Dear DDA Community,



It has almost been one year since I joined you and the DDA team. As we close out this year, I reflect on the opportunity I’ve had to engage with you, hear your concerns, celebrate successes, and work collaboratively with you as we faced many challenges to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities get the services they need. 

In the past year, we have addressed many urgent requests, shared frustrations, and participated in a number of calls to action. As we continue to work towards strengthening our service delivery system, we remain focused on taking actions that enhance equity, quality, and access to help people experience the true benefit of Medicaid services. Together, we have uncovered challenges, addressed longstanding issues, solved problems, and celebrated many achieving their goals and chosen outcomes! We also recognize that there are ways in which we can do things differently and better. Thank you for sharing constructive criticism and recommendations. Thank you for working with us in a respectful, solutions-oriented manner as we rebuild and enhance our system’s infrastructure. We appreciate your advocacy and cannot do this important work without you!

We will bring in 2025 by starting January’s DDA Community Webinar and DDA Connection with a wonderful medley of visuals that show people with developmental disabilities living their best lives. Went to a dance? Helped bake the turkey? Won the race? Met new friends? Started your own business? Helped a person move into their own home? Did you take the bus independently? Competed in the Special Olympics? Introduced new assistive technology to help a person become more independent? Show us! We want to hear from people receiving services and their families, providers, Coordinators of Community Services, stakeholders, and other supporters within our community. Please send your photos to Dr. Yemonja Smalls at yemonja.smalls@maryland.gov with the subject line “My Success” by January 5, 2025. Please send the signed consent form here as well so that we can include your pictures. We are excited to hear from you and to see your images. You are why we do what we do.

Sincerely,

Marlana R. Hutchinson, Deputy Secretary

Developmental Disabilities Administration

DDA Announces Our New Director of Programs!

The DDA is excited to announce our newest team member, Mr. Antoine Williams, Jr., Director of Programs.  

Mr. Williams brings over 10 years of experience in operations management, customer service, and health services, with a rich clinical leadership and program development background.  Antoine’s experience with intellectual and developmental disabilities stems from his time with Emerge, Inc., located in Columbia, Maryland, where he served as Director of Nursing Services. There, he oversaw a broad range of clinical and operational functions. Antoine also has extensive experience managing large teams and a proven track record of improving outcomes, training, and policy development.

Throughout his career, Antoine has excelled in high-pressure environments, including as a Nurse Program Coordinator at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and as a Nurse Manager for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. He has also demonstrated a solid commitment to education, having mentored and trained clinical and non-clinical teams across various roles. 

Antoine holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Western Governors University and a Professional in Healthcare Quality Certification. Antoine is also certified as a DDA delegating nurse.



We’re confident that Antoine's unique blend of clinical knowledge, operational experience, and leadership skills will significantly impact our efforts to enhance and expand our services. Please join us in welcoming Antoine to the DDA!

Reapplication for a DDA-Operated Medicaid Waiver

Individuals denied enrollment or disenrolled from any of the DDA-operated Medicaid waiver programs must be added to an LTSSMaryland “wave” before reapplying. LTSSMaryland is a customized, integrated care management tracking system that manages real-time medical, social, and service information regarding Medicaid participants. 

Coordinators of Community Services should reach out to their Regional Offices if:

• An individual wants to reapply; or 
• An individual has been deactivated and wants to be reactivated. 



Should you have any questions, please contact your Regional Office.

DDA Certified Support Broker Providers

Congratulations to all the individuals who have completed and passed the required Support Broker Services Certification Training. The DDA has posted the list of certified Support Brokers on its website and will update it monthly.

Certified Support Broker List

Please note:

1. All current Support Brokers must successfully complete Support Broker Certification Training by December 31, 2024, in order to continue to provide Support Broker Services after January 1, 2025.
2. Participants must ensure that their current Support Broker is certified. If they need to choose a new Support Broker, they can either get assistance from their Coordinator of Community Services or reach out directly to a DDA-certified Support Broker to inquire about obtaining services.

If you have any questions, please contact the Self-Directed Services team at dda.sds@maryland.gov or 410-409-9158.

Self-Directed Services Support Broker Services Training 

DDA’s Support Broker Services Certification Training is mandatory for all current Support Brokers to complete before their certification expires on December 31, 2024. Those interested in becoming certified as Support Brokers can also register for the training. All registrants should review the Self-Directed Services policy and manual before the training.

