AAMR – American Association on Mental Retardation. National and
international organization that promotes public policy change, research and rights assurances for people with mental retardation and other disabilities.

ABS – Adaptive Behavior Scale. An assessment tool used to identify persons who may need specialized supports for behavior intervention and/or activities of daily living.

ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act. Landmark 1990 civil rights legislation protecting people with disabilities against discrimination in employment, accessing public services, transportation, private business and
telecommunications.

ADD – Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Federal agency in Department of Health and Human Services charged with administering the DD
Assistance & Bill of Rights Act.

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Condition or syndrome expressed by inappropriate inattention and impulsivity and general excessive physical activity. Condition can result in learning disorders.

ADL – Activities of Daily Living. Daily self-care activities including
eating, dressing, bathing, and toileting.

Administrative Services Organization (ASO) [Commonly known as Managed Care
Organization] – An arrangement under which an insurance carrier or an independent organization will, for a fee, manage claims, benefits and other administrative functions for a public or private sector client.

A/D Waiver – Aged and Disabled Waiver (Medicaid). Medicaid program that provides in-home health related services for persons over age 18 who are determined eligible for nursing facility care.

APA – American Psychological Association. Scientific and professional organization with the purpose to advance psychology as a profession and means of promoting health and human welfare.

APD – Advanced Psychiatric Directive. Legal document developed in advance of involuntary psychiatric commitment that expresses one’s choices about
treatment.

APSE – Association for Persons in Supported Employment. National organization with WV Chapter that seeks to improve and expand integrated employment opportunities, services and outcomes for persons with severe
disabilities.

ASL – American Sign language. Considered the native language and primary
source of communication by many in the deaf community. It is a complex
visual-spatial hand gesture language system.

AT – Assistive Technology. An item, piece of equipment, or product system used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of children or
adults with disabilities.

Autism – Developmental disability, found mostly in males, characterized by withdrawal from people, repetitive behaviors, and impaired communication.

BIA WV– Brain Injury Association of WV. Non-profit agency dedicated to providing support, advocacy, education and training on behalf of survivors of
brain injuries and their families.

BHHF – WV Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities. State agency within the Department of Health and Human Resources with a mission to provide services to persons with mental illness, chemical dependency, developmental
disabilities and those at-risk.

BOSS – WV Bureau of Senior Services. Cabinet-level agency within State government that acts as the lead entity for programs serving older West Virginians.

BMS – Bureau for Medical Services. Fiscal agent for the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services located within the WV Department of Health
and Human Resources.

BTT – WV Birth to Three. Program within the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health that provides services and supports to eligible children and their families. The BTT program aims to provide a coordinated system of supports
focused on meeting the developmental needs of infants and toddlers with special
needs.

CAP – Client Assistance Program. Federal designated advocacy program implemented by the Protection and Advocacy programs (WV Advocates) that assists people who encounter problems with services at the Division of Rehabilitation
Services.

Capitation – A dollar amount established to cover the cost of all health care services delivered per person during a specified period of time. This term may refer to either the amount paid to an MCO by its private and public sector clients or a negotiated per capita rate to be paid periodically to a health care provider by an MCO. The MCO or provider is then responsible for delivering or arranging the delivery of all health services required by the covered person under the conditions of the contract.

Case Management – The process of having a person’s healthcare needs coordinated by using an ongoing plan.

Case Manager – A clinician who works with consumers, providers and insurers to coordinate services. This term also is applied to MCO employees who conduct utilization review.

Categorically Needy – A term that describes the group of individuals that states are generally required to cover under Medicaid in order to receive Federal funds. This group includes people who receive assistance through Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI),
as well as other Federally assisted income maintenance payments.

CCMHA – Comprehensive Children’s Mental Health Act. Legislation requiring the development of a family and child focused children’s mental health system of supports.

CC R&R – Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. Administered by the W V Bureau for Children and Families. Network of local non-profit organizations that provide families with information about funding, child care options and other community resources.

Cerebral Palsy – A condition caused by damage to the central nervous system before, during, or within two years of birth. The disorder is non-progressive and results in various types and degrees of muscle weakness, muscle tone imbalance, and decrease in coordination.

