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Glossary
Glossary of Terms
Do you struggle with disability services terminology? You’re not the first, and you’re certainly not alone. The acronyms alone can be confusing. That’s why we’ve put together this glossary. Here you’ll find some key terms that relate to the intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) community. This electronic glossary is a living document and meant to be periodically updated as terms in our field evolve.
This on-line glossary was a project of, and is dedicated to, our 2019 summer intern, Carolyn Klein. Carolyn’s hours of research and determined dedication to the task made this resource possible. We thank her for her hard work, and wish her all the best as she pursues her goal to be a published writer.
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| 504 Plan | Referrs to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 504 plans are a less formalized alternative to the Individual Education Plan (IEP). In a school setting, 504 plans can provide accomodations to students with disabilities granting them access to the learning environment of a general-education classroom but not specialized instruction.
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| 508 compliance | Referrs to section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal agencies to provide software and website accessibility to people with disabilities. When websites are 508 Compliant, they are accessible to all users. This can mean that they are compatible with assistive technology, such as screen readers.
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A
| AbilityOne | A federal program designed to make jobs more accessible to people with a range of disabilities.
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| ABLE Account | Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) is a state-run savings program that allows the families of disabled young people to set aside money for their care in a way that earns special tax benefits.
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| accessibility | An ADA term meaning whether or not someone with a disability as the same opportunity to use or enjoy a program, service, location, etc. despite their disability.
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| accomodations | [See “reasonable accomodations”]
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| activities of daily living (ADLs) | Routine activities that a person does every day such as standing, sitting, eating, bathing, and grooming that can be done by the individual or care provider.
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| adaptive equipment | Any device specifically designed and fabricated with the purpose of permitting or assisting persons with disabilities to perform life tasks independently.
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| adaptive recreation | Recreation activitities modified, as needed, to ensure people with disabilities can fully participate.
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| advance directive | A set of instructions given by an individual specifying what should be done for their health in the event that they are no longer able to make decisions due to illness or incapacity.
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| Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) | Also referred to as Obamacare. The legislation includes a long list of health-related provisions that began taking effect in 2010. Key provisions for people with disabilities include bans on lifetime service caps, increasing the ages during which someone may stay on their parent’s healthcare plan, and an inability to deny coverage based upon pre-existing conditions.
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| Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) |
A civil rights law first enacted in 1990 with the intent of ensuring people with disabilities had equal access to employment, public and private locations, and telecommunications.
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| Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (2008) |
A Congressional update to the ADA that affirmed a broad definition of qualifying disabilities.
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| Applied Studies Diploma | A diploma available to students with disabilities who complete the requirements of their IEP and who do not meet the requirements for other diplomas. |
| aspiration calendar | A tool used in the Medicaid Waiver to map and color code how a person would like to spend their time with paid and unpaid supports.
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| asset | Held item(s) of value (e.g., money, stocks, collectables) that are counted in determining eligibility for means-tested programs.
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| assistive technology | Products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities.
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| augmented and alternative communication (AAC) | Any mode of communication other than speech. AAC includes systems such as sign language, symbol or picture boards, and electronic devices with synthesized speech.
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B
| backup guardian | A person named in an original guardianship order who assumes the duties of guardian temporarily and who can return to court to become permanent guardian if needed.
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| beneficiary | A person who derives advantage from something, especially a trust, will, or life insurance policy.
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| benefits counselor | Benefits counselors support people using Social Security benefits in ensuring they’re protecting all possible benefits while exploring work and other income options.
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| Building Independance Waiver | One of the three types of developmental disability (DD) Medicaid waivers in Virginia. The Building Independence Waiver supports adults 18 and older who are able to live in the community with minimal supports. This waiver does not include 24/7 residential services. Individuals will own, lease, or control their own living arrangements and supports may need to be complemented by non-waiver funded rent subsidies.
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C
| career assessment | Series of tests and/or evaluations to determine which career(s) are likely a best fit for someone.
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| case management | a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote patient safety, quality of care, and cost effective outcomes.
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| case managers | Trained support coordinators who work with individuals receiving Waivers services to ensure they are aware of service options, able to select appropriate providers, and able to fulfill their plans for supports and achievements.
