	By the Way
C&A/LAN	Child and Adolescent Local Area Network
CA/N	Child Abuse and Neglect
CAC	Child Advocacy Centers
CALWORKS	California Work Opportunity & Responsibility to Kids (1997)
CANTS	Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System
CAPD	Center for Assessment & Policy Development
CAPTA	Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (1974)
CARE	Coalition for Adoption Registry Ethics
CASA	Court Appointed Special Advocate
CASSP	Child and Adolescent Services System Program
CAU	Case Assignment Unit
CAVITH	Communities Against Violence in the Home
CCAA	China Center for Adoption Affairs
CCAI	Chinese Children Adoption International
CCBYS	Comprehensive Community-Based Youth Services
CD	Cycle Day
CDC	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CD-CP	Child Development - Community Policing Program
CDF	Children's Defense Fund
CDI	Child Development Institute
CDSS	Canadian Down Syndrome Society (Canada)
CEC	Council for Exceptional Children
CECP	Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice
CERA	Council for Equal Rights in Adoption
CERAP	Child Endangerment and Risk Assessment
CEVI	Children's Exposure to Violence Initiative (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
CF	Cervical Fluid
CFPC	Child and Family Policy Center
CFS	Children and Family Services
CFSA	Child and Family Services Authority (Canada)
CFSR	Child and Family Services Review
CHAMPUS	Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Uniformed Services
CHDP	Child Health and Disability Prevention
CHID	Combined Health Information Database
CHIPP	Childhood Injury Prevention Program
CHP	Community Health and Prevention
CIO	Cry It Out
Circ.	Circumcise
CJCJ	Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
CM	Cervical Mucus
CMHC	Center for Medical Health Center
CMHS	Center for Medical Health Services
COBRA	Consolidated Omnibus Budget and Reconciliation Act
CPC	Crisis Pregnancy Center
CPI	Child Protection Investigator
CPS	Child Protective Services
CPSV	Center for the Prevention of School Violence
CRA	Case Review Administrator
CS or C/S	Cesarean Section
CSAP	Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
CSN	Children's Safety Network
CSP	Client Service Plan
CSS	Catholic Social Services (Canada)
CSSP	Center for the Study of Social Policy
CSW	Children's Social Worker
CSWF	Clinical Social Work Federation
CUB	Concerned United Birthparents
CWA	Child Welfare Act (Canada)
CWAC	Child Welfare Advisory Committee
CWDA	County Welfare Directors Association
CWF	Center for Women and Families
CWI	Child Welfare Institute
CWIM	See What I Mean
CWIS	Child Welfare Information System (Canada)
CWLA	Child Welfare League of America
CWRC	Child Welfare Research Center at the University of California at Berkley
CWS	Child Welfare Systems
CWSI	Child Welfare Services Initiative
CYCIS	Child and Youth Centered Information System
CYFC	Children, Youth, and Family Consortium
DC	Day Care
DCFS	Department of Children and Family Services
DCP	Division of Child Protection
DD	Developmentally Disabled
DET	Detention Facility/Jail
DF	Dear Fiancee
DH, DW, DD, DS	Dear or Darling Husband, Wife, Daughter, Son
DHHS	Federal Department of Health and Human Services
DI, DIUI	Donor Intrauterine Insemination
DMH-DD	Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
DOC	Department of Corrections
DOJ	Department of Justice
DOR	Date of Referral
DOT	Date of Travel
DPA	Department of Public Aids
DPO	Days Past Ovulation
DPP	Division of Policy and Plans
DRA	Delegated Relative Authority
DRG	Diagnosis Related Group
DSD	Dear Step Daughter
DSM IV R	Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
DSS	Dear Step Son
DTC	Dossier to China
DV/CPS	Domestic Violence/Child Protective Services
DVIRC	Domestic Violence & Incest Resource Center
DYCS	Division of Youth and Community Services
EBD	Emotionally or Behaviorally Disturbed
EBF	Extended Breastfeeding
EBM	Expressed Breast Milk
ECCE	Elementary and Early Childhood Education
ECD	Early Childhood Development (Canada)
ECI	Early Childhood Institute
EDD	Estimated Due Date/Expected Date of Delivery
EHA	The Education for all Handicapped Children Act
EMRC	Emergency Medical Resources for Children
EPSDT	Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment
ERIC	Educational Resources Information Center
EWCM	Egg White Cervical Mucus
FAFW	Family Assessment Factor Worksheet
FAIR	Families Adopting in Response
FASD	Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Canada)
FCI	Foster Care Initiative
FDP	Family Development Plan
FDS	Family Development Specialist
FF	Formula Feeding
FFA	Foster Family Agency
FFCMH	Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