Child Advocate – A parent or professional, paid or unpaid, to protect the rights and interests of a child and their family, and ensure access to eligible services is available.

Child Find – A state and local program mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Act to identify children with or at risk of developmental delay and refer them to appropriate early intervention services.

Children’s Speciality Care Service – A federal and state program that provides direct services to income eligible children less than 21 years of age with certain disabilities or chronic health conditions. CSC holds regular clinics at several locations across the state.

Children with Disabilities Community Services Program – A federal and state Medicaid program that allows a medically eligible child with a severe disability to receive a West Virginia medical card when his/her parents income
exceed the limits for SSI.

CIL -Center for Independent Living. A national disabilities rights program mandated by federal legislation which seeks to affect positive systems change on behalf of persons with disabilities. Independent living centers provide information/referral, advocacy, independent living skills training, and peer counseling.

Clinical Criteria – Criteria by which managed care organizations decide whether a specific treatment setting is the appropriate level of care for a given consumer.

CMS – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (previously HCFA). Federal agency with the U.S. DHHS that administers the following: Medicare, Medicaid, State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and CLIA (Clinical Laboratory
Improvement Amendments).

Cognitive Disabilities – Disabilities which effect problem solving, learnina and use of language.

Communication Board or Device – An augmentative communication device consisting of a board on which letters, objects. and/or actions are represented.

Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) – Community-based, mental healthcare centers that provide a variable range of services, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency, partial hospitalization, consultation, education, case management, drop-in centers and vocational rehabilitation programs.

Congenital – Referring to a condition present at birth that may be hereditary, may be the result of a problem during pregnancy, or may occur due to injury to the fetus prior to the time of birth.

CON – Certificate of Need. Managed by the WV Healthcare Authority, CON was established in State code as a means of controlling the expansion of facilities and services to fit the need for such services.

Continuum of Care – The availability of a broad range of treatment services so that care can be flexible and customized to meet a consumer’s needs.

Deafness – A partial or complete loss of hearing.

Developmental Delay – A condition marked by a difference between a child’s actual development and the expected age of reaching developmental milestones.

Developmental Disability – A long term physical and/or mental disability that occurs before a person reaches the age of 22 and that results in substantial limitations in at least three of the following areas: self-care, language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living
and economic self-sufficiency.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice – An educational program based on age-appropriate, developmental, and individual needs of each child, emphasizing learning as an interactive process. Developmental Milestones – Skills that are
recognized as a measurement of a child’s functioning or development, and that are typically achieved at a certain age.

Disability – A limitation in a person’s ability to perform an activity considered typical for her/his age and general circumstance.

Down Syndrome – A chromosomal disorder that results in variable degrees of developmental delay,
medical problems, and cognitive disabilities.

DHHS – Department of Health and Human Services (Federal). The U.S. Government’s principal agency for protecting the health of its citizens and providing essential social services, especially for those least able to help
themselves.

DHHR – Department of Health and Human Resources (WV). State agency charged with administering public health programs and social
services.

DOE – Department of Education (WV) – State agency charged with administering and monitoring state and federal education programs and policies.

DRS – Division of Rehabilitation Services (WV). State agency that provides vocational and medical assessment services to people with disabilities and supports them in working and living independently.

Drug Formulary – A listing of medications that consumers may readily access through their health plans. Non-formulary medications may not be accessible or may be accessible only if prior authorization is obtained. Often, the medications on the formulary tend to be the cheapest, rather than the
most effective.

Drug Utilization Review (DUR) – Efforts to control drug utilization and costs by a facility or a health plan. Common methods include the use of a formulary (see above), substitution of generic products for more expensive name
brands and encouraging use of drugs that will trigger rebates or discounts.

Early Intervention – Applies to children of school age or younger, who have or are at risk of developing a disability or other special need that may affect their development. Early intervention services in WV are provided by the
WV Office of Maternal and Child Health, including the Birth to Three Program.

EBD – Emotional or Behavioral Disorder. Condition characterized by mild to severe disruptive/acting out behaviors that are evident and persistent in
different settings and environments.

EMS-TSN – Emergency Medical Services – Technical Support Network (Medley/Hartley Advocacy). WV non-profit corporation that oversees statewide delivery of emergency medical services and administers the Medley/Hartley Advocacy Program under contract with the Office of Behavioral Health Services.