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| Child Disability Report | A report that collects information about the child’s disabling condition and how it affects his/her ability to function. Required in order to apply for Social Security benefits for your child.
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| Child Find | Part of a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Child Find is a legal requirement that schools find all children who have disabilities and who may be entitled to special education services. Child Find covers every child from birth through age 21, and school districts must evaluate any child that it knows or suspects may have a disability.
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| circle of support | A group of people who are willing to help create and carry out a plan focused on the physical, emotional and financial well-being of a person with a disability.
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| circuit court | Branch of the state courts handling guardianship, conservatorship, and family law. |
| clustered apartments | A particular set-up in a supported appartment setting, wherein the service provider may manage supports for multiple people in a complex so that the staff and other resources can be shared.
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| co-guardian | Person named in a guardianship order with equal legal standing to other guardians.
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| Commonwealth Coordinated Care (CCC+) Waiver | A Virginia Medicaid waver program that provides services to elders and individuals with physical disabilities in the community (as opposed to in a nursing home) to prevent the premature institutionalization of these groups. Services available via this waiver include assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), such as bathing, grooming, dressing, light housecleaning, preparation of meals, and monitoring of medications.
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| communication skills | The ability to convey information to another effectively and efficiently.
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| community-based competitive employment | Employment in an integrated setting where the employee is paid the same wage as workers without disabilities doing the same job.
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| Community Living Waiver | One of the three types of developmental Disability (DD) Medicaid waivers in Virginia. The Community Living Waiver is a comprehensive waiver that includes 24/7 residential services for those who require that level of support; it also includes s/supports for adults and children, including those with intense medical and/or behavioral needs.
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| Community Services Board (CSB) | In Virginia, the Community Services Board (CSB) is the public agency within each city and county that plans, organizes and provides services for people of all ages who have mental illness, substance use disorders, and/or intellectual disability.
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| companion care | A waiver-paid service focused on presence of a caregiver for safety, but less on hands on caregiving.
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| competitive employment | Work in the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting; and for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled.
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| congregate residential homes | [See “group homes”]
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| conservator order | A legal document outlining that an individual’s rights to control financial assets and property are revoked and placed in the hands of an appointed conservator.
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| conservatorship | Legal status defined by the court determining who is responsible for managing the estate and financial affairs of a person with disabilities.
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| consumer-directed services | Services where the individual using them is allowed to select, hire, fire, and train their particular caregiver(s).
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| Continuing Disability Review (CDR) | A routine review done by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to make sure that people receiving Social Security (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits are still disabled and entitled to those benefits.
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| cooperative preschool | A preschool where families whose children attend share in some of the administration, teaching, and care provision. |
| co-trustee | A trustee of a trust when there is more than one trustee serving at the same time, usually with the same powers and obligations.
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D
| DARS | Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. State agency whose mission is to improve the employment, quality of life, security, and independence of older Virginians, Virginians with disabilities, and their families. |
| DBHDS | Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. State agency that oversees developmental disability, mental health, and substance use services
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| Department of Social Services (DSS) | The state agency that determines eligibility for Medicaid benefits and “patient pay” amounts (i.e., what an individual owes toward the cost of his/her own disability waiver services).
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| dependent | A dependent is someone who is sustained by another person, such as a child supported by his or her parents.
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| developmental delay | A disability (in physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, or adaptive development) affecting children ages two through six.
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| developmental disability | Broader category of disability that includes ASD (autism spectrum disorders), epilepsy, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, fetal alcohol syndrome (or FASD) and other disorders that occur during the developmental period (birth to age 18). Differs from the above in the age of onset, the severity of limitations, and the fact that a person with a developmental disability definition may or may not have a low I.Q..
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| Developmental Disability (DD) Waivers | In Virginia, a collective term for the three types of Medicaid waivers that provide a bundle of support services available to someone with a disability needing assistance with activities of daily living.
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| developmental pediatrician | A practicioner of development pediatrics, providing comprehensive care for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, including cognitive, motor, social, and behavioral needs.
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| dignity of risk | The concept that all people need help making some decisions and that we all learn by making bad decisions.
