"Ae" to "Az"Counselor Acronym Initial or Abbreviation Used by Mental Health and Addiction Therapists Psychotherapists and Social Workers

-Ae-

AECT = Association for Education Communications and Technology

AED or AEDs = Automated External Defibrillators can be used by trained staff and untrained persons to restore a normal heart rhythm in someone who has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

AERA = American Educational Research Association

AETC = AIDS Education and Training Center

AfCA = African Counselling Association [Thanks to Dr. Kim Richards}

AFDC = Aid to Families with Dependent Children

AFN = Alaska Federation of Natives

AFSP = American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

AFB = American Foundation for the Blind

AFD = age of first drink

AFF = Advance Fee Fraud, known internationally as "4-1-9" 419-fraud after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes, are often very creative and innovative. A large number of victims are enticed into believing they have been singled out from the masses to share in multi-million dollar windfall profits for doing absolutely nothing. Victims are most often contacted by email.

AFH = Adult Family Home. ADH locator for Washington State. (Just type in the zip code area or select a county name to bring up a list.)

AFT = American Federation of Teachers

AGLBIC = Association for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues in Counseling, a division of the American Counseling Association.

AGCA = Australian Guidance and Counselling Association

AGPA = American Group Psychotherapy Association

AHA = American Hospital Association

AHP = Association for Humanistic Psychology

AHRQ = Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

AHP or AHPs = Association Health Plans, 2005 proposed legislation that would allow small businesses to band together through associations and purchase healthcare for workers and their families. AMHCA opposes this legislation because these plans would be exempt from state laws, including those mandating mental health benefits, mandatory reimbursement laws, vendership laws, and other laws to protect patients. [The Advocate, January 2005, a publication of AMHCA.]

AHT = America's HealthTogether, a non-profit organization whose mission is to build national support for affordable health--and mental health--for all and to eliminate health care disparities and inequities.

AIA = an alcohol impact area. A defined area where it is illegal to sell beer or malt products with an alcohol content more than 5.7 percent and a cost of 4 cents or less per wholesale ounce. It is an attempt to decrease concentration of drunks in an area by restricting the availability of strong cheap alcoholic beverages including fortified wines (Tacoma & Seattle, Washington)

AICT = American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, a New York clinic founded in 1985 as the Center for Cognitive Therapy (CCT).

AIDS = acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

AIHCP = American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc. Proceeds from Certifications and Fellowships programs of the AIHCP are donated to the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, and continues her work of caring for the poor, the sick and the dying throughout the world today.

AIP = Association for Independent Practitioners, a division of BACP that represents the interests of counsellors and those using counselling skills who either work independently or in agency settings in the United Kingdom.

AIRS = Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, incorporated in 1973, is the professional association for over 1,000 public and private community information and referral (I&R) providers. Comprehensive and specialized I&R programs are found in nearly every community and operate as a critical component of the health and human service delivery system, primarily in the United States and Canada.

AISCB = Association of Intervention Specialists Credentialing Board, 401 E. Sangamon Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. Telephone: (217) 698-8110.

AKA = 1. also known as, or 2. another known alias

AKOM = All Kinds of Minds, a program that advocates for the unique learning needs of children.

ALA = American Library Association

AlCA or ALCA = Alabama Counseling Association (formerly the Alabama Association for Counseling and Development) is a branch of the American Counseling Association.

AlMHCA or ALMHCA = Alabama Mental Health Counselors Association

ALPS = Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor granted by West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling. [Thanks to Barry Row, West Virginia.]

AM = (or a.m.) ante meridiem (the period between midnight and noon.)

AMA = American Medical Association

AMBHA = the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association founded in 1994, is now known as the Association of Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW).

AMCD = Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, a division of the American Counseling Association.

AMCP = Academy of Managed Care Providers®, "a national organization of clinicians, managed care professionals and affiliated healthcare industry professionals, has been serving members since 1993." [Thanks to Barry T. Levy, Long Beach, CA.]

AMF = The National Students of AMF (Ailing Mothers & Fathers) Support Network is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support all college students with an ailing or deceased loved one, empower all college students to fight back against terminal illness, and raise awareness about the needs of grieving college students.

AMGA = American Medical Group Association, an association that represents medical groups.

AMHCA = American Mental Health Counselors Association, a former division of the American Counseling Association, now independent.

AMHCF = American Mental Health Counselors Foundation, a foundation formed by the AMHCA and supported by grants and donations. It is intended to promote the mental health of all Americans by research, education, promoting the highest standard of practice of the profession and service to the community.

AMI = The Association for Music and Imagery is an organization of persons who have been trained in The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music.