Epilepsy – A condition characterized by recurrent seizures caused by abnormal electric activity in the brain.

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) – A program that covers physical and mental health screening and diagnostic services to Medicaid recipients under the age of 21. Federal law requires that the treatment of a mental or physical illness discovered during an EPSDT screen must be
covered, even if that state’s Medicaid plan does not normally cover those services.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Preventive employer-sponsored services designed to assist employees and their families in addressing both workplace and personal problems before they affect workforce productivity.

External Quality Review Organization (EQRO) – States are required to contract with an entity that is external to and independent of the State and its managed care contractors to perform a review of the quality of services at least annually.

Family Support Services – A statewide program that provides supports for the family to improve quality of life and care for an individual with a developmental disability in their home.

FAS – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A Severe and definitive cluster of developmental difficulties arising from fetal exposure to alcohol. Can include delayed developmental milestones, moderate to severe cognitive disabilities, inappropriate social behavior, and behavioral issues.

Fee-For-Service (FFS) – A system through which doctors, hospitals and other providers are paid a specific amount for each service performed as identified by a claim for payment.

FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Entitles the parent to confidentiality of information, the ability to review and request amendments to the child’s early intervention record, and the right to manage the release and
receipt of information through informed written consent.

FSN – Fair Shake Network. A cross-disability collaborative advocacy program with the purpose of educating policy makers and training persons with disabilities in the critical issues that affect their lives.

Gatekeeper – An arrangement in which a primary care provider determines when a consumer may have access to special-ty care, such as to a mental health
clinician or service.

Head Start/Early Head Start – Federally funded comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age 5. Each program must accommodate 10% of total enrollment of children with disabilities.

Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) – The agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that oversees the Medicaid and Medicare programs. There are also regional HCFA offices throughout the country, with each
responsible for working with a group of states.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) – An entity that provides, offers or arranges for coverage of designated health services needed by members for a fixed, prepaid premium. There are three basic models of HMOs: group model, individual practice asso-ciation (IPA) and staff model.

Hearing Impaired – Loss of hearing in one or both ears that can be recorded by an audiometric test. Degree of hearing loss is classified as mild, moderate or severe. Moderate to severe hearing loss affects an individual’s speech and language abilities.

IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Federal law originally passed by Congress in 1975 as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act, P.L. 94-142. Established the legal right of all children to appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

ICF/MR – Intermediate Care Facility/Mental Retardation and related conditions. An optional Medicaid benefit program consisting of care and active services in group facilities with at least 4 beds.

IDT – Interdisciplinary Team. In behavioral health services, a planning team consisting of representatives from medical, behavioral health, advocacy and specialized therapy services who work with the consumer and family to develop an
Individual Program Plan.

IEP – Individualized Education Program. This is a contract between the public school and the child with special needs and his/her family. Evaluations are completed prior to the child entering public school. The IEP states the child’s present levels of functioning, the specific services to be provided, long range goals for the child, and specific objectives for the year.

IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan. A written plan describing the infant’s or toddler’s current level of development, the family’s strengths and needs related to the enhancement of their child’s development, goals for the child and the other family members, and criteria, procedures, and timelines used to evaluate progress.

Inclusion – In education, it is the process by which children with disabilities and children without disabilities participate together in all activities. In adult community living, it includes the supports that allow people with disabilities to participate in community life, develop lasting and meaningful relationships, and choose where they live and work.

IPP – Individual Program Plan. Document developed by an IDT that describes the supports needed for an individual in the areas of medical/health, housing,
education, employment and other essential services.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) – A private, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits hospitals and
other healthcare organizations that provide mental healthcare, home care, ambulatory care and long-term care services.

LAWV – Legal Aid of WV Statewide program that provides legal advice and personal advocacy services to individuals with disabilities. It is the Hartley advocacy agency for mental health and substance abuse.

Lead Agency – State agency designated by the Governor to administer and implement a statewide, coordinated, multi disciplinary, interagency, service delivery system for individuals with specialized support needs including
disabilities.

Long-term Care – A range of healthcare services that are regularly used over a long period of time; sometimes over the course of a lifetime. Residence-based services, such as nursing home care, are one of the most common forms of long-term care and are what most individuals and policy makers have in mind when they speak of this type of care.

