Open Eligibility Glossary
This glossary defines the essential terms of taxonomy to help you categorize and retrieve information with precision. Use these alphabetical definitions as a reference whenever you are viewing or adding tags to a program on the platform.
For more specific questions about how our categorization works, visit our Taxonomy FAQ for detailed answers and common use cases.
Glossary
12-Step — Services to treat addiction through the 12-Step program.
Addiction & Recovery — Programs guiding members through recovery from addiction, compulsion or other behavioral problems.
Adoption & Foster Care — Services surrounding the legal and supportive processes involved in selection, placement and supervision of adults and children into adoption and foster care homes.
Adoption & Foster Parenting — Services related to becoming a foster parent and support while parenting.
Adoption & Foster Placement — Services that help select families and children for adoption and supervision for the child during placement.
Adoption Counseling — Services for anyone needing counseling prior to or during adoption process.
Adoption Planning — Services for anyone considering an adoption plan for their child.
Adult Daycare — Services providing supervised planned care for adults.
Advocacy & Legal Aid — Services that provide advocacy and/or legal aid for individuals.
After School Care — Services providing supervised care for children after school is over.
Alternative Education — Alternative education options for children and teens having difficulty succeeding in traditional public schools.
Alternative Medicine — Medical practice using self-awareness, herbal medicine, biofeedback or acupuncture.
Animal Welfare — Services for pet food and supplies, companion animals, shelters and rescue, and help paying for pet care.
Anger Management — Services to assist individuals with anger issues.
Assisted Living — Residential facility typically providing a room, meals, housekeeping and laundry service. Depending on the needs of the resident they may also provide assistance with daily activities such as personal hygiene, dressing, eating and walking.
Assistive Technology — Programs that pay for or provide services, equipment and supplies to help perform activities of daily living and employment tasks such as communication devices, mobility aids, education devices, tools and utensils.
Baby Clothes — Services providing baby clothes.
Baby Supplies — Services providing baby goods and supplies like formula, diapers and clothes.
Basic Literacy — Services to help improve basic reading and writing skills.
Before School Care — Services providing supervised care for children before school is in session.
Bereavement — Grief counseling for the death or departure of a loved one.
Birth Control — Services provide forms of birth control.
Blankets & Fans — Services providing goods to help stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Books — Services that provide access to books, including libraries..
Burial & Funeral Help — Services relating to funeral ceremonies and burial arrangements.
Bus Passes — Services providing financial assistance in the form of bus passes.
Business Loans — Programs that provide business financing to members of underserved communities that lack access to traditional financial services to help promote entrepreneurship.
Case Management — Case management services to help assess, plan, coordinate, navigate or advocate for options to meet their clients’ needs.
Checkup & Test — Health and wellness services to check your current physical and mental well-being.
Childcare — Services providing supervised planned care for children.
Citizenship & Immigration — Services to help navigate US citizenship and immigration.
Clothes for School — New or used clothes for school.
Clothes for Work — New or used clothing for work.
Clothing — Services that provide new or used clothing.
Clothing Vouchers — Coupons to help pay for clothing.
Critical Access Hospital — Hospitals that are typically located in rural areas or areas treated as rural. These hospital often provide swing beds - a program that allows patients to transition from acute care to post acute are without leaving the hospital.
Community Gardens — Access to food through community gardens.
Community Support Services — A place where people can meet for social, educational, or community services or activities (examples are Resource Centers, Senior Centers, and Libraries).
Computer Class — Services to help improve computer skills and abilities.
Computer or Internet Access — Provides access to computers, word processing programs, and the Internet for users who otherwise would not be able to connect to these services.
Counseling — Services for individuals, families and groups providing professional therapeutic interactions to address specific treatment goals.
Credit Counseling — Financial education services to help improve credit scores and reduce debt.
Daily Life Skills — Services to help individuals with daily life skills and life education.
Day Camp — Care and activities typically for children during the daytime.
Daytime Care — Services providing daytime caregiving programs and activities.
Dental Care — Low cost or free dental care.
Detox — Services treating severe intoxication and other withdrawal symptoms from reducing physical dependence on alcohol or drugs to avoid life-threatening medical crises during recovery.
Diapers & Formula — Services providing diapers and formula.
Disability Benefits — Services providing supplemental income for individuals with disabilities.
Disability Screening — Services provide screenings for disabilities.
Disaster Preparedness & Response — Services providing emergency planning, preparation, response relief, and recovery for natural disasters.
Disaster Response — Services provided during and after a disaster such as a tornado or hurricane.
Discounted Healthcare — Medical service that are offered at a sliding scale to ensure that services are affordable for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
Discrimination & Civil Rights — Services to help fight for your rights.
Disease Management — Services to help manage health conditions in day-to-day life and improve overall quality of life.
