This month's Developmental Disabilities Administration Updates with Deputy Secretary Bernard Simons scheduled for 5/26/23 is canceled. We hope that you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with your loved ones! Looking forward to our next update which will be held on June 30th at 10:30am-11:30am. Please register below.

Basic Assurances® (BA) Review 

REMINDER to please register for any of the sessions listed below:

We want providers and CCS agencies to know what to expect during a  Basic Assurances® (BA) Review and are providing training throughout May 2023. This training will provide an overview of how to prepare and what to expect when participating in the Basic Assurances® Review. Please be sure that representatives from your organization attend one of the available trainings, which will be held via Zoom:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

If you have any questions please contact Christina Dixon at christina.dixon@libertyhealth.com

Federal Program Updates

DDA Waiver Renewals Webinar Tomorrow

The DDA will be conducting its Waiver Renewal Webinar on May 19, 2023 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Register below!

Resources:

• DDA Waiver Renewal 2023 - Services Update Summary Chart​
• Family Supports Waiver - Renewal 2023
• Community Supports Waiver - Renewal 2023
• Community Pathways Waiver - Renewal​ 2023

DDA Policy Reminder

The DDA is seeking public input on the following proposed policies posted to the DDA’s Policy Stakeholder Input webpage: 

• Remote Support Services 
• Vehicle Modifications



You can access the proposed policies here: DDA Policy Stakeholder Input Dedicated Webpage. 

Public comments will be accepted beginning May 5, 2023 through May 19, 2023.

Please submit comments electronically to wfb.dda@maryland.gov or mail them to the DDA Federal Program Unit at 201 West Preston Street, 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201. Please include in the subject line of your email, “Input on Policy,” and include the name of the policy you are commenting on. (For example, “Input on Remote Support Services Policy.”)

If you have questions or need any accommodations, please reach out to the DDA Federal Programs Policy Lead, Danielle Coles at Danielle.Coles1@maryland.gov.

Program Updates

Enhanced PCP Manual 

The DDA is happy to share with you our newly enhanced PCP manual which will be effective July 1, 2023. The PCP manual formally known as the “PCP Development and Authorization Guidance” has been updated to reflect DDA’s most recent waiver renewal as well as PCP flexibilities to ensure greater access for people and their families and a more streamlined PCP approval process. 

The DDA will continue to provide additional training and guidance regarding these enhancements and flexibilities. This manual will also evolve as we continue to partner with the University of Missouri Kansas City on Charting the Lifecourse principles and input from all of you! 

The newly enhanced PCP manual can be found on the DDA’s Person Centered Planning Webpage as well as an attachment to our Person Centered Planning Policy in PolicyStat.

If you have any questions, please contact your regional directors.

Monthly Statewide Nursing Meeting 

The Developmental Disabilities Administration Regional Nurses invites the DDA agency nurses (RN CM/DNs) to our monthly statewide nurses meeting. 

For DDA RN CM DNs: This training counts for attendance to one of the two required training for the fiscal year. You must be online during the training for at least one hour to qualify for attendance purposes.  

June 22, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dental Care

Presenter: Caitlin Donohue-Vega, RDH, BS

Oral Health Outreach Coordinator at Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center (ESAHEC)

Nurses will be able to identify strategies to improve the oral and overall health of people we support in the DD population.

All nursing-related questions for this training should be directed to Kelly Jones, RN at kelly.jones2@maryland.gov.

If you have any questions about how to register for either of these trainings, please reach out to Alison Johnston at alison.johnston@maryland.gov.

Need to contact your DDA Regional Nurse? Click here.

Updates to Behavioral Respite/ Mobile Crisis

Behavioral Respite

The DDA is committed to supporting people with their developmental disabilities and mental health support needs. 

We have been happy to partner with Humanim, who has delivered behavioral respite and mobile crisis services for the past 10 years as a DDA Provider. The DDA wants to thank the Humanim team for their ongoing support as we move forward. 

