Glossary

The terms included in this glossary are defined as they are used in this document. They may have other meanings in different contexts.

• Adult - A person eighteen years of age or older
  
• Agency - an authority, board, department, or division of state or local government or a public or private organization with which a state or local agency has contracted to provide services to families or children.
  
• Assessment - completing tests, interviews, and other procedures in order to understand a persons strengths and problems
  
• Behavioral Health Authority (BHA) - A local agency that provides mental health, mental retardation, and substance abuse services to children, adults, and families. A BHA may be called a community services board in some locations.
  
• Child or Youth or Juvenile - A person less than eighteen years of age.
  
• Child in Need of Services (CHINServ) - A child whose behavior, conduct or condition presents or results in a serious threat to the well-being and physical safety of the child. The child’s conduct must present a clear and substantial danger to the child's life or health or the child or his family must need treatment, rehabilitation or services not presently being received, and court intervention must be needed so that the child or family get the services needed. (Va. Code Ann § 16.1- 288 (Michie 2002 Cum. Supp.))
  
• Child in Need of Supervision (CHINSup) - A child who is truant from school or who has run away from home more than once without reasonable cause or has run away from a residential facility. This behavior must endanger the child or the child must need treatment or services, and court intervention must be needed. (Va. Code Ann. § 16.1- 288 (Michie 2002 Cum. Supp.))
  
• Commitment - The process by which the court transfers legal custody of a child from a parent or legal guardian to either the Department of Juvenile Justice or the Department of Social Services. Commitment is also a process by which children with mental health problems can be hospitalized either with their consent or over their objections.
  
• Community Services Board (CSB) - A local agency that provides mental health, mental retardation, and substance abuse services to children, adults, and families. A CSB may be called a behavioral health authority in some locations.
  
• Confidential - Kept from general public view. Confidential records are those to which access is limited.
  
• Court Services Unit - People employed by the Department of Juvenile Justice to provide, among other things, intake services at juvenile courts, develop social histories for use by the court at the dispositional stage of proceedings, and probation and parole services.
  
• Database - A computerized information system maintained by an agency that contains information about individuals.
  
• Disposition - When a juvenile court petition has been filed, the disposition is the final outcome. When a petition is dismissed, or is found to be true, that is a disposition. The disposition also includes anything the judge orders after a petition is found to be true.
  
• Educational Record - A child’s official school record, often called the scholastic record. The scholastic record is maintained by an educational agency or institution that relates directly to a student. The record includes an account of a student’s educational development and growth in school, disciplinary records, achievement and test data, health records, special education eligibility assessments, and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
  
• Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) - Under Virginia’s Comprehensive Services Act, state and local agencies, parents, and private providers are required to work together as a team to provide services for children with emotional disabilities and their families. Each community has at least one Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) which consists of a representative from the local Department of Social Services, the School System, the Community Services Board or Behavioral Health Authority, the Court Services Unit (Juvenile Justice), the local Health Department, a parent, and a private provider.
  
• Felony - A felony is a serious crimes such as murder, rape, and robbery which is punished more severely than less serious crimes, called misdemeanors.
  
• Guardian ad litem - A guardian ad litem (GAL) is an attorney appointed by a judge to represent the interests of a child who is before the court in a case involving abuse, neglect, foster care, or mental health commitment. A judge may also appoint a GAL in other juvenile or custody matters.
  
• Jurisdiction - The power of the court to decide a case or the territory within which a court may exercise its power.
  
• Juvenile or Child or Youth - A person less than eighteen years of age.
  
• Misdemeanor - A misdemeanors is a crime that is less serious than a felony and includes such things as trespassing and petty larceny.
  
• Multidisciplinary Team - a group of professionals and parents that works together to plan and provide treatment services for children with emotional, behavioral, or developmental disorders.
  
• Parent - A biological or adoptive mother or father, or a legal guardian or custodian.
  
• Parole - Community supervision that follows the release of a youth from a department of juvenile justice placement. Children on parole must follow rules set by the parole officer.
  
• Probation - Community supervision that results following a determination by a juvenile court that a child has committed a delinquent act or is in need of supervision. Children on probation must follow rules set by the court and/or the probation officer.
  
• Provider - An organization, agency, or individual that delivers services or treatment to a youth or family.
  
• Quash - To annul, void, or put an end to something.
  
• Statute - A law.
  
• Subpoena - A court order that commands the attendance of a witness and/or the delivery of documents.
  
• Violent Juvenile Felony - Violent juvenile felonies include murder, aggravated malicious wounding, felonious injury by mob, abduction, malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer, felonious poisoning, adulteration of products, robbery, carjacking, rape, forcible sodomy, or object sexual penetration when committed by a juvenile over fourteen. (Va Code Ann §§ 16.1-228 (Michie 2002 Cum. Supp.); § 16.1-269.1B and C (Michie 1999)).
  
• Youth - A person under the age of eighteen.