Low Birth Weight – Infants born weighing less than 2 pounds.

LRE – Least Restrictive Environment. An educational placement that ensures that, to the maximum extent possible, children with special needs are educated
with children not in need of special education services.

M-WIN – Medicaid Work Incentive Network. In WV, an initiative to enable people with disabilities to work without losing their Medicaid benefits by allowing them to pay a premium based on a sliding scale.

Managed Behavioral Healthcare Organization (MBHO) – An MCO that specializes in the management, administration and/or provision of behavioral healthcare benefits.

Managed Care – A term used to describe a set of tools to control costs primarily through resource allocation, volume discounts and service utilization limitations.

Managed Care Organization (MCO) – An entity that is contracted to administer the cost controlling tools listed under the definition of managed care.

Medicaid – A nationwide health insurance program, adopted in 1965, for eligible disabled and low-income persons. It is administered by the Federal government and participating states. The program’s costs, paid for by
general tax revenue, are shared by the Federal and state governments. Medicaid pays for general healthcare costs, social services, habilitative and rehabilitative services and some specialized medical services.

Medical Necessity – The determination that a specific health care service is: medically appropriate; necessary to meet a consumer’s health needs; consistent with the diagnosis; the most cost-effective option; and consistent with clinical standards of care.

Medically Needy – A term used to describe the population covered under a state’s Medicaid program, but not through the Federally mandated categorically needy group. This group of Medicaid eligible individuals varies from state to state, but it is generally comprised of people for whom the cost of medical care is greater than the ability to pay for those services.

Medicare – A nationwide, federally administered program that covers the costs of hospitalization, medical care and some related services for elderly and select other individuals. Medicare has two parts: Part A generally covers inpatient costs; and part B primarily covers outpatient costs.

Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP) – A project, funded and coordinated through the U.S. Center for Mental Health Services, in which individuals, organizations, state government agencies and associations are working to improve the information manage-ment capacity to support decision making in meeting the needs of persons with mental health disorders. The goal of MHSIP is to implement uniform, integrated mental health data collection systems. One of the program’s premier accomplishments has been the production of The MHSIP Consumer-Oriented Mental Health Report Card, which is a prototype consumer-oriented report card developed to assess the quality and cost of mental health and substance abuse services.

Mental Retardation – Disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills (definition from American Association on Mental Retardation).

MiCASSA – Medicaid Community Attendant Services and Supports
Act. National program of community based attendant services and supports for
people with disabilities and people otherwise eligible for nursing home or
institutional care.

MR/DD – Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability. Refers
to diverse group of severe, life long, chronic mental and physical conditions
that affect language, learning, mobility and other functions occurring before
age 22.

MR/DD Home and Community Based Waiver Program – A federal and
state program for individuals with mental retardation and/ or developmental
disabilities designed to deliver services to individuals in their home and
community surroundings as an alternative to receiving services in an
Intermediate Care Facility (ICF).

National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) – A
private, not-for-profit organization that assesses and accredits managed care
organizations, including managed behavioral health organizations.

NCLB – No Child Left Behind. Sweeping educational legislation
(2002) requiring new standards in student testing affecting all grade levels, as
well as teacher training. NCLB provides parents with the option of transferring
their child out of failing schools.

Network Provider – A healthcare professional or facility
that is part of the managed care organization’s (MCO’s) network and has a
contractual arrangement to provide services to the MCO’s covered members.

NICHCY – National Information Center for Children & Youth
with Disabilities. Information dissemination resource concerning children with
disabilities with focus on education law and rights for children and families.
Funded by the federal Office of Special Education.

OBHS – Office of Behavioral Health Services. State agency in
WV DHHR that administers programs and services to persons with mental illness,
developmental disabilities and addictions.

Ombudsman – A person or program responsible for
investigating and seeking to resolve consumer complaints. An ombudsman should
also collect and analyze information that will enable health plans to correct
systemic problems in collaboration with consumers, clinicians, purchasers and
regulators.

OMCFH – Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health.
Administers multiple programs targeted to mothers, families and children
including Birth to Three and Adolescent Health, Perinatal and Women’s Health and
Early Childhood Health Projects.