Humanim will continue providing Behavior Support Services but has made the decision to transition their behavioral respite and mobile crisis services. Humanim is working closely with the DDA to ensure a smooth transition.

Starting July 1, 2023, all requests for behavioral respite for children and adults who are DD eligible should be sent by the person’s Coordinator of Community Services (CCS) by using the QR code below:

The DDA will receive all requests for behavioral respite and do an intake within 48 hours. If the person is eligible for behavioral respite, the DDA will work with the person and their team to find a respite placement. If CCSs have any follow-up questions based on the request for behavioral respite or supporting documentation to support the respite request please email: DDA.Behavior-Respite-Request@maryland.gov. 

*Between now and July 1, 2023, please keep working with your regional director regarding access to behavioral respite.

To learn more about behavioral respite, please review our Behavioral Respite At a Glance. 

988 & Mobile Crisis 

Beginning July 1, 2023, mobile crisis will be available to people with developmental disabilities by dialing 988. 

988 is for all Marylanders, including people with developmental disabilities. The DDA believes this further supports our vision of people with developmental disabilities living full lives in their communities. 

For 988 information and reminders such as wallet cards, magnets or posters, visit the 988 Toolkit webpage. 

To learn more about mobile crisis support, please review our Mobile Crisis At a Glance. 

If you have any questions about the DDA’s behavioral respite program and/or our transition to 988 and mobile crisis services provided through the Maryland Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration, please contact Dr. Meg DePasquale, DDA’s Clinical Director at meg.depasquale@maryland.gov. 

*Please note that the mobile crisis support system that is currently in place in the Eastern region will continue. The DDA is working closely with the Behavioral Health Administration, regional office, local crisis response team, and crisis provider to ensure access via 988. 

Community Settings Questionnaire Webinar

Do you have questions you’d like to see addressed during the training which will be held on June 1st? If so, please submit them here no later than tomorrow, Friday, May 19, 2023. Looking forward to a great conversation!

Provider Portal Documentation Upload 

LTSSMaryland Enhancement - Attachments in Provider Portal

As we continue to enhance our PCP process, an update has been made to LTSSMaryland Provider Portal that allows providers to upload documents (i.e. the Service Implementation Plan) to the record of each person they support. Providers can choose the file they want to upload and put it in the specific category of DDA Provider documents, with the ability to add comments when uploading.

The documents will also be viewable for anyone with access to the person’s information. When searching for a person’s record in Provider Portal, the user can click the Client Attachments on the left-hand side. They will have the ability to see a history of uploaded DDA Provider documents.

NCI Staff Stability Reminder

The 2022 National Core Indicators (NCI) State of the Workforce Survey (Staff Stability Survey) unique provider links went out on March 15, 2023 and the responses are pouring in! Thank you! 

Please remember this data is important as we work together to improve the quality, longevity, and sustainability of the DSP workforce. 

Surveys are due by June 30, 2023, submit yours today! If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Thompson, Statewide Director of Provider Services, at leslie.thompson@maryland.gov.

Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) Financial Management and Counseling Services Update

PPL's contract with the Maryland Department of Health ends soon. If you currently use PPL as your FMCS agency, please remember to choose a new FMCS agency by May 23, 2023. Anyone in your team can note your choice using this choice form:

Upcoming Events

5/19 DDA Waiver Renewal Webinar

5/22 Self-Directed Services Updates Webinar

5/23 Enabling Technology & Inclusion: My Home, My

Health, My Privacy (continued)

5/23 Basic Assurances®(BA) Provider Training

5/23 Support Broker Recertification

5/25 Maryland Community of Practice for Supporting Families Webinar Series

5/26 The Deputy Secretary's Webinar Series of Monthly Updates CANCELED

5/30 DDA Rent Subsidy Program Webinar

5/31 PCP Enhancement Committee Meeting for selected volunteers

6/1 Overview of the Community Settings Rule and Community Settings  

        Questionnaire Webinar

Missed a previous DDA Connection? 

Click here to view the archive.



Click here to view upcoming events on our DDA Training Calendar.

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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