Disease Screening — Services providing STD screening and other diagnostic services.
Drug Testing — Services to test individuals for drug usage.
Early Childhood Intervention — Services and supports addressing developmental delays or risks of delays, including therapeutic services, for families of children from 0 and 36 months.
Efficiency Upgrades — Services for upgrading home for efficiency. Examples are lights, gas, electric.
Efficient Appliances — Services providing efficient appliances such as refrigerators.
Emergency Food — Access to emergency food.
Emergency Payments — Emergency financial assistance.
End-of-Life Care — Services for pain management, spiritual support, grief counseling, bereavement support, and help paying for burial and funeral expenses.
English as a Second Language (ESL) — Services providing practical english language literacy instruction.
Exercise & Fitness — Services that provide various exercise and fitness opportunities.
Family Counseling — Services that provide professional counseling for families.
Family Planning — Services to help plan having children and using birth control.
Fertility — Services that assist with fertility related issues.
Financial Aid & Loans — Financial assistance to help pay for tuition, books and other education expenses.
Financial Assistance — Services to help pay for things.
Financial Education — Services to help increase savings, manage debt, prepare to buy a house, and prevent home foreclosure.
Food Delivery — Services providing food to those living alone or with another person who are unable to access food.
Food Pantry — Services providing food to meet nourishment needs of individuals and families.
Foreclosure Counseling — Services to help homeowners protect their housing and avoid foreclosure.
Foreign Languages — Instruction for learning foreign languages.
Furniture — Services providing new or used furniture.
GED/High-School Equivalency — Instruction to help prepare individuals for the GED or High School Equivalency.
Government Benefits — Supplemental income assistance.
Government Food Benefits — Government benefits to obtain food (WIC, SNAP).
Group Therapy — Services that provide a group setting for individuals to discuss their problems under the supervision of a therapist.
Guardianship — Services providing legal management of individuals property and rights.
Head Start — Services providing comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services.
Health & Safety — Services for upgrading home for health and safety. An example would be a wheelchair ramp.
Health Education — Services helping you learn about nutrition, daily living skills, parenting, family planning, disease management, disability, sex education, and mental health.
Health Insurance — Insurance against loss due to ill health.
Hearing Tests — Services providing tests to determine if an individual has hearing deficiencies.
Help Escape Violence — Services for helping escape dangerous situations.
Help Fill Out Forms — Services providing assistance filling out difficult government forms and applications.
Help Find Childcare — Services to help find the right childcare program for your needs.
Help Find Healthcare — Services that help find the right healthcare options for your needs.
Help Find Housing — Services for helping find the right housing for your needs.
Help Find Missing Persons — Emergency services to assist in finding a missing person.
Help Find School — Services for helping find the right school or learning program for your needs.
Help Find Work — Activities assisting in obtaining employment by matching the skills and capabilities of job seekers with those demanded by job openings.
Help Hotlines — Services for individuals to call 24/7 to get assistance.
Help Pay for Car — Help with paying for vehicle maintenance, repairs, or purchasing.
Help Pay for Childcare — Financial assistance for childcare related expenses.
Help Pay for Food — Financial assistance for food related expenses.
Help Pay For Gas — Financial assistance to pay for gas (car).
Help Pay for Healthcare — Financial assistance to help pay for medical expenses.
Help Pay for Housing — Financial assistance for rent and other housing related expenses.
Help Pay for Internet — Programs offering financial assistance to pay for internet access.
Help Pay for Phone — Programs providing financial assistance to pay for landline or mobile phone services.
Help Pay for School — Financial assistance for education related expenses.
Help Pay for Transit — Services to help pay for transit, includes bus passes and gas.
Help Pay for Utilities — Financial assistance to pay for utilities such as electric, water or gas.
Help Pay for Work Expenses — Financial assistance to help pay for work expenses like clothing and certifications.
HIV Treatment — Services providing medical treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Home & Renters Insurance — Protection against future loss related to housing.
Home Fuels — Services providing home fuels such as firewood or propane.
Home Goods — Services providing new or used furniture items and other household supplies. (Thrift Stores)
Home Visiting — Visits to homebound, hospitalized or other socially isolated individuals due to disability, old age, or lack of companionship to maintain contact with others to just talk, read, listen etc.
Homebuyer Education — Services to assist individual in purchasing a home. Topics include advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, and credit issues.
Hospice — Services providing healthcare, pain management, and emotional support to terminally ill patients and their caregivers including palliative care.
Hospital Treatment — Treatment within a hospital.
Housing Advice — Services that can help guide individuals and families through issues related to housing.
Housing Vouchers — Coupons to help pay for housing.
Identification Recovery — Services to help pay for and retrieve birth certificates, social security numbers, and other forms of identification.
