Terminology to be Avoided/Replaced and Recommendations for Acceptable Words/Phrases
|
Terminology to be avoided and/or replaced |
# of statue sections in which used |
Recommendations for Replacement Language |
1. |
Afflicted |
6 |
This term should not be used. In most cases, simply eliminate this word. If substitute word is necessary in specific instance, use affected. |
2. |
Alcoholic |
62 |
Person dependent upon alcohol, or person with alcohol dependency |
3. |
Arthritic |
1 |
Person with arthritis |
4. |
Autistic person |
|
Person with pervasive developmental disorder, or person with (Current statutory language in Title 34B addressing eligibility for services includes the range of pervasive developmental disorders in the definition of “autism”. However, in other usage, “pervasive developmental disorder” (PDD) includes autism and other disorders on the spectrum.) |
5. |
Children with handicapping conditions |
1 |
Children with disabilities |
6. |
Consumers of mental health services |
4 |
People who use (or employ) mental health services |
7. |
Crippled children |
7 |
Children with disabilities |
8. |
Deranged |
1 |
Persons who have mental health diagnoses |
9. |
Developmentally disabled |
26 |
People with developmental disabilities |
10. |
Developmentally disabled child/children |
2 |
Children with developmental disabilities |
11. |
Developmentally disabled person |
1 |
Person with a developmental disability |
12. |
Developmentally disabled persons |
3 |
People with developmental disabilities |
13. |
Disabled |
405 |
This term should not be used as a noun (i.e. “the disabled”). If it is used as an adjective to describe a person, then “person” should be stated first (i.e. “person with a disability” rather than “disabled person”) |
14. |
Disabled person |
25 |
Person with a disability |
15. |
Diseased person |
1 |
Person with a disease |
16. |
Drug addict |
9 |
Person with substance abuse disorder or person with drug use disorder |
17. |
Drunkard |
1 |
Person with alcoholism |
18. |
Emotionally handicapped children |
(1) |
Children with emotional disabilities |
19. |
Epileptic |
1 |
Person with epilepsy |
20. |
Handicapped |
153 |
Term should be not be used as a noun (i.e. “the handicapped”) – see examples below for appropriate replacement phrases. |
21. |
Handicapped children |
(16) |
Children with disabilities |
22. |
Handicapped housing |
(2) |
Accessible housing |
23. |
Handicapped individual |
(0) |
Person with a disability |
24. |
Handicapped individuals |
(0) |
Persons with disabilities |
25. |
Handicapped or disadvantaged |
(170) |
Persons with disabilities |
26. |
Handicapped or disadvantaged Individual |
(154) |
Person with a disability |
27. |
Handicapped parking |
(2) |
Accessible parking |
28. |
Handicapped people |
(10) |
People with disabilities |
29. |
Handicapped persons |
(17) |
Persons with disabilities |
30. |
Handicapped workers |
(3) |
Workers who have disabilities |
31. |
Handicapped youths |
(5) |
Youths with disabilities |
32. |
Incapacitated adults |
8 |
Recommendation dependent upon use in statute |
33. |
Incapacitated person |
31 |
Leave at this time – used in legal proceedings |
34. |
Incompetent person |
5 |
Recommendation dependent upon use in statute |
35. |
Insanity |
16 |
Leave – term used in legal proceedings |
36. |
Intoxicated person |
11 |
Person who is intoxicated |
37. |
Invalids |
3 |
Individuals with disabilities (or “with ____”, other appropriate descriptor, depending on context) |
38. |
Lunatic |
2 |
Person declared legally incompetent |
39. |
Mental deficiency |
13 |
Cognitive disability |
40. |
Mental disease or defect |
6 |
Cognitive disability |
41. |
Mental retardation |
165 |
“Developmental disability” should be substituted, when the context does not refer to eligibility for Medicaid services. This term currently appears in federal Medicaid regulations, as a medical diagnosis. |
42. |
Mentally defective |
4 |
Has a cognitive disability |
43. |
Mentally ill |
113 |
Person who uses mental health services |
44. |
Mentally ill and deficient |
(2) |
People who use mental health services |
45. |
Mentally ill patient |
(1) |
Person (patient) who uses mental health services |
46. |
Mentally ill people |
(1) |
People who use mental health services |
47. |
Mentally ill person |
(1) |
Person who uses mental health services |
48. |
Mentally incompetent person |
(10) |
Leave at this time – used in legal proceedings |
49. |
Mentally retarded |
147 |
People with developmental disabilities |
50. |
Mentally retarded person |
(8) |
Person with a developmental disability |
51. |
Mentally retarded persons |
(98) |
People with developmental disabilities |
52. |
Multiple handicapped blind persons |
(1) |
People who are blind and have other disabilities |
53. |
Non-verbal |
2 |
Person without verbal communication ability |
54. |
Otherwise physically disabled |
(1) |
Person(s) with physical disabilities |
55. |
Paraplegics (noun) |
2 |
Persons with paraplegia |
56. |
Person who is physically disabled |
(1) |
Person with a physical disability |
57. |
Physically handicapped people |
(8) |
People with physical disabilities |
58. |
Senile |
1 |
This term should not be used.“People with dementia” or “People who have dementia” may be appropriate substitutes, depending on usage. |
59. |
Severely handicapped child/children |
1 |
Child/children with severe disabilities |
60. |
Suffering from |
4 |
Term should not be used – substitute “who has” (e.g. person who has . . .) |
61. |
The handicapped |
(153) |
People with disabilities |
62. |
The mentally ill |
(112) |
People who use mental health services |