“One Stop” – This concept came from the Workforce Investment
Act. It is an employment service organization that provides a comprehensive
range of services and supports to all persons, regardless of disability label.
One stops must provide consistent core “ervices (service coordination,
entitlement information, etc.) They ure affiliated with other related programs
and share a network of communication and collaboration.

OSE – Office of Special Education. State education agency responsible for
oversight of the State’s special education services for children from age 3
through 21.

OSERS -Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Agency
of the federal Department of Education addressing educational needs of people of
all ages. Comprised of the Office of the Secretary, Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP), National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitative Research (NIDRR),
and the Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA).

Outcomes Measure – A tool that systematically evaluates the impact that
services have on the health and mental health of consumers and their families.
The measure typically focuses on functioning issues.

Out-of-Pocket Expenses – Costs borne by the consumer that are not covered
by a healthcare plan.

Outpatient Prescription Drug Program – A program that provides
prescription drug services on an outpatient basis.

PAS – Personal Assistance Services. Help provided to people with disabilities
to assist them in tasks essential for daily living including bathing, dressing,
eating and shopping.

PASS – Program Analysis of Service Systems. Intensive training/ workshop on
the Principle of Normalization that provides learners with guidelines and tools
for evaluating human services programs.

PATHS – Partnerships in Assistive Technologies. Multi-agency (WV) project
that includes the Office of Special Education, WV Developmental Disabilities
Council, University Center for Excellence in Disabilities and the Division of
Developmental Disabilities. PATHS activities include an annual conference on
assistive technology which targets families and focuses on information and
referral materials.

PBS – Positive Behavior Support. Structured, collaborative assessment and
behavior analysis process, within the context of person-centered values, to
develop supportive interventions for individuals with challenging behavior.

PDD – Pervasive Developmental Disorder. A childhood condition in which there
is a delay across all areas of development: speech and language, cognitive, fine
and gross motor, social, emotional, and adaptive behaviors.

PERC – Parent Educator Resource Centers. Provided in most WV counties, the
PERCs are a source of information and support for families in the educational
system.

Performance Measure – An indicator to help determine the quality of
services provided by the health plan, facility or clinician. Many are process
measures, such as how many times a phone rings before it is picked up, rather
than outcomes measures that deal with a consumer’s functioning.

PIP – Partners in Policy Making. WV Developmental Disabilities Council
sponsored training program for self-advocates and parents. Education and
training about disability issues, the legislative process and leadership skills
to influence public policies.

Point-Of-Service (POS) – A health plan arrangement in which consumers may
choose to receive a service from a participating or a non-participating provider
or facility. Generally, the level of coverage is reduced, or the consumer pays
more out-of-pocket, for services associated with the use of non-participating
providers.

Practice Guidelines – Statements on medical practice that assist
physicians and other professionals in developing treatment plans for specific
conditions.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) – An organized network of
healthcare providers, typically reimbursed on a discounted fee-for-service
basis. Coverage may or may not be available outside of the network for a higher
copayment.

Prior Authorization/Approval – A cost-control procedure in which a payor
requires a service to be approved for coverage in advance of delivery.

PTI – Parent, Training and Information Program. Statewide (WV) cross
disability, parent/professional non-profit group funded through a grant from the
U.S. Department of Education and Rehabilitation Services. WVPTI provides
education, advocacy and support for parents and their children concerning
special education rights and policies.

Quality Assurance – A formal methodology designed to assess the quality
of services provided. Quality assurance includes formal review of care, problem
identification, corrective actions to remedy any deficiencies and evaluation of
actions taken.

Quality Improvement – Includes the functions listed under Quality
Assurance, plus directs system enhancements on an ongoing basis.

Request For Proposals (RFP) – A request for bids to provide specific
services, such as mental health benefits, to a specific population. They are
issued by both public and private payors.

RESA – Regional Education Service Agency. In WV eight agencies coordinate
regional planning, coordinate consultants, and serve as liaison among local,
regional and state agencies. RESAs provide assessment and other services for
students in multi-county areas.

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS).
Provides funds and assistance to states on a variety of mental health and safety
issues, including systems reform, prevention, substance abuse model programs,
children and family services, co-occurring disorders, disaster response,
homelessness, HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis treatment, older adult services and criminal
& juvenile justice.