FHA	Foster Home Adoptive
FHB	Foster Home Boarding
FHI	Foster Home Indian - licensed specified or approved by an Indian child's tribe
FHP	Foster Home Boarding-Private Agency
FHS	Foster Home Specialized
FOC	Future of Children
FOIPF	Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (Canada)
FPA	Foster Parent Association
FSL	Family School Liaison (Canada)
FT	Full Time
FTR	For the Record
FWIW	For What It's Worth
FYI	For Your Information
GAL	Guardian Ad Litem
GYSI	Governor's Youth Service Initiative
HHS	Department of Health and Human Services
HIPAA	Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
HMO	Health Maintenance Organization
HMR	Home of Relative
HOT	Heart of Triad
HP	Health Passport
HPT	Home Pregnancy Test
HTH	Hope That/This Helps
IC	Incompetent Cervix
ICAR	Inter-Country Adoption Registry
ICF	Intermediate Care Facility
ICRMR	Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded
ICWA	Indian Child Welfare Act
IDEA	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IEAP	Interethnic Adoption Provisions (Small Business Protection Act)
IEP	Individualized Education Plan
IFSP	Individual Family Services Plan
IGH	Institutions and Group Homes
IMD	Institution for Mental Disease
IME	In My Experience
IMHO	In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO	In My Not So Humble Opinion
IMO	In My Opinion
INS	Immigration & Naturalization Service
IOW	In Other Words
IRL	In Real Life
ISC	Independent Search Consultants
ISPV	Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence
ISRR	International Soundex Reunion Registry
ISTSS	International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
IUI	Intrauterine Insemination
IVF	In Vitro Fertilization
J/K	Just Kidding
JCA	Juvenile Court Act
JCICS	Joint Council on International Children's Services
JFCS	Jewish Family and Children's Services
JJ or J/J	Just Joking
JMHO	Just My Humble/Honest Opinion
JSO	Juvenile Sex Offender
KWIM	Know What I Mean?
KWYM	(I) Know What You Mean
L&D	Labor and Delivery
LAP	Laparoscopic Surgery
LMAO	Laughing My (Rear) Off
LMK	Let Me Know
LOL	Laughing Out Loud
LP	Luteal Phase
MANG	Medical Assistance, No Grant
MAPS	Main Adoption Placement Services
MARE	Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange
MARN	Minnesota Adoption Resource Network
MC or M/C	Miscarriage
MCH	Maternal and Child Health Program
Medi-Cal	California's Medical Assistance Program
MEPA	Multiethnic Placement Act
MIL, FIL, DIL, SIL	Mother/Father/Daughter/Son or Sister-In-Law
ML	Maternity Leave
MM	Mother's Milk
MR	Mental Retardation
MRAI	Minors Requiring Authorative Intervention
MYOB	Mind Your Own Business
NAC	National Adoption Center
NACA	National Association of Child Advocates
NACAC	North American Council on Adoptable Children
NACC	National Association of Council for Children
NAIC	National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
NAMI-CAN	National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Children and Adolescents Network
NASAP	National Association of Sexual Abuse Professionals
NASDSE	National Association of State Directors of Special Education
NASMHPD	National Association of State Mental Health Program Director
NASP	National Association of School Psychologists
NASW	National Association of Social Workers
National CASA	National Court Appointed Special Advocates
NCA	National Children's Alliance
NCAC	National Children's Advocacy Center
NCADV	National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
NCALP	National Center for Adoption Law and Policy
NCCC	National Center for Cultural Competence
NCCEV	National Center for Children Exposed to Violence
NCCIC	National Child Care Information Center
NCCUSL	National Commission for Creation of Uniform State Laws
NCEMCH	National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
NCFA	National Council for Adoption
NCFY	National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth
NCJFCJ	National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
NCJJ	National Center for Juvenile Justice
NCMEC	National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NCPC	National Crime Prevention Council
NCPTSD	National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
NCTSN	National Child Traumatic Stress Network
NCVC	National Center for Victims of Crime
NECTAS	National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System
NICCYD	National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
NICCYH	National Information Center for Children and Youth with Handicaps
NICHD	The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
NIDRR	National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation
NIMH	National Institute of Mental Health