Immediate Safety — Immediate services to help escape violence, find safe and protective housing, or otherwise protect an individual’s immediate personal safety.
Independent Living — Residential housing for individuals or couples who are able to take care of their own daily needs.
Individual Counseling — Services that provide professional counseling to individual people.
In-Home Support — Services providing regular support to ensure families and caregivers are able to remain in their home.
Insurance — Programs protecting against future loss.
Interview Training — Services to help prepare individuals for job interviews.
Job Placement — Activities assisting in obtaining employment by matching the skills and capabilities of job seekers with those demanded by job openings.
Loans — Programs that provide quality financing or microloans to members of underserved communities that lack access to traditional financial services.
Long-Term Care Hospital — Inpatient hospitals for complex, long-term medical care.
Long-Term Housing — Permanent, safe and affordable housing for individuals and families including assisted living communities, supportive housing, nursing homes, and residential care.
Maintenance & Repairs — Free or low-cost home maintenance services.
Maternity Care — Prenatal and maternity care activities including breastfeeding, exams, tests, counseling, education and referrals.
Meals — Services providing meals.
Medically Tailored Meals — Programs for participants with special dietary needs.
Mediation — Intervening for the purposes of reaching an agreement or resolve difference.
Medical Care — Services provided for medical care.
Medical Respite — Short-term recovery care for people experiencing homelessness.
Medical Supplies — Programs that pay for or provide durable medical equipment or disposable medical supplies such as monitoring devices, respiratory aids, and prevention kits.
Medication Management — Services that help people understand and manage medications used to treat health conditions and help with safe, effective, and appropriate drug therapy (such as managing drug interactions, help remembering to take pills, help administering IV medications).
Medications for Addiction — Services that provide medications for recovery from substance use (including NARCAN, suboxone, methadone, buprenorphine).
Medications for Mental Health — Services that prescribe or provide medications for individuals with mental health issues.
Mental Health Care — Services for individuals seeking mental health care
Mental Health Evaluation — Screening and evaluation services for individuals and groups with the purpose of attaining and maintaining good mental health.
Mentoring — Services that provide individuals with someone who can advise or train them.
More Education — Opportunities to acquire knowledge, skills or behavior.
Navigating the System — Services that provide general advice and guidance about resources for any situation.
Notary — Services to authorize or certify certain legal documents.
Nursing Home — Residential facility providing 24-hour licensed nursing care intended for people who need ongoing medical care as well as help with daily activities.
Nutrition Education — Programs that promote healthy eating through educational programs, including cooking and nutrition classes.
NY Enhanced Medicaid – Programs that serve individuals who are eligible for Enhanced Services.
Occupational Therapy — Support to develop, recover, improve, or maintain the meaningful activities, daily living, or working of individuals.
One-on-One Support — Services providing one-on-one interaction with a case worker.
Outpatient Treatment — Nonresidential treatment services.
Overnight Camp — Services providing overnight camps.
Pain Management — Medical services to relieve pain.
Parenting Education — Services to educate individuals about parenting through classes and support.
Peer Recovery Coaching — Coaching and support by a certified Peer Recovery Coach who has progressed in her or her own recovery from addiction and is working to assist other people with those issues.
Peer Support — Support services from a person who has common life experiences and is working to assist other people with those same experiences.
Personal Care Items — Services providing personal care items and hygiene necessities.
Personal Hygiene — Services providing showers and other sanitation services.
Personal Loans — Programs that provide personal financing to members of underserved communities that lack access to traditional financial services, such as home loans, car loans, and emergency loans.
Personal Safety — Services that provide or maintain items that contribute to personal safety, such as bike helmets or items for self-defense.
Pest Control — Services for preventing or removing pests from a home.
Physical Safety — Services for moving people away from potential physical harm, such as during a disaster or if someone is missing.
Physical Therapy — Support to restore or improve movement and strength for persons whose mobility has been impaired.
Post-Acute – Programs that provide services to those who are post-acute treatment.
Post-Adoption Support — Support services to help families after an adoption.
Postnatal Care — The essential core care which every woman and her baby should receive, as appropriate to their needs, during the first 6-8 weeks after birth.
Pregnancy Tests — Services providing tests to determine whether a woman is pregnant.
Preschool — Services providing supervised planned care for children age three through entrance into kindergarten.
Prescription Assistance — Assistance for prescription drug related expenses..
Prevent & Treat — Services that help prevent health conditions and treat current health conditions.
Primary Care — Services provided for primary medical care.
Prostheses — An artificial device that replaces a missing or injured part of the body such as wigs, dentures, implants and artificial limbs.
Psychiatric Emergency Services — Emergency psychiatric assessments, crisis intervention, physician services, and referral for children and adults experiencing psychiatric distress.