SCHIP – State Children’s Health Insurance Program. A federal and state
program which provides free or low cost health plans for children from birth to
age 19.

SCI – Spinal Cord Injury.

Senior Care Organization (SCO) – A Federal program designed to assist the
dually eligible population by providing a wide range of medical and social
services.

Service Coordinator – This person ‘s role is to coordinate assessments, IFSP
planning, the evaluation and delivery of services listed on the IFSP,
transition, advocacy, and help in the completion of necessary forms and
paperwork.

SMI – Serious Mental Illness. Refers to a group of biochemical/ neurological
conditions of the brain resulting in distorted perceptions, delusions,
hallucinations, disordered/confused thinking, unstable emotions and behavior.

SILC – Statewide Independent Living Council. Established in WV in 1992, it is
a consumer directed and controlled Council which advocates for, plans and
monitors state independent living services.

SSA – Social Security Administration.

SSI – Supplemental Security Income. Federal entitlement
program based on disability and income. Qualified persons receive monthly SSI
payments.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
– Under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA is responsible
for improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment and
rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental illnesses.

TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Federal
program that replaced the AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) as part
of welfare reform legislation in 1996.

TASH – The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps.

TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury. Acquired injury to the brain caused primarily
by external force (such as motor vehicle accident). A person with a TBI often
requires both acute and long term care rehabilitation. TBI that occurs before
age 22 may result in a developmental disability.

Temporary Assistance For Needy Families (TANF) – The Federal program that
replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) as the monthly cash
assistance program for families with low incomes.

Transition – Planning and support for persons with disabilities that
prepares them for successful integration into school (and pre-school), work and
community living environments.

UCED – Center for Excellence in Disabilities (at WVU). Organization in higher
education focusing on developmental disabilities and funded by the
Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The UCED operates statewide
programs that focus on research, training, and direct services for persons with
developmental disabilities and their families.

Utilization – The extent to which beneficiaries within a covered group
use a program or obtain a particular service, or category of procedures, during
a given period of time. Usually expressed as the number of services used per
year or per 1,000 persons covered.

Utilization Management – The process of evaluating the medical necessity,
appropriateness and efficiency of healthcare services against established
guidelines and criteria.

Utilization Review (UR) – A formal review of healthcare services for
appropriateness and medical necessity. UR may be conducted on a prospective,
concurrent or retrospective basis.

Waiver – An agreement between the U.S. Health Care Financing
Administration and a state that permits the state to deviate from Federal
guidelines that dictate the administration of its Medicaid program. It is
through a waiver, either an 1115 or 1915(b) waiver, that states have
traditionally obtained approval to implement mandatory managed care programs for
their Medicaid populations. However, state plan amendments, as spelled out in
the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, have now essentially replaced the need for
Federal waivers.

WIA – Workforce Investment Act. Federal legislation seeking to simplify and
expand access to employment for a wide range of groups through the creation of
“One Stop” service programs. Legislation requires coordination of services
between federal departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services and
Housing and Urban Development.

WVA – West Virginia Advocates. Established to provide protection and advocacy
services to individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness.

WVATS – West Virbinia Assistive Technology Systems.

WVCDHH – WV Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

WVDDC – West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council. Advocacy organization
funded by the Federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities. The Council
is comprised mostly (60%) of individuals with developmental disabilities and
family members. The WVDDC seeks to assure that people with developmental
disabilities receive the supports necessary to achieve independence and
inclusion into their communities.

WVEIICC – West Virginia Early Intervention Interagency Coordinating Council.
Includes parents, professionals, legislators, advocates and State agency
representatives to develop and implement a statewide system of services and
supports for young children with special needs and their families.

WVMHCA – WV Mental Health Consumers Association. Nonprofit organization to
promote the rights, representation, respect, and responsibility for consumers of
mental health services.

WVBHPC – WV Behavioral Health Planning Council. Federally mandated to assist in
the development of state mental health block grant application and make
recommendations on block grant funding.

WVSRC – WV State Rehabilitation Council. Consumer directed and controlled
Council to advise and assist the WV Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) in
preparing the State Plan for Vocational Services.