POWER - DSHS Acronyms

Your Guide to Acronyms and Abbreviations

DSHS Lingo

ABE Adult Basic Education (literacy classes, etc.)
ADATSA Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment and Support Act (state-financed treatment and support program for chemically dependent persons)
Admin. Administrator
AFDC Aid to Families with Dependent Children (what TANF used to be called before 1996 welfare reform)
AREN Additional Requirements for Emergent Needs (EG for TANF recipients)
AU Assistance Unit (all those counted in one's benefits package)
BH Basic Health Plan (state funded plan for families or individuals under 200% of FPL)
CJ Community Jobs
CN Categorically Needy (in terms of eligibility for medical benefits)
CPS Child Protective Services
CSE Child Support Enforcement (DSHS – CS collections)
CSO Community Service Office (a welfare office)
CSOA Community Service Office Administrator (head boss of the CSO)
CW Case Worker (DSHS calls them case managers)
DCA Diversion Cash Assistance (Emergency Grant for non-TANF recipients)
DSHS Department of Social and Health Services (government branch that provides public assistance, child support enforcement, medical, etc.)
- Region 1 Spokane area (North Eastern WA)
- Region 2 Yakima area (Center of WA in South to South Eastern WA)
- Region 3 North of King County (Lynnwood, Bellingham, Everett, Oak Harbor, etc.)
- Region 4 King County (Seattle, Kent, Bellevue, Woodinville, Redmond, etc.)
- Region 5 South of King County (Tacoma, Bremerton, & Puyallup)
- Region 6 South of Region 5 (Olympia, Chehalis, Vancouver, Port Townsend, etc.)
DV Domestic Violence
DVR Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (state program for incapacitated and disabled individuals designed to help them achieve self-support)
ESD Employment Security Department (evaluates people's skills and assesses their employability within the job market – they recommend people for JobSearch or different kinds of training programs)
FHC Fair Hearing Coordinator
FPL Federal Poverty Line (what the federal government considers the cut-off for classifying people who are living in poverty)
FW Financial Worker
GA-U General Assistance-Unemployable (temporarily unable to work – Dr. has to say so. Also for immigrants, b/c ineligible for SSI due to their status.)
GA-X General Assistance-Expedited Medicaid (For those who have been pre-approved to receive SSI. The transitional medical from GA-U to SSI. Also for immigrants, b/c ineligible for SSI due to their status.)
GED General Equivalent Degree (almost like a high school degree)
HW/HD High Wage/High Demand (1 yr. education w/o work for those in information technology & health care fields – this yr. can be the last of a 2 or 4 yr. degree)
IRP Individual Responsibility Plan (list of activities one has to do when getting TANF grant. Parents should have a say in the creation of it)
LEP Limited English Proficiency (someone should be identified and labeled when spoken or written English is difficult. Person will receive services in her/his language, as well as other needed services)
LW Lead Worker
NSA Necessary Supplemental Accommodations (services provided for disabled clients who have difficulty in getting program benefits in the same way that an unimpaired person would get them)
RCW Revised Code of Washington (A decimal system codification of laws enacted by the Washington State Legislature)
SCHIP State Children's Health Insurance Program (children who's fam. income up to 250% of FPL)
SFA State Family Assistance (Cash assistance program established for legal immigrants who are ineligible for TANF because of immigrant status)
SSI Supplemental Security Income (the money for this is part of the Social Security pot. This is for those who have some kind of disability that makes them unemployable for a year or more – has to have Dr.'s note. Application can take up to a year or more.)
Sup. Supervisor
SW Social Worker
TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (welfare grant)
WAC Washington Administrative Code – followed by a (The actual law that sets the rules described in the RCW – policy)
WCCC Working Connections Child Care (child care subsidy program)
WS Work Study (employment through a college – only have to do 16hrs./wk.)

Programs for low-income people

EITC Earned Income Tax Credit (working low-income individuals & families are eligible for this – larger tax refund b/c of income status)
HCC Hospital Charity Care (if income below 100% FPL hospitals can't charge a person. Also spenddowns up to 200% FPL)
Sect. 8 Section 8 – the federal housing subsidy program (takes about 5 yrs. if you can get on the waiting list, it's often closed)
SSD Social Security Department

Anti-poverty Organizations

ACLU American Civil Liberties Union
ALJ Administrative Law Judge – judge at fair hearings – not a part of DSHS
CAMP Central Area Motivational Project (Seattle)
CLEAR Coordinated Legal Education Advice and Referral service (NJPs KC info line)
CLIP Coalition for Low Income Power (Olympia)
CCS Catholic Community Services
E for E Enterprise for Equity (entrepreneurial training for low income people)
KCBA King County Bar Association
NJP Northwest Justice Project (free legal representation at FHs)
OAH Office of Administrative Hearing
OMJP Olympians for Justice and Peace
POWER Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights
SHA Seattle Housing Authority
SHIBA Statewide Health Insurance, Benefits, Advisors
SPAN Statewide Poverty Action Network (we are partnered w/ them and other organizations to work on the anti-poverty movement)
SSAP Social Security Advocacy Project
TU Tenant's Union
TULIP Thurston Union for Low Income People (low-income credit union)
WIC Women, Infants, and Children