Public Housing — Publicly funded housing owned, maintained and administered by local public housing authorities.
Recreation — Services providing recreational and leisure activities.
Relief for Caregivers — Supervised care for dependent individuals providing temporary relief for family or other caregivers.
Renal Treatment — Programs for people diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.
Representation — Legal work performed by a licensed attorney.
Residential Care — Out of home overnight care.
Residential Housing — Temporary and long-term residential housing programs and facilities.
Residential Treatment — Residential substance use treatment to assist patients in maintaining recovery while adjusting to regular daily living.
Resume Development — Employment services to help prepare for job interviews and improve resumes.
Retirement Benefits — Services providing retirement benefit plans.
Safe Housing — Safe and secure residential facility in an undisclosed location where victims of abuse can remain safe from the abuser.
Safety Education — Educational services related to the teaching of knowledge, skills, and understanding of risk management, prevention, and emergency resources (examples include swimming classes, defensive driving, and CPR training).
Savings Program — Services to assist individuals save money.
Screening & Exams — Services that screen and give exams for various circumstances that are specific to education.
Sex Education — Educational services related to sexual reproduction, intercourse, anatomy, reproductive health, emotional relationships, contraception, abstinence and personal rights and responsibilities.
Sexual & Reproductive Health — Services to promote healthy sex, sexuality, and reproductive health.
Short-Term Housing — Time-limited safe and affordable housing for individuals and families typically ranging from 2 weeks to 24 months.
Skilled Nursing — Care given or supervised by registered nurses. Nurses provide direct care; manage, observe, and evaluate a patient’s care; and teach the patient and his or her family caregiver.
Skills & Training — Training and preparation for specific employment opportunities.
Skills Assessment — Programs that measure skill, abilities, interests, personality traits and other characteristics affecting work related success.
Sober Living — Alcohol and drug free affordable housing environments where residents can develop individual recovery programs and become self supporting.
Special Education — Educational services for those with learning or developmental disabilities and other cognitive challenges.
Specialized Therapy — Specialized treatment that helps relieve or improve physical and behavioral health services.
Specialized Training — Various types of specific job trainings.
Speech Therapy — Training to help people with speech and language problems to speak more clearly.
Spiritual Support — Services providing religious and spiritual support.
STD/STI Treatment & Prevention — Services to control the spread and symptoms of STD/STIs such as HIV testing, PEP/PreP, condoms, and screenings.
Substance Use Counseling — Services that provide professional counseling for individuals using addictive substances.
Supplies for School — Services provide supplies for school such as pencils and notebooks.
Supplies for Work — Services providing supplies for work.
Support & Service Animals — Programs that train animals to provide mental, emotional, medical, or disability support.
Support Groups — Groups of people sharing common bonds coming together on a regular basis to share problems and experiences.
Support Network — Services to help build and maintain supportive relationships.
Supported Employment — Services providing a supported work environment, typically for individuals with severe disabilities.
Tax Preparation — Programs to help individuals prepare their tax returns.
Temporary Shelter — Facility for individuals and families in need of temporary shelter.
Toys & Gifts — Services providing toys and gifts.
Translation & Interpretation — Services providing translators or interpreters to assist with communication.
Transportation — Services that promote or provide access to transportation.
Transportation for Healthcare — Low cost or free transportation to and/or from medical related appointments.
Transportation for School — Low cost or free transportation to and/or from school.
Tutoring — Services providing additional or private instruction.
Understand Disability — Services providing general education to help individuals and supporters understand challenges of persons with disabilities.
Understand Government Programs — Services providing information and guidance to help navigate and access government programs.
Understand Mental Health — Information and instruction on living a mentally healthy life.
Unemployment Benefits — Services providing temporary financial assistance benefits to those who are unemployed.
Vaccination — Immunization to prevent disease.
Virtual Support — Online support environments.
Vision Care — Low cost or free vision care.
Weather Relief — A facility for individuals to find relief from extreme heat or extreme cold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Women’s Health — Health services that address the special needs of women, including well woman exams, OB/GYN visits, breast and ovarian cancer screenings, and reproductive health.
Workplace Rights — Services that help protect your legal rights in the workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a taxonomy?
TAXONOMY is a fancy word for ‘classification’ or ‘group’. Grouping similar items together and then giving those similar items a name is the idea behind ‘taxonomy’.
Why was the taxonomy created?
Our vision is to make human service information accessible. An important step having a consistent way of classifying these services.
Where does the taxonomy come into play on findhelp?
Think about it like this. Every provider administers at least one program. Every program provides at least one client-facing service. And every service is represented with a service tag. Our taxonomy is a categorization of those service tags.
How can I get involved?
The most helpful thing you can do is tell us what you think. You can drop us a line at support@findhelp.com.
Human Services Taxonomy by Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.