Glossary

Some of the words and phrases used on our website are explained below. For more information about eligibility for services through the New Jersey Children’s System of Care (CSOC), please call PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a type of therapy that focuses on building skills such as social skills, communication, activities of daily living, and reducing challenging behaviors that keep youth from reaching their full potential. For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps increase the functional skills of a youth with a developmental disability and improves the youth’s ability to navigate and move around in their environment.

Behavioral Assistance (BA) services are used to help a youth and family develop and practice healthy coping strategies to improve functioning in the home and community. Interventions are designed to target specific behaviors that are identified through an individualized assessment process. For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

Best practice is a way or skill that has been shown to get the best results when compared to other skills or processes.   

BioPsychoSocial Assessment (BPS) evaluates a youth’s needs and determines the best resources or services to address those needs. The BPS is performed by an independent, licensed clinician (not a PerformCare employee) who will meet in person with you and your child.

Care Management Organizations (CMOs) are county-based, nonprofit organizations in charge of face-to-face care management.  They have full-service planning for youth and their families who have complex needs. The CMO staff sets up the Child/Family Team meetings and creates service plans for each youth and their family. The CMO is the organization that coordinates the organization and delivery of services. It also supports services that help the youth maintain stability.

Children’s Crisis Intervention Services (CCIS) is a group of local short-term psychiatric hospital inpatient treatment units. CCIS serve youth ages 5 to 17 who have an immediate risk of harming themselves or others.

Children's System of Care (CSOC) is the division within the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) in charge contracting with providers of behavioral health, substance use treatment, and developmental disability services for youth up to age 21. CSOC manages all contracted services and works to build an effective service system for youth and families.

Community is defined in the New Jersey Children’s System of Care as a location such as the youth’s home, a local shopping or entertainment area, or a regular place that is regularly visited or well-known by the youth. Please note that a health care provider’s office is not considered to be “in the community.” 

Educational Advocacy is a service provided to I/DD eligible youth and their families when the youth needs extra help advocating for education-related needs. Educational Advocacy services help parents and legal guardians to understand their rights in regard to their child’s special education needs.

Evidence-based practice is a treatment intervention that is grounded in the best available research and shown to be effective with a variety of people. 

Family Support Organizations (FSOs) are nonprofit, county-based organizations run by families of children with emotional and behavioral challenges. FSOs work together with the CMO, Mobile Response and Stabilization Services, PerformCare, state agencies, and provider organizations to make sure the system is open and responsive to the needs of families and youth. FSOs provides peer support, education, and advocacy to families.

Family Support Services (FSS) are available to youth who are eligible for developmental disability services and meet the requirements needed to receive FSS. These services include assistive technology, educational advocacy, and respite, which are defined elsewhere in this document. The services may be provided based on availability and the needs of your child and family. For more details, please review the Family Support Services Frequently Asked Questions (PDF). 

Formal supports include the services provided by professional trained employees typically paid for their work. Informal supports include the support provided by a social network and community, such as family and friends.

Individual Support Services (ISS) help youth who have intellectual/developmental disabilities to get, keep, and improve behavioral, self-help, socialization, and adaptive (practical) skills. The youth are taught behaviors needed to function well in the home and community. ISS services are provided in a youth’s home or in other community-based settings.

Inpatient is a term for being admitted to a hospital or treatment center for services. This would include Out-of-Home (OOH)/residential services.

Intellectual/developmental disability (IDD or I/DD) is defined by the National Institutes of Health as a disorder that negatively affects a child’s physical, intellectual, and/or emotional development.

• Intellectual disabilities in children are usually problems with the ability to learn, reason, and problem solve, and other skills, including everyday social and life skills.
• Developmental disabilities are a range of long-term and/or lifelong disabilities that can be intellectual, physical, or both. Many of these conditions affect multiple body parts or systems.

The exact definition of IDD and the different types of IDD may vary. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that ensures educational services to children with disabilities may use a definition of IDD that is different than the one used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide services and support for those with disabilities.

The Children’s System of Care (CSOC) uses standards as defined in the NJ Developmental Disabilities Act, N.J.S.A. 30:6D-25b, made applicable to CSOC by N.J.S.A. 30:4C-4.4(d). You can find these NJ statutes online.

Intensive In-Community (IIC) Services are counseling and therapy services delivered in the community. They help restore a youth’s level of functioning after a decline related to a behavioral health event. These services are also appropriate after a major life stress or trauma. IIC services are provided by licensed practitioners and may include individual and/or family therapy. For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

Intensive In-Home (IIH) Services are rehabilitation and habilitation services that are provided in the youth’s home by clinically licensed or certified practitioners. They help youth return to normal activities in and outside of the home.

• Rehabilitation services are short-term medical or restorative services. These services are for after a youth experiences a major episode of physical or mental disability or a long-term mental illness. Rehabilitation is to help youth to their best possible level of functioning.
• Habilitation services are long-term supports. They can assist youth with I/DD in lessening dangerous and maladaptive behaviors, as well as getting, keeping, or improving the self-help, socialization, and adaptive skills needed to function well at home, at school, and in the community.

For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

Intensity of Service is a level of treatment or care standards based on a child’s needs.

Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) provide face-to-face emergency services to youth and families in the community, within one hour of being contacted if necessary. The goal of services is to help calm and stabilize the youth. These services also help maintain family relationships so the youth can remain in the home. 

MRSS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can offer up to eight weeks of services. For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

Non-Medical Transportation is available to youth and the youth’s parents/caregivers to enable participation in community activities and non-professional services as identified in the youth’s plan of care. Examples include social/recreational activities, transitioning youth services, and parent support services. For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

Out-Of-Home (OOH) Treatment is a residential treatment program for children, youth and young adults. The youth live in the program 24 hours a day and seven days a week. OOH treatment is provided to individuals at an individualized intensity of service.

Outpatient Treatment services can be for an individual, a group, or families in a professional behavioral treatment setting outside of the home. These clinical services can include individual, group, and family therapy. Medication also may be prescribed and monitored. These services can also include substance use treatment.

Respite means “break” or “relief.” CSOC respite services, part of Family Support Services, provide the primary caregiver with temporary relief from the demands of caring for a youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities during times when the caregiver would normally be providing care. The service offers relief on a temporary basis for limited periods of time.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a targeted type of Intensive In-Community service that strengthens self-management, self-awareness, decision-making, social awareness, and interpersonal skills. For more details, please review the Clinical Criteria page.   

For more information about eligibility for services, please contact PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624. PerformCare is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.