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| disability (ADA) | A legal term rather than a medical one… The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person’s association with a person with a disability.
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| disability (Social Security) | The inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment(s) which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
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| disability awareness | A general understanding of the type and range of disabilities people experience and how to identify them and support people appropriately.
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| disability discrimination | Discrimination against someone with a diagnosed or assumed disability. Federal laws, including the ADA, protect against discrimination in a number of areas, including employment and public space access.
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| Disability Determination Services (DDS) | A division within the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DARS) that works in partnership with the Social Security Administration and the Virginia Department of Social Services to make decisions on disability claims for benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid Programs based on medical and psychological evidence.
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| Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits | A Disabled Adult Child (DAC) claim provides Social Security Disability Insurance benefits to a disabled adult who can prove a medical disability resulting in an inability to work, prior to age 22.
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| disabled family household | In public housing context, refers to a shared home in which roommates each have a disability and qualify for public housing.
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| disbursements (of trust) | A payment made from a Special Needs Trust in accordance with the Trust agreement.
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| dual diagnosis | Someone with both a developmental disability and mental health disability.
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| durable power of attorney | Written authority giving a parent or other person (agent) power to make decisions on behalf of the individual with a disability (the principal). Agent may act even if principal becomes incapacitated.
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E
| early intervention | Supports and services to infants and toddlers from birth through age two who are not developing as expected or who have a medical condition that can delay normal development. Often focused on increasing the child’s participation in family and community activities that are important to the family, and on helping parents and other caregivers know how to find ways to help the child learn during everyday activities.
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| EBT (Electronic benefits transfer) card | Electronic payment system for people receiving some federal government benefits. EBT allows a recipient to authorize transfer of their government benefits from a Federal account to a retailer to pay for products received.
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| emotional disability | [see “emotional disturbance”] It is common for the terms emotional disturbance or disability and behavioral disorder to be used interchangeably.
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| emotional disturbance | An ongoing condition affecting a child’s ability to perform as expected educationally. It is an umbrella term that can encompass a number of diagnoses. Common indicators include an inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers; inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances; general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.
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| Employment First | A framework for systems change that is centered on the premise that all citizens, including individuals with significant disabilities, are capable of full participation in integrated employment and community life.
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| employment specialist | [see “job coach”]
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| employment services organizations (ESO) | Operate primarily for the purpose of providing employment and vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. Such services may be provided separately or in combination with other rehabilitation services.
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| employment transition representative (ETR) | High school staff who offer instruction, community experiences, employment supports, and transition assessment to promote career and college readiness.
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| estate planning | The preparation of tasks that serve to manage an individual’s asset base in the event of their incapacitation or death. The planning includes the bequest of assets to heirs and the settlement of estate taxes.
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| executive functioning | A set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one’s resources in order to achieve a goal. An umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation.
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| extended school year (ESY) services | Special education and/or related services provided beyond the normal school year of a school division for the purpose of providing FAPE to a student with a disability.
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F
| Fair Housing Act | Originating in 1968 as an extension of the Civil Rights Act, this legislation, as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. It also requires that all federal programs relating to housing and urban development be administered in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing.
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| family-funded trusts | A family-funded trust is set up with money from a family or friends to help a person with a disability. Parents, grandparents, and other people can add money to the trust. Friends can contribute, too. The beneficiary cannot put money in this kind of trust.
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| fine (small) motor skills | The ability to make movements using the small muscles in our hands and wrist involving the coordinated efforts of the brain and muscles.
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| first-party trusts | [See “self-funded trusts”]
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| free appropriate public education | Concept stemming from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) stating that all qualifying students with disabilities should receive no-cost public school services and supports as needed to meet their educational needs.
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| functional limitations | According to the World Health Organization, any health problem(s) that prevent a person from completing a range of tasks, whether simple or complex.
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G
| general income exclusion | Unearned income generally reduces SSI benefit check amounts dollar for dollar. The first $20 per month of total unearned income, however, is usually not counted. This first $20 is called General Income Exclusion.
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| grassroots advocacy | Generally defined as “the basic source of support from the ground up,” grassroots advocacy includes organizing, mobilizing, and engaging the public to advocate for themselves. The value of this form of advocacy is that it is driven by the people.