For certification, candidates must complete all 17 training modules and pass all 17 module tests. Training must be completed by December 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Only those who are certified as of this date will be able to continue providing services or be able to start providing services on January 1, 2025.

Self-paced, Online Certification Training: 

The training link will be provided to all registered candidates after they register.

If you have any questions, please contact the Self-Directed Services team at dda.sds@maryland.gov. 

General Ledger (GL) Data Collection Template Submission - Deadline Reminder

As a reminder, DDA extended the submission deadline for all CCS agencies to December 31, 2024, for completion of the General Ledger (GL) template. We are requesting that you complete the sections of the tool based on your unique cost structures. DDA will not approve any additional extensions beyond this date. 

Additionally, we would like you to share your thoughts, feedback, and/or suggestions on how the data points in the GL template could be modified to better align with how you operate. Your input is critical in helping us tailor the template to better capture the delivery of targeted case management services. You will have the opportunity to provide feedback when you submit your GL template using the Qualtrics link. 

Please use this link to submit your GL Template and signed attestation form: https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDYVSYCBsjudKWa

As a reminder, the GL template, attestation form, and resource documents including taped training sessions may be accessed here: 

https://health.maryland.gov/dda/Pages/LTSSMaryland/RRAG/GL-Data-Collection-Tool.aspx

Thank you for your cooperation and continued partnership.

Personal Outcome Measures® 

Liberty Healthcare conducts approximately 250 Personal Outcome Measures® annually, on behalf of the DDA, in the pursuit of Network Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership. A Standard Operating Procedure that details how Personal Outcome Measures® conversations are conducted is available on DDA’s website. Personal Outcome Measures® conversations focus on the choices people have in their lives and are the basis of assessing personal quality of life. They also tell us how organizations individualize support to facilitate outcomes. In Maryland, outcomes in the Person-Centered Plan are directly connected to the Personal Outcome Measures®. 

With permission from the participant, Liberty will begin to share the results of the participant’s Personal Outcome Measures® with their Coordinator of Community Services. These summaries will be helpful during the Person-Centered Planning process and monitoring and followup of service delivery and satisfaction. The summary may be used to develop goals and steps to achieve the outcomes identified in the Person-Centered Plan. 

For questions or concerns related to the Personal Outcome Measures® summaries you receive, please contact Amber Rose, Quality Manager at Liberty Healthcare at Amber.Rose@LibertyHealth.com. 

Thank you for the person-centered approaches you use regularly that help set Maryland’s support apart and, ultimately, lead to people living the lives of their choosing!

MDH/DDA Rate Review Advisory Group

The Maryland Department of Health has formed the Rate Review Advisory Group to create a formal, consistent and unified method for stakeholders of the Developmental Disabilities Administration to influence the review of Medicaid rates for Home and Community-Based Waiver services. This initiative will impact approximately 20,000 citizens in Maryland.

The Rate Review Advisory Group is a critical component of the DDA annual rate review process. This process will align with other Medicaid rate reviews and will initiate an open structure to support in-depth reviews of rates, rate components, and policies impacting rate operationalization.

Members of the committee and public attendees who want to participate and/or observe can register for the Thursday, January 23, 1:30-3 p.m. strategy meeting by clicking the link below.

The strategy meeting will help to inform the agenda for the FY 2027 rate review cycle. 

Programs Updates

Individualized Positive Behavior Support Training Series

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is an evidence-based and system-wide approach to creating supportive settings that promote the respectful delivery of support to help people, across their lifespan, make positive changes in their lives.  

You are invited to attend the Individualized Positive Behavior Support Training Series sponsored by the Maryland DDA Positive Behavior Support Team. This series includes five days of training focused on the use of positive behavior supports across a continuum of support tiers, including the organization-wide PBS Cohort model. There is a primary emphasis on training human support professionals in comprehensive assessment and individualized support planning strategies that support the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each interactive session will include time for participants to engage in small group activities and action planning.

Dates, Times, and Topics

Each session will run from 9:30 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. with a 60-minute break for lunch.

Day 1- February 5, 2025: Positive Behavior Support: From Organization-wide to the Individual

Day 2- March 5, 2025: Fundamentals of Function-Based Positive Support Planning

Day 3- April 9, 2025: Positive Behavior Support and Person-Centered Assessment Process

Day 4- May 7, 2025: Transforming Data into Individualized Positive Support Plans

Day 5- June 12, 2025: Monitoring Positive Behavior Support Plans and Making Decisions

Who Should Attend

The trainings are intended for PBS Facilitators and key staff at organizations participating in the DDA PBS Cohort model, but are also open to the public. Although all are welcome, the training series will likely be most relevant for professionals, and teams, who support adults and children with complex needs across various settings (e.g., provider organizations, mental health services).  

