C

CAC
Consumer Advisory Committee. The mission of a CAC is to make recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to facilitate the participation of consumers (including people with disabilities and underserved populations, such as Native Americans and persons living in rural areas) in proceedings before the Commission. Issues or questions to be considered by the CAC will include, but are not limited to the following topic areas:

• Access by People with Disabilities (e.g., telecommunications relay services, video description, captioning, accessible billing, and access to telecommunications products and services)
• Consumer Protection and Education (e.g., cramming, slamming, consumer friendly billing, bundling of services, Lifeline/Linkup programs, customer service, privacy, telemarketing abuses, and outreach to underserved populations such as Native Americans and persons living in rural areas)
• Implementation of Commission rules and Consumer Participation in the FCC rulemaking process
• Impact of New and Emerging Technologies (e.g., availability of Broadband, digital television, cable, satellite, low power FM, and the convergence of these and emerging technologies)
  

CAP

Client Assistance Program. A nationwide network of congressionally mandated, legally based disability rights agencies. CAP agencies provide information and assistance to individuals seeking or receiving vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act, including assistance in pursuing administrative, legal and other appropriate remedies. Parent organization: NDRN.

CCD
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. CCD is a coalition of approximately 100 national disability organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the self determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. www.c-c-d.org.

CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Working with states and other partners, CDC provides a system of health surveillance to monitor and prevent disease outbreaks (including bioterrorism), implement disease prevention strategies, and maintain national health statistics. CDC provides for immunization services, workplace safety, and environmental disease prevention. CDC also guards against international disease transmission, with personnel stationed in more than 25 foreign countries. Established: 1946, as the Communicable Disease Center. CDC is a public health agency of DHHS. www.cdc.gov.

CDC-NCBDDD
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. (See also: EPG) The NCBDDD promotes the health of babies, children, and adults, and enhance the potential for full, productive living. NCBDDD's work includes identifying the causes of and preventing birth defects, developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities. www.cdc.gov/ncbddd.

CEC
Council for Exceptional Children. The CEC is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice. www.cec.sped.org.

CIS
Council on Interdisciplinary Service. CIS is one of AUCD's Councils of the Board of Directors. CIS works with issues of concern to the core disciplines within the AUCD network and acts as a conduit for information to go to and from the Board of Directors and the various disciplines. Link to the CIS webpage.

CISS
Community Integrated Service Systems ("kiss"). CISS projects (through grants, contracts, and other mechanisms) seek to increase the capacity for service delivery at the local level and to foster formation of comprehensive, integrated, community level service systems for mothers and children. 12.75% of the Title V Block Grant is allocated for CISS activities. More information here.

CityMatCH
CityMatCH is a freestanding national membership organization of city and county health departments' maternal and child health (MCH) programs and leaders representing urban communities in the United States. The mission of CityMatCH is to improve the health and well-being of urban women, children and families by strengthening the public health organizations and leaders in their communities. www.citymatch.org.

CMS
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. CMS administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which provide health care to about one in every four Americans. Medicare provides health insurance for more than 42.1 million elderly and disabled Americans; Medicaid, a joint federal-state program, provides health coverage for some 44.7 million low-income persons, including 21.9 million children, and nursing home coverage for low-income elderly. CMS also administers the State Children's Health Insurance Program that covers more than 4.2 million children. Established as the Health Care Financing Administration: 1977. CMS is an agency of DHHS. www.medicare.gov, and www.cms.gov.

CNCS
Corporation for National and Community Service. The mission of the CNCS is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Among others, CNCS funds NSIP programs. www.cns.gov.

COCA
Council on Community Advocacy. COCA is one of AUCD's Councils of the Board of Directors. COCA advises and assists AUCD in enhancing the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities and their families by providing the consumer's perspective on issues of concern, including cultural diversity issues. Visit the COCA webpage.

CORE
Council on Research and Evaluation. CORE is one of AUCD's Councils of the Board of Directors. CORE serves as a focus for the identification and discussion of issues regarding research and evaluation; serves as a representative voice of the research and evaluation activities within the AUCD network; and influences the development and implementation of initiatives relevant to achieving and sustaining appropriate research and evaluation activities to guide the development of national policies. Visit the CORE webpage.

COTA
Certified Occupational Therapist. Certification is an important benchmark of quality in occupational therapy. Key stakeholders rely on certified providers for the following reasons:

• Certified occupational therapy professionals must participate in a comprehensive certification renewal process to demonstrate continuing proficiency
• Certification helps employers identify applicants who are committed to a personal choice of professional development.

Learn more at the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.

CP
Cerebral Palsy. CP is an umbrella-like term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. Symptoms of cerebral palsy lie along a spectrum of varying severity. An individual with cerebral palsy may have difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as writing or cutting with scissors; experience trouble with maintaining balance and walking; or be affected by involuntary movements, such as uncontrollable writhing motion of the hands or drooling. The symptoms differ from one person to the next, and may even change over time in the individual. http://www.ucp.org/

CPR
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. CPR consists of mouth-to-mouth respiration and chest compression. CPR allows oxygenated blood to circulate to vital organs such as the brain and heart. CPR can keep a person alive until more advanced procedures (such as defibrillation - an electric shock to the chest) can treat the cardiac arrest. CPR started by a bystander doubles the likelihood of survival for victims of cardiac arrest. For more information, visit the American Heart Association.

CSHCN
Children with Special Health Care Needs. (aka: CYSHCN). CSHCN are defined by the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau as "...those who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally."¹ Based on a 2001 survey, a total of 12.8 percent of children under age 18 in the United States, or about 9.4 million children, are estimated to have special health care needs. Children with special health care needs are present in 20 percent of U.S. households with children.

CYSHCN
Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. (aka: CSHCN) (see: CSHCN)

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¹McPherson M, Arango P, Fox H, Lauver C, McManus M, Newacheck P, Perrin J, Shonkoff J, and Strickland B. A new definition of children with special health care needs. Pediatrics 1998;102(1):137-140.