Glosario

A 504 Plan is a formal plan developed in U.S. public schools to provide students with disabilities the accommodations they need to access learning on an equal basis with their peers. It’s based on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a federal civil rights law that protects individuals with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit major life activities, such as learning, concentrating, or managing medical conditions. Unlike an IEP, which includes specialized instruction, a 504 Plan typically provides classroom accommodations—such as extended time on tests, frequent breaks, or seating adjustments—to support a student’s success in a general education setting.

At VCS, we use these terms interchangeably to refer to the person that you meet with each week for your therapy session. All of our staff are mental health professionals, and are licensed/training in different areas. Regardless of title, all staff are knowledgeable and experienced in the work we do.

Counseling is a professional relationship where trained counselors help individuals, families, and groups address mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. It’s a form of talking therapy where a counselor listens, empathizes, and helps clients identify solutions or coping mechanisms for their concerns.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder – is a 7 question form used to assess symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder

Gaslighting is making someone believe something or many things are happening or not happening. It is a way of making a person second guess their own judgment and essentially make them think they are losing their mind.

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act is a US federal law enacted in 1996 that sets national standards for protecting sensitive patient health information. It ensures the privacy and security of health data while also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system

IEP = Individualized Education Plan. An IEP is a legally binding document, developed in collaboration by parents, teachers, school administrators and other relevant specialists. Its purpose is to secure equal access to a free and appropriate education for students with disabilities. An IEP must include: information about the student’s current academic performance; learning goals; the specific services they will receive (such as speech or physical therapy); the accommodations and modifications they will need in the classroom (such as notes provided, additional time on tests, or resource room); and how progress will be monitored.

Inpatient psychiatric hospitalization provides 24-hour care in a structured setting for individuals experiencing acute mental health crises or needing intensive treatment.

The three criteria for inpatient treatment includes 1) danger to self, either stated or acted upon; 2) danger to others, either stated or acted upon; and 3) inability to meet basic needs (not showering, not eating, not taking care of one’s area so it is not in a state of squalor, all to the point of endangering the person’s health and well-being).

It involves a multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrists, nurses, and therapists; the aim of inpatient treatment is to develop a personalized treatment plan to stabilize symptoms, manage crises, and facilitate a safe transition to a less intensive level of care.

An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a structured form of mental health or substance abuse treatment that allows individuals to receive comprehensive care while still living at home. It offers more support than traditional weekly therapy but doesn’t require 24-hour supervision like inpatient or residential treatment. IOPs typically involve group and individual therapy sessions, medication management, and other therapeutic approaches, several times a week for a few hours each session.

Psychiatric medications are meant to help a person overcome mental health issues that other forms of treatment haven’t helped sufficiently. Some mental health problems require medication management that could be short term or long term. Psychiatric medications are prescribed by physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. The aim is to alleviate the symptoms of the problem in concert with other forms of treatment.

The main categories of psychiatric medications include medications for mood disorders which are primarily depression and bipolar disorder and variants of them; medications for thought disorders like schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders; medications for anxiety disorders; and medications for adjunctive treatment for agitation, insomnia, and so forth.

There are mental health conditions for which no specified medications are indicated, such as personality disorders, but medications are sometimes used to treat the symptoms of such disorders with a degree of success, but also there is less likelihood of successful medication treatment in these disorders

At VCS, we use these terms interchangeably to refer to the person that you meet with each week for your therapy session. All of our staff are mental health professionals, and are licensed/training in different areas. Regardless of title, all staff are knowledgeable and experienced in the work we do.

Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist — different credentials obtained by staff who earned a Master’s Degree in Marriage & Family Therapy

Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor – different credentials obtained by staff who earned a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling

Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services

Master of Social Work, Licensed Master of Social Work, Licensed Clinical Social Worker – different credentials obtained by staff who earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work

PHP: A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is an intensive outpatient mental health treatment program that provides a structured, comprehensive approach to care for individuals experiencing moderate to severe mental health or substance use conditions. PHPs offer a bridge between inpatient hospitalization and less intensive outpatient therapy, allowing individuals to receive a high level of care while still living at home.

A personality disorder is a mental health condition where a person’s patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving deviate significantly from cultural norms, causing distress and impacting their ability to function in daily life. These patterns are inflexible, pervasive across different situations, and have persisted for a long time, often starting in adolescence or early adulthood.

Patient Health Questionnaire – is a nine question form used to screen diagnose and assess the severity of depression.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

A Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD), also sometimes called a Mental Health Advance Directive, is a legal document that allows individuals with mental illness to express their preferences for future mental health treatment, should they become incapacitated. It’s a way for individuals to maintain autonomy and control over their care, even during a crisis.

HIPAA forms and releases of information

SMART = Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-Bound

At VCS, we use these terms interchangeably to refer to the person that you meet with each week for your therapy session. All of our staff are mental health professionals, and are licensed/training in different areas. Regardless of title, all staff are knowledgeable and experienced in the work we do.

V.C.S. originally stood for Volunteer Counseling Services. Although we still use that name, VCS now includes much more than just volunteer counseling, so we changed the name officially to “VCS Inc.” in 2006, and we’ve been providing holisitic services since then!