NLM	National Library of Medicine
NMCHC	National Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse
NMHA	National Mental Health Association
NMS	Not My Style
NMSAA	Not My Style At All
NOVA	National Organization for Victim Assistance
NP	No Problem
NRCCM	National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment
NRCFCP	National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice
O	Ovulation
OCD	Office of Child Development
O'd	Ovulated
OHT	One Hand Typing
OJJDP	Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
OMG	Oh My Gosh
OPK	Ovulation Predictor Kit
OT	Off Topic
OTOH	On the Other Hand
PAP	Prospective Adoptive Parent
PAS	Post Adoption Support (Canada)
PChIP	Protection of Children Involved in Prostitution (Canada)
PCOS	Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome
Pg or PG	Pregnant/Pregnancy
PGO	Permanent Guardianship Order (Canada)
PL 99-457	Education of All Children Handicapped Act/Amendments of 1986
PL 101-639	Mental Health Amendments of 1990 to PL 99-660
PL 102-321	Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Reorganization Act
PL 104-235	Public Law 104-235 extended 1974 CAPTA
PL 105-89	Public Law 105-89: Federal Adoption and Safe Families Act (1997)
PL 96-272	Public Law 96-272: Federal Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (1980)
PL 99-660	State Comprehensive Mental Health Services Plan Act of 1986
PPD	Postpartum Depression
PRA	Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
R & T	Research and Training Centers (on Children's Mental Health)
RCD	Resources for Children with Disabilities (formerly Handicapped Children's Services , HCS) (Canada)
RE	Reproductive Endocrinologist
ROFL	Rolling on the Floor Laughing
ROFLMAO	Rolling on the Floor Laughing My (Rear) Off
RRC	Regional Resource Centers (Special Education)
RTC	Residential Treatment Center
RYSC	Regional Youth Services Council
SACWIS	Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System
SACY	Sexually Aggressive Children and Youth
SAHD	Stay-at-Home Dad
SAHM	Stay-at-Home Mom
SAHP	Stay-at-Home Parent
SAMHSA	Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAPID	School Age Parenting and Infant Development
SARS	Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SD	Sperm Donor
SED	Severely Emotionally Disturbed
SEI	Substance Exposed Infants
SFC	Specialized Foster Care
SFI	Supports for Independence (Canada)
SG	Subsidized Guardianship
SHIP	Student Health Initiative Program (Canada)
SMHA	State Mental Health Agency
SMHRCY	State Mental Health Representatives for Children and Youth
SN	Special Needs
SO	Significant Other
SSDI	Social Security Disability Insurance
SSI	Supplemental Security Income
SW	Social Worker
SWAN	State-Wide Adoption Network (Pennsylvania)
TANF	Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TARE	Texas Adoption Resource Exchange
TGO	Temporary Guardianship Order (Canada)
TIA	Thanks in Advance
TIC	Tongue in Cheek
Title IV	Child Welfare Act Section of the Social Security Act
Title IV-A	Aid to Families with Dependent Children (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title IV-B	Child Welfare Services Program (Section of the Social Security Act
Title IV-D	Child Support Enforcement Program (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title IV-E	Foster Care and Adoption Assistance Programs (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title V	Maternal and Child Health (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title X	Federal Family Planning Program (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title XIX	Medicaid (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title XVIII	Medicare (Section of the Social Security Act)
Title XX/SSBG	Social Security Block Grant (Section of the Social Security Act)
TPR	Termination of Parental Rights
TTC	Trying to Conceive
TTYL	Talk to You Later
U/s	Ultrasound
UAA	Uniform Adoption Act
US or U/S	Ultrasound
VAWO	Violence Against Women and Family Violence
VBAC	Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section
VPC	Violence Policy Center
VTA	View to Adopt (Canada)
WACAP	World Association for Children and Parents
WAHM	Work-at-Home Mom
WHO	Work Out of Home
WIC	(Special supplemental food program for) Women, Infants, and Children

Please Note: This Adoption Media site is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal legal or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or personal applicability of the information on this site. By using this site, you agree to the Adoption Media Legal Disclaimer, including, but not limited to jurisdictional and limitation of liability provisions.

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