Registration

These events are free, but registration is required as only 100 slots are available. Certificates of attendance will be provided for verified attendees at the close of the training series. CEUs are not offered for this training series.

If you have any questions, please contact Terrence Proctor, Statewide Coordinator of Clinical Services, at terrence.proctor1@maryland.gov. 

Quarterly Regional Provider Meetings are Back!

We are excited to announce that our DDA Quarterly Regional Provider Meetings will resume in January 2025. We sincerely appreciate your patience as we reimagined these meetings to make them more informative and consistent across all regions. We would also like to extend a special thank you to the providers who shared valuable feedback. Your input was crucial in shaping the topics that DDA will cover at the regional meetings.

By clicking your region’s registration button below, you will automatically be registered for your region’s annual series of meetings. You only have to register once!

Changes to the Provider Renewal Application Process

The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) is changing the requirement for certified and licensed providers to submit provider renewal applications every three years instead of annually, beginning April 1, 2025. Under the DDA-operated Medicaid waiver programs, there are two types of providers — individual providers and provider agencies (including Organized Health Care Delivery Systems (OHCDS)) — that will be affected by this change. 

To accomplish a three-year renewal process, DDA providers have been randomly assigned new renewal years. Providers will receive a letter indicating their new renewal date. Following this date, providers will be required to renew their certification/licensure every three years.

For licensed providers, the Office of Health Care Quality’s licensure interval for licensed providers will mirror DDA's certification interval, and the Office of Health Care Quality will issue licenses every three years at the same time as DDA certification, and will continue to conduct annual surveys of all licensed providers. 

Please note that COMAR 10.22.02.02B requires that applications to renew certification/licensure must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the renewal date. Failure to do so may result in non-approval of your renewal and licensure, sanctions, or other disciplinary action against you, pursuant to COMAR 10.22.03.06

A three-year renewal will be required for all DDA providers, with the exception of children’s residential providers, whose requirements are outlined in COMAR 14.31.05.05C.

If you have any questions please contact your Regional Office Provider Services staff.

Central Maryland Regional Office (CMRO)

Patrick Ugboaja, Director of Provider Services

Patrick.ugboaja2@maryland.gov 

443-835-5030

Eastern Shore Regional Office (ESRO)

Andrea Jones, Director of Provider Services 

Andrea.Jones@maryland.gov 

410-726-4203

Southern Maryland Regional Office (SMRO)

Kianna Blakeney, Director of Provider Services

kianna.blakeney@maryland.gov 

301-362-5114

Western Maryland Regional Office (WMRO)

Shawn Haines

shawn.haines1@maryland.gov

240-313-3860

ePREP Tips and Reminders!

For providers who are revalidating their Medicaid numbers or applying for a new Medicaid number make sure that your Pay-To address matches your W9 exactly. This will avoid billing issues in the future. For questions please contact dda.eprepreview@maryland.com. 

Easy-to-Use myMDTHINK Benefits Screener Update

The Maryland Department of Health is excited to announce that on November 18, an updated easy-to-use Benefits Screener on myMDTHINK was launched. This tool will allow Marylanders to streamline access to many essential support programs.

In just a few clicks, the Benefits Screener invites Marylanders to discover what benefits programs they may qualify for, including:

• Food Assistance
• Cash Assistance
• WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program
• Medical Assistance 
• Energy Bill Support

This screener is the first myMDTHINK product developed using a human-centered design approach to bring together eligibility requirements for programs within the Maryland Departments of Human Services and Health. Through user research and visits to local departments of social services, caseworkers and applicants played a central role in building a screener that’s fully accessible on any device, expanding ease and accessibility for the people we serve. 

• Support Broker Certification must be completed by 12/31/2024 in order to remain certified. 

• Coordinator of Community Services General Ledger due 12/31/2024.

DDA Vision

People with developmental disabilities will have full lives in the communities of their choice where they are included, participate and are active citizens.

DDA Mission

Create a flexible, person-centered, family-oriented system of support so people can have full lives.

DDA Headquarters

201 W. Preston Street, 4th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone: (410)767-5600

Fax: (410)767-5850

Toll Free: 1(844)253-8694



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