AMTA = American Music Therapy Association, Inc., 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA, Phone: (301) 589-3300, Fax: (301) 589-5175. [Thanks to Christina Ivanna, Edmonds, Washington.]

ANA = American Nurses Association.

ANAD = National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

ANMA = American Naturopathic Medical Association

AOA = (1.) American Orthopsychiatric Association ("Ortho") is an 80-year old membership association of mental health professionals concerned with clinical issues and issues of social justice. Ortho provides a common ground for collaborative study, research, and knowledge exchange among individuals from a variety of disciplines engaged in preventive, treatment, and advocacy approaches to mental health. (2.) American Osteopathic Association [ For Patients, Consumers and Media] [ For Health Industry Professionals] a member association representing osteopathic physicians (D.O.s). Osteopathy is "a system of medicine based on the theory that many diseases are caused by misalignments of bones, ligaments, and muscles, and that correcting these through manipulation can cure the problems." [source: encarta.msn.com] (3.) Administration on Aging, a federal department (AoA), part of the federal Department. of Health & Human Services.

AODA = Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse, a professional oversight organization located at 3725 National Drive, Suite 213, Raleigh, NC 27612. Raleigh, NC. [Thanks to Nelson Fernandini, Florida]

AOTA = The American Occupational Therapy Association

AOTF = American Occupational Therapy Foundation

APA = 1.) American Psychiatric Association 2.) American Psychological Association or 3.) American Psychotherapy Association [Thanks to Terry Johnson, LPC, from Denton County in north central Texas.]

APABC = Adlerian Psychology Association of British Columbia, makes it's programs available through the Adler Centre in Vancouver, BC..

APAC = Asian-Pacific American Caucus (see CACD-APAC).

APD = Avoidant Personality Disorder

APHA = American Public Health Association (links to state associations)

APIRE = American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1998 to place the American Psychiatric Association in the leadership role by contributing to the scientific base of psychiatric practice and policy.

APMHA = American Psychotherapy and Medical Hypnosis Association

APNA = American Psychiatric Nurses Association

APO = Army (or Air Force) Post Office

APPIC = Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers

APSCC = Association for Pastoral and Spiritual Care and Counselling, a division of the BACP that aims to improve the quality of pastoral care and counselling in the United Kingdom, lay and ordained, voluntary and paid: e.g. clergy and ministers, social workers, doctors, therapists, nurses, Christians, Jews, other religions and non-committed, and to raise standards in the teaching and exercise of pastoral care and counselling.

APSP = Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology

APS = 1. American Pain Society 2. American Psychological Society 3. Arno Profile System, explained as a counseling tool that helps counselors to "identify counselees' problems faster and more accurately."

APSA = American Psychoanalytic Association

APSAC = American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

APSAD = Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs [Australia]

APT = Association for Play Therapy There are many state chapters. [Thanks to Mary Phillips Green, Puyallup, WA.]

ARC = 1. Application Review Committee, ICF Credentialing Program 2. Applied Research Center Organized to study of the practice of community organizing and perform research into the issues around which organizers were mounting campaigns, especially the identity concerns of people of color, gays and lesbians, and women.

ARCA = American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, a division of the American Counseling Association.

ArMHCA = Arkansas Mental Health Counselors Association

ARND = alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder. Term used when signs of brain damage appear following fetal alcohol exposure, but in the absence of other indication of FAS. (See FAS)

ARNP = Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Requires advanced diagnostic training and often has authority to write and monitor prescriptions.

ART = (1.) Aggression Replacement Training® trademark issued to Barry Glick, co-author of "Aggression Replacement Training: A Comprehensive Intervention for Aggressive Youth." [Thanks to Counseling Today Sept 2004, an ACA publication.] or (2.) Affect Rescripting Therapy. [Thanks to "Chapter News" in the Advocate Vol. 30, No.1, an AMHCA publication.]

ARY = "At-Risk Youth," as defined by Washington State law.

AS = Asperger Syndrome (See: ASPIRES, below.)

ASAM = American Society of Addiction Medicine, but ASAM criteria is a phrase used to refer to a set of patient placement criteria (PPC) written by ASAM and used to move a person through on a continuum of care from assessment through treatment and to discharge in a prescribed and consistent fashion. [Thanks to Sarajane Siegfriedt for reminding me.]

ASCA = American School Counselor Association, a division of the American Counseling Association.

ASCD = Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

ASD = autism spectrum disorder refers to a broad definition of autism including the classical form of the disorder as well as closely related disabilities that share many of the core characteristics--Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Rett's syndrome, Asperger syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. [ERIC EC Digest #E583, article by Glen Dunlap and Mary-Kay Bunton-Pierce, Council for Exceptional Children, Information Center on Disabilities and Gifted Education.]

