The ABC’s and 123’s of International and Domestic Adoption

Entering the exciting world of international or domestic adoption, one quickly realizes that there are acronyms for virtually everything. It is impossible to follow along or anticipate the next steps in the journey when you have no clue what the acronyms mean. This is to serve as a quick guide, and we hope to eventually do a more in-depth explanation of how things work together, as well as other adoption related terms. Please do let us know things we have left off and we will consider revising to be more useful. We have included several different aspects of adoption terminology – some entries may be duplicated as they can apply to both international and domestic. Some entries applicable to both may be only listed in one place. This is not an exhaustive list.

Please note, this is not legal advice, nor is it guaranteed to be accurate or updated. Do not rely on this information in any decision making. Consult with your ASP (Adoption Services Provider) and/or your attorney, click for more information here.

 

GENERAL INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION (IA) TERMS:

ACRONYMS	WHAT IT STANDS FOR
AAAA	American Association of Adoption Attorneys
AC	Adoption Council/Also NCFA
AE	Accrediting Entity – Formerly COA, now IAAME
AP	Adoptive Parent or Attachment Parenting
ASP	Adoption Service Provider
ATC	Adoption Tax Credit
BA	Business Agreement (also called SA)
BM/BF	Birth Mother/Birth Father
CAP	Center for Adoption Policy
CAFO	Christian Alliance for Orphans
CAN	Child Abuse and Neglect (also see DCBS, DFFS, DFFC etc)
CCAI	Congressional Coalition Adoption Institute
CDC	Center for Disease Control
COA	Council on Accreditation
COO	Country of Origin
CPS	Child Protective Services
CQI	Continuous Quality Improvement
CSP	Client Services Plan
DCBS, DFS, DFFC, DSS, etc	Department for Community Based Services, Department for Family Services, etc.  – State based offices often involved in requesting child abuse checks and anytime a child’s safety is in question.
DHS	Department of Homeland Security
DOB	Date of Birth
DOR	Date of Referral
DOS	Department of State
DOT	Date of Travel
ELL	English Language Learner
EP	Exempt Provider
ETC	Empowered to Connect (aligned with TBRI)
FSP	Foreign Supervised Provider
HS	Home Study
HPB	Hague Permanent Bureau
HT	Hague Treaty
IAA	Intercountry Adoption Act
IAAME	Intercountry Adoption Accreditation And Monitoring Entity
ICPC	Interstate Compact Placement on Children (not applicable in most internationals)
ISC	Independent Search Consultants
NBC	National Benefits Center (within USCSIS)
NCFA	National Council for Adoption (also known as Adoption Council)
NVC	National Visa Center
PAF	Prospective Adoptive Father
PAM	Prospective Adoptive Mother
PAP(s)	Prospective Adoptive Parent(s)
PAR/PPR	Post Adoption Report or Post Placement Report
PP	Primary Provider
OCA	Orphan Care Alliance
OCI	Office of Children’s Issues (in DOS)
SA	Service Agreement or Save Adoptions
SN	Special Needs
SOAAR	Statement of Acceptance and Responsibility
SOS	Secretary of State
SP	Supervised Provider or Service Plan
SW	Social Worker
TBRI	Trust-Based Relational Intervention
UAA	Universal Accreditation Act
USCIS	US Citizenship and Immigration Services (within DHS)
UTC	Unregulated Child Transfer

 

INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION IMMIGRATION FILINGS:

ACRONYMS	WHAT IT STANDS FOR
I-600A	Advanced processing for a non-Hague orphan case (family specific)
I-800A	Advanced Processing for a Hague case (family specific)
I-797	Notice of Action (Approval of forms I-800A or I-600A)
I-171H	Notice of Approval for Form I-600A (most often a I-797)
I-600	Child specific petition to classify non-Hague orphan as an immediate relative
I-800	Child specific petition to classify Hague convention child as an immediate relative
I-824	Request for further action on a previously approved petition
I-864	Affidavit of Support
I-864(w)	Request for Exemption for intending immigrant’s affidavit of support
G-884	Request for Return of Original Documents
DS-260	Application for Immigrant visa and alien registration
DS-1981	Request for vaccination exemption for children under 10
N-600 & N-600K	Applications for Citizenship
N-565	Application for Replacement of Citizenship Documentation

 

DOMESTIC ADOPTION (DA) TERMS:

ACRONYMS	WHAT IT STANDS FOR
ABC	Amended Birth Certificate
BA	Business Agreement (also called SA)
BC	Birth Certificate
BF	Birth Father
BM	Birth Mom
CAN	Child Abuse and Neglect (also see DCBS, DFFS, DFFC etc)
ChP	Child’s Presentation
CPC	Crisis Pregnancy Center
CPS	Child Protective Services
CTA	Consent to Adoption
DOP	Date of Placement
EDD	Estimated Due Date
EM	Expectant Mom
FJA	Final Judgement for Adoption
GAL	Guardian ad Litem
HIPAA	Health Information Portability and Accountability Act
HRP	High Risk Placement
ICPC	Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children
ICWA	Indian Child Welfare Act
LC	Legal Custody
L&D	Labor and Delivery
LRP	Legal Risk Placement
MOB/FOB	Mother of Baby/Father of Baby
OA	Open Adoption
OIG	Office of Inspector General
OVS	Office of Vital Statistics
OTC	Over the counter meds
PAD	Post Adoption Depression
PAP’s	Prospective Adoptive Parents
PFR	Putative Father Registry
PM	Proposed Match
PNC	Prenatal Care
PNV	Prenatal vitamins
PPD	Post-Partum Depression
SA	Service Agreement
SOAAR	Statement of Acceptance and Responsibility
SVD	Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery
TPR	Termination of Parental Rights
UBF	Unmarried Biological Father

 

SPECIAL NEEDS (SN) RELATED:

ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
ADD/ADHD	Attention Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity Disorder
AMA	American Medical Association
ASD	Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASL	American Sign Language
BD	Behaviorally disturbed
BP	Bi-polar
CAPD	Central Auditory Processing Disorder
CD	Conduct Disorder
CP	Cerebral Palsy
DA	Disordered Attachment
DD	Dual Diagnosis or Developmental Disability
DSM	Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
DS	Down syndrome
EBD	Emotionally/Behaviorally Disturbed
FAE	Fetal Alcohol Disorder
FASD	Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
HDR	Heart Defect Repaired
IDEA	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
LD	Learning Disabilities
OCD	Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
ODD	Oppositional Defiant Disorder
OT	Occupational Therapist
PLT	Play Therapist
PT	Physical Therapist
RAD	Reactive Attachment Disorder
SED	Severally Emotionally Disturbed
SIB	Self Injurious Behavior
SLP	Speech Language Pathologist
SN	Special Needs
SW	Social Worker
TH	Therapist