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| gross motor skills | The coordination of the muscles and the neurological system… to do things that involve using the large muscles in the torso, arms and legs to complete whole-body movements.
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| group home | Housing arrangement where 3-7 people with disabilities live, staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Homes usually have support staff that rotate around the clock on shifts.
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| group-supported employment | Continuous support provided by staff to eight or fewer individuals with disabilities in a contract position with a local company or for a mobile work crew that does jobs in a variety of places around the community. |
| guardian ad litem (GAL) | Attorney appointed when guardianship is being considered to review the proposed case and make recommendations to the judge.
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H
| Head Start | A national child development program for children from birth to age 5 which provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, dental, mental health, social services and parent involvement opportunities to low-income children and their families.
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| health care power of attorney | Similar to durable power with regard to health care.
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| Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) | A cost-saving program for Medicaid members that reimburses some or all of the employee portion of the group health insurance premium for members who have employer-sponsored group health insurance available to them through their own or their family member’s employment.
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| housing choice vouchers | A federally-funded program designed to assist low-income families with their housing needs. Participants in the HCV program receive assistance to rent private market apartments.
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I
| impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) | SSA deducts from your gross earnings the cost of certain impairment related items and services that you need to work. Examples of such items are attendant care services, certain transportation costs, medical devices, medications, and residential modifications, among others.
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| incapacitated | A court designation of a person as incapable of receiving and evaluating information effectively; the criteria used to determine if a guardian may be needed.
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| inclusion | Practices and policies designed to identify and remove barriers such as physical, communication, and attitudinal, that hamper individuals’ ability to have full participation in society, the same as people without disabilities.
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| Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) | An evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of the child in question.
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| independent living | Supports brought into the home focused on skill building and preparing for greater independence.
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| independent living skills | Often referred to as “daily living skills,” the category consists of the tasks and functions people perform, in accordance with their abilities, in order to lead their lives with as much independence as possible.
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| Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP) | Annual grant-like program offering up to $1000 to people in Virginia waiting for DD Waivers to assist with disability-related needs.
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| individual support employment | Intermittent support, usually provided one-on-one by a job coach to an individual in a supported position who, during most of the time on the job site, performs independently.
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| Individualized Education Program (IEP) | A legally-binding document that sets out the rationale for providing special education supports and sevrices to your child, specific objectives that your child is to achieve during the year, and enumerates which related services, modifications, and accommodations, if any, he or she will receive.
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| Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) | Early Intervention document that includes proposed services for child with a disability.
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| Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) | A written plan outlining an individual’s vocational goal, and the services to be provided to reach the goal. It is written on the basis of the program assessment that is conducted by the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor after your eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services is established.
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| Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | Originally passed in 2004, this fedeal law guarantees “free and appropriate” public education to American children with disabilities, ensuring special education and early intervention programs that are tailored to their individual needs.
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| integrated employment | Jobs for people with disabilities worked in environments where people without disabilities are doing the same or similar work for same or similar pay.
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| intellectual disability | A term used to describe a person with below-average cognitive ability, apparent before age 18, characterized by an IQ score at or below 70 and difficulties with adaptive behaviors.
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| intermediate care facility (ICF) | A long term care facility that provides nursing and supportive care to residents on a non-continuous skilled nursing care basis, under a physician’s direction.
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| irrevocable trust | A type of trust where its terms cannot be modified, amended or terminated without the permission of the grantor’s named beneficiary or beneficiaries. The grantor, having effectively transferred all ownership of assets into the trust, legally removes all of their rights of ownership to the assets and the trust.
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J
| job coaching | The training of an employee by an approved specialist, who uses structured intervention techniques to help the employee learn to perform job tasks to the employer’s specifications and to learn the interpersonal skills necessary to be accepted as a worker at the job site and in related community contacts.
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| job development | 1) Referring to either the process of job development conducted by an employment specialists or 2) the actual job search and preparation for job interviews- networking, looking for job openings, writing or updating the resume, developing a cover letter, practice filling out employment applications and interviewing.
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K
L
| Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) | Stipulation under IDEA that children with disabilities must be educated (incl. nonacademic/extracurricular activities) with students who do not have disabilities to the maximum extent possible.