ASERVIC = Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling, a division of the American Counseling Association.

ASGPP = American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, founded in 1942 by J. L. Moreno, MD, it is the pioneer membership organization in group psychotherapy.

ASGW = Association for Specialists in Group Work, a division of the American Counseling Association.

ASOTP = The Affiliate Sex Offender Treatment Provider has passed the initial test and now needs to complete 2000 hours of supervised clinical practice to become a SOTP. [Good luck on finding a web link on this one. The Washington State Department of Health changes their URLs frequently and without notice.]

ASPE = American Society of Professional Education

ASPIRES = Asperger Syndrome Partners & Individuals Resources, Encouragement & Support.

ASPPB = Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards in the United States and Canada (Lost tract of website in 2008, and unable to locate any current information about the organization.)

ASTT = Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma is a group of physicians, psychologists, social workers and human rights advocates who have come together to find ways to help survivors of torture and trauma.

ASU = Adjudicative Services Unit is responsible for the content of the Washington State Department of Health "Provider Credentials Look-up System" information. They track disciplinary timelines in compliance with a Washington State legislative mandate, as well as comply with a federal mandate for reporting all disciplinary actions taken against Health Care Providers to the National Healthcare Integrity Protection Databank. ASU works with written documents. If you find errors in the Provider Lookup section, write to them at DOH-ASU, PO Box 7879, Olympia WA 98504-7879.

ASWB = Association of Social Work Boards

ATCB = Art Therapy Credentials Board

ATA = American Translators Association

ATE = Association of Teacher Educations

ATLAS = Apparently this is not an acronym but is the name of a UNESCO (World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations) surveillance initiative that maps international mental health resources such as the availability of providers and services. Eventually, an ATLAS publication will allow individuals to identify the number of counsellors available in relation to specific populations, the existence of policies for credentialing counsellors, and descriptions of work carried out by counsellors in each responding country. Initial data collection and writing efforts will be done by NBCC-I and is expected to begin by the end of 2005. [Thanks to "The National Certified Counselor" Vol. 21, No.3, Fall 2005, a publication of the National Board for Certified Counselors.]

ATOD-C = Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, Certified. The certification title is being revised. By the end of 2000, persons holding the ATOD certification will be notified and have certificates that say C-CATODSW. [Thanks to Susan B. Merrick, ACSW, Senior Staff Associate, Credentialing Center, National Association of Social Workers, 1-800-638-8799, Ext. 262.]

ATODC = Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug – Certified. This is a specialty certification of the National Association of Social Workers. (see C-CATODSW)

ATP = Association for Transpersonal Psychology

ATR = Art Therapist Registered

ATR-BC = Art Therapist Registered-Board Certified.

ATRL = means a person registered as an Art Therapist who is granted a license to practice psychotherapy. [Wisconsin]

ATSA = Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers is an international organization focused specifically on the prevention of sexual abuse through effective management of sex offenders.

ATSDR = the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is the principal federal public health agency involved with hazardous waste issues.

ATSS = Association for Traumatic Stress Specialists

AUCC = Association for University and College Counselling, a division of the BACP that promotes student counselling as an integral part of the educational process of Institutions of Further and Higher Education in the United Kingdom.

AUDIT = Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, was developed by the World Health Organization to screen for harmful or hazardous drinking patterns.

AVRT = Addictive Voice Recognition Technique

AWAKE = The Association of Wisconsin Area Kodaly Educators [part of OAKE]

AWARE = Associates for World Action in Rehabilitation and Education

AWP = "any willing provider" laws require health-maintenance organizations and other insurers to accept into their networks all...providers that agree to the insurer's terms of service--as opposed to limited panels of providers. --State law upheld in US Supreme Court case, Kentucky Association of Health Plans v. Miller, 2003. [Thanks to "News from Washington," AMHC publication, The ADVOCATE, Vol. 26, No.6, June 2003.]

AYP = Adequate Yearly Progress, refers to the measure of school performance as measured by testing of students under the federal funding bill referred to as "No Child Left Behind."

AzAADAC = Arizona Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, a state affiliate of NAADAC.

AzAMFT = Arizona Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

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This document is Copyrighted© 1999-2005 Floyd Else, MA, and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part without prior written permission of the author except when single definitions are credited to the author, source and site name. [Floyd Else, Dictionary of Initials, Acronyms and Initials Used by Counselors and Social Workers, CounselingSeattle.com] All rights reserved.

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