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| letter of intent | A document created to pass vital information about a person with a disability to future caregivers, when and if the current caregiver is no longer able to provide care. It can include such things as sleeping preferences, eating habits, and many other important aspects of the person’s daily routine.
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| life estate | When homeowner grants a “life tenancy” to a person with a disability who is then entitled to live in that home for the remainder of his or her life.
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| life tenant | A person who, as a result of a grant of a life estate to his or her benefit, has exclusive possession, use and enjoyment of the trust property (such as a residence) – or subject to such other terms as the trust constitution may set out – until that beneficiary dies.
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| limited conservatorship | The right to make decisions for an incapacitated individual on specific financial matters, such as paying bills or filling out tax returns, as specified by a judge.
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| limited guardianship | The right to make decisions for an incapacitated individual on specific issues (i.e. only health care) as determined by a judge. This leaves the person free to make all other decisions.
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M
| MetroAccess | A shared ride public transportation service in the Washington DC metropolitan area for people who are unable to use the accessible fixed-route Metrobus and Metrorail public transit due to disability.
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| microboard | A formalized and self-sustaining circle of support that provides oversight and guidance for a single person with a disability over the course of their life. Microboards are committed to planning, maintaining, managing, and overseeing supports to meet the needs of the individual, including the “bridges” between the individual, family, and community.
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N
| natural supports | Resources that are already present and available to all persons in community environments. This includes family, friends, co-workers and neighbors, members of clubs or civic groups and local merchants.
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| needs-based program | Any program with services provided on the basis of one’s income, requiring your assets be at or below a defined limit.
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O
| occupational therapy | The use of assessment and intervention that helps people of all ages to recover from injury, disability or illness and participate in activities of daily living.
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| on-the-job training | Workforce development strategy where employers train, mentor and hire candidates as they become fully proficient in a particular skillset or job function.
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P
| paratransit | Referrs to a shared ride service for people with disabilities who are unable to use public transportation (bus or rail) due to their disability.
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| parent resource center | Training and information centers, operated by local parent organizations, such as within counties or school districts and at individual schools, that help ensure underserved parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of children who are English learners, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children.
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| parental rights | Procedural safeguards included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that give parents or legal guardians a voice in their child’s education.
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| people-first language | People-First Language emphasizes the person, not the disability for instance, by saying “a person with autism” rather than “an autistic person.”
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| Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) | Term that referrs to a device, usually wearable, that enables an individual call for help in an emergency by pushing a button. PERS devices are tagged to particular individuals, so the user does not need to self-identify and ask for particular supports after pushing the button for help.
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| physical therapy | Assessment and interventions for the preservation, enhancement, or restoration of movement and physical function impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability that utilizes therapeutic exercise, physical modalities (such as massage and electrotherapy), assistive devices, and patient education and training.
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| power of attorney | Written document that gives legal authorization for one person to act on behalf of another.
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| pre-vocational services | Services aimed at preparing an individual for paid or unpaid employment, but are not job-task oriented.
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| Priority One | Designation used in the Commonwealth of Virginia to assign individuals on the Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver waitlist by documented need. A designation of Priority One indicates the individual is in need of services within the year.
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| Priority Two | Designation used in the Commonwealth of Virginia to assign individuals on the Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver waitlist by documented need. A designation of Priority Two indicates the individual is in need of services within one to five years.
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| Priority Three | Designation used in the Commonwealth of Virginia to assign individuals on the Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver waitlist by documented need. A designation of Priority Two indicates the individual is in need of services within five years or longer.
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| private duty nursing | Hourly, skilled nursing care provided in a patient’s home. Private duty nursing provides more individual and continuous skilled care than can be provided in a skilled nurse visit through a home health agency. |
| private pay | Term used to identify those patients whose costs are NOT covered by a government program. Private pay can mean a person is paying for services themselves (private pay), or it can mean that a patient has commercial insurance and is having to cover some of the costs themselves (out-of-pocket).
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| property manager | An individual or company that is hired to oversee the day-to-day operations of a unit of real estate, on behalf of the property owner who does not oversee the operation of services themselves.
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| public guardian | Virginia’s public safety net includes public guardianship for adults who are incapacitated, indigent, and in need of someone to help them make medical, financial, or daily living decisions, but who have no suitable person to serve as their guardian. Public guardianship is a legal procedure in which the court determines if a person’s ability to make health and safety decisions for themselves is significantly impaired by disease, accident or disability. If so, the court will appoint a guardian to act as a substitute decision-maker.
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| public housing | Federally-funded housing made available to people with low incomes. Units are often owned by a local housing authority (PHA) and funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To qualify for public housing, an individual must meet the public housing authority’s low income requirements. |
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R
| reasonable accomodations [employment] | Any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that allows an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job functions, or enjoy equal access to benefits available to other individuals in the workplace.
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| reasonable accomodations [housing] |
A change, exception, or adjustment to a rule, policy, practice, or service that may be necessary for a person with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling, including public and common use spaces, or to fulfill their program obligations.
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| reasonable modification [housing] | Under the Fair Housing Act, a structural change made to existing premises, occupied or to be occupied by a person with a disability, in order to afford such person full enjoyment of the premises. Reasonable modifications can include structural changes to interiors and exteriors of dwellings and to common and public use areas.
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| Rehabilitation Act of 1973 | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors. The standards for determining employment discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act are the same as those used in title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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| representative payee | A person appointed by the Social Security Administration to receive Social Security and/or SSI benefits for someone who cannot manage his/her money.
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| residential (service) provider | Part of a residential care team that provide direct residential services to support individuals in living independently while assuring their health and welfare needs are being met, including home maintenance and money management.
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| residential counselor | A residential counselor is responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities of a facility or shelter. This includes the overall care and safety of the residents under his care.
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| residential services | Support provided to assist individuals with disabilities in living outside of their family home.
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| respite care | Short-term care for a child or adult that allows the primary caregiver relief.
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S
| Section 504 Plan | [See “504 Plan“]
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| self-advocacy | Learning how to speak up for yourself, making your own decisions about your own life, learning how to get information so that you can understand things that are of interest to you, finding out who will support you in your journey, knowing your rights and responsibilities, problem solving, listening and learning, reaching out to others when you need help and friendship, and learning about self-determination.
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| self-determination | The consumer makes choices and decisions regarding his or her life without excessive influence or interference by others in this practice. [What this looks like in application] may vary for each person, depending on the person’s circumstances and disabilities.
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| self-directed services | An alternative to the traditional model of support for people with intellectual disabilities. The individual/family is ultimately responsible to determine service needs (with input from the individual’s Community Services Board support coordinator and Interdisciplinary Team), identify a service schedule, and recruit, hire, train, supervise, compensate, and evaluate direct service providers.
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| self-funded trust | Category of trust that allows the person who benefits from the trust to add money to it. A self-funded trust may be established by parents, grandparents, guardians, or a court, but only the beneficiary’s own money can fund it.
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| self-sufficiency | Ability to meet one’s own needs without external assistance; or extreme confidence in one’s own resources, powers, etc.
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| service facilitator | A Medicaid-enrolled provider who supports eligible individuals, and sometimes their families, in properly using consumer-directed services. A Services Facilitator can be enrolled as an independent Medicaid provider or as an employee of a Medicaid-enrolled Services Facilitation agency provider.
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| shared apartment | A rented apartment (home, condo, or townhome) shared with one or more other people, usually unrelated to each other.
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| shared living | Housing arrangement where an individual with a disability lives with someone without a disability, who is reimbursed for room and board in exchange for companionship.
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| situational assessments | As part of job development services, these include going to a job site and “practicing” the tasks, allowing the job coach to see how an individual might perform in a particular type of job.
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| skilled nursing | Care that is provided by a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse and which may be provided in a skilled nursing facility or in the patient’s home. Skilled nursing care is often necessary as a patient rehabilitates from an illness or injury, but the care provided is above and beyond that which can be provided by certified nursing assistants (CNAs) or home health aides.
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| social safety-net programs | Social welfare services provided by a community of individuals at the state and local levels that are geared toward eliminating poverty in a specific area.
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| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | SSI is a federal cash assistance program for those with limited income AND are either 65 years old or older or blind or disabled. Adult SSI beneficiaries must have limited income and resources ($2,000 in assets); parents’ income does not count for adult applicants. You do not have to have any work history. Monthly benefit payments are determined by the current benefit rate ($750 a month in 2018), minus any “countable income.”
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| special education | Specifically designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. |
| special needs trust | A finacial arrangement by which a person (grantor) makes a gift of funds to a trustee to be used for the sole benefit of the beneficiary living with a disability.
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| speech/language services | Specialized therapy to help with the development and advancement of oral communication and mouth/tongue movement.
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| sponsored residential (housing) | Option where person with disability lives with a paid caregiver in the home of the caregiver.
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| State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) | State assistance program managed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), designed to provide rental assistance to single-person families that meet the program eligibility criteria so they have the means to lease private market rental housing that meets their needs.
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| standard diploma with credit accommodations | Credit accommodations provide alternatives for students with disabilities in earning the standard and verified credits required to graduate high school with a Standard Diploma.
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| substantial gainful activity | work resulting in a certain amount of monthly earnings (net of impairment-related work expenses.) |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | A cash assistance program for those with limited income AND are either 65 years old or older, or blind or disabled. Adult SSI beneficiaries must have limited income and resources ($2,000 in assets); parents’ income does not count for adult applicants. One does not have to have any work history. Monthly benefit payments are determined by the current benefit rate ($771 a month in 2019), minus any “countable income.” If eligible for SSI, one would also be eligible for Medicaid.
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| supported decision making | A process through which someone with a disability works with trusted supporters to understand and make decisions without restricting their rights.
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| supported employment | Competitive employment in an integrated setting with ongoing support services for individuals with the most severe disabilities.
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| supported living | A residence owned by a support provider that offers up to 24/7 help with meeting unique needs of those who live there.
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| Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) | A triennial evaluation tool to determine the continued support needs for individuals using the DD Waivers.
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T
| therapeutic consultation | Short-term therapeutic evaluation designed to offer a service plan or training, but not ongoint therapy.
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| therapeutic recreation | A systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being.
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| third-party trusts | Synonymous with family-funded trusts.
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| timely progress reviews | Actively pursuing one’s employment goals. Social Security reviews progress regularly to determine if each individual is making progress toward work goals within stated timeframes. Timely Progress Reviews not only consider work and earnings, but also any training or education received to help find and maintain employment.
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| transition | As commonly used by the school system, refers to a child with a disability passing from public schooling into secondary education or adult life.
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| transition planning | Planning process designed to help a student prepare for life after secondary school, and a required part of the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) beginning at age 14.
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| travel training | Process for people with disabilities who want to learn to travel safely and independently using public transportation systems.
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| trustee | The person or organization who oversees assets and administers the provisions of a Special Needs Trust – including investing, account reporting, tax reporting, check writing, and disbursements – on behalf of the trust’s named beneficiary.
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| Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. | State agency often referred to by the acronym DARS, whose mission is to improve the employment, quality of life, security, and independence of older Virginians, Virginians with disabilities, and their families.
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| Virginia Individual Developmental Disability Eligibility Survey (VIDES) | The tool used in the process of applying for a Developmental Disability Waiver to determine if an individual has enough functional needs to be eligible for the Waiver.
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| vocational rehabilitation | Indiviualized help for people with disabilities to get ready for, find, and keep a job. Vocational rehabilitation services include but are not limited to, vocational counseling, training, and job placement.
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| waiver | Common term used to mean a Developmental Disability waiver for Medicaid eligibility.
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| waiver slot | Jargon for a DD Waiver that has been (or is expected to be) funded by the state, but not yet awarded to an individual on the waiver wait list.
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| Work Awareness and Transition (WAT) | Course of study offered at both the middle and high school level for students with disabilities that prepares students for the world of work through exploration and experiences in personal awareness, career exploration, workplace readiness skills, work expectations, and transition planning.
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| Workplace Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) | Federal legislaton passed in 2014 to increase, for individuals in the United States, particularly those individuals with barriers to employment, access to and opportunities for the employment, education, training, and support services they need to succeed in the labor market.
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