Developmental Disabilities Administration
TRANSFORMATION UPDATE
February 2020
Updates: LTSSMaryland
LTSSMaryland Pilot
 The Maryland Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSSMaryland) is an information technology (IT) platform designed to support the implementation of the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)'s approved Medicaid home- and community-based waiver services.

In December 2019, the DDA launched a pilot to identify and address any system challenges to support a seamless transition to LTSSMaryland and Electronic Visit Verification for Personal Supports services. The DDA is thankful to providers in the pilot for sharing their experiences with the new system and the internal adjustments they have made to align with the new system.

For more information about the pilot, visit: LTSSMaryland Pilot Update .

Provider Electronic Service Acceptance
DDA provider agencies with base and site Medicaid numbers can begin the Service Acceptance process in LTSSMaryland for services that begin on July 1. There is no change to the process for current services.  

Coordination of Community Services (CCS) agencies may now send service referrals to providers in the LTSSMaryland system. Provider agencies should visit the LTSSMaryland Provider Portal daily to check the homepage for “Service Plans Pending Acceptance.” Requests for service acceptance will come in on a rolling basis as CCS coordinators work with people to update their person-centered plans (PCPs). 

Admin Providers, Program Directors and Program Staff assigned to provider agency sites will be able to see service referrals requests on the LTSSMaryland homepage. CCS coordinators should alert provider agencies via email when service referrals are available in LTSSMaryland for review. Once the service referral has been sent, provider agencies have five (5) business days to accept or decline the service.  

Provider agencies are encouraged to enroll their base and sites through ePREP to receive service referral requests in LTSSMaryland. CCS coordinators are only able to send service referrals through LTSSMaryland to providers with base and site Medicaid numbers.

More information is available at: LTSSMaryland Service Acceptance.

Provider Portal Guidance
User Manual
The Provider Portal User Manual is available under the Help tab in LTSSMaryland.

Agency Participants
Participants in PCIS2 are not visible in LTSSMaryland. Providers must have accepted services in participants' person-centered plans for the participant to be assigned to your agency in LTSSMaryland. Service Acceptance is available in the LTSSMaryland Provider Portal to see assigned agency participants. 

Agency Sites
If you are unable to view your sites or services in LTSSMaryland, please check your user profile to see what information you can access and what sites are assigned to your profile. All system users (including the Admin user role) can only see sites assigned to them. LTSSMaryland does not automatically assign site access. Site and service access must be manually assigned users profile in LTSSMaryland.

If you need help to view your information in LTSSMaryland, please contact your DDA regional provider relations representative. Please do not submit a help ticket in PCIS2 for LTSSMaryland related issues. 
Update: ePREP
ePREP is Maryland Medicaid’s new Electronic Provider Revalidation Enrollment Portal for provider enrollment, revalidation, information updates and demographic changes. 

All DDA approved and licensed providers (except Coordination of Community Services agencies) must register in ePREP to receive DDA waiver payments when LTSSMaryland is implemented. 

For step-by-step instructions on how to enroll: ePREP Application .

Contact your regional DDA Provider Relations representative for ePREP training and additional guidance:

CMRO - Provider Relations Department (410) 234-8200
SMRO - Teresa Nataline (301) 362-5123
ESRO - Andrea Jones  (410) 572-5945  
WMRO - Timothy Jenkins ( 240) 313-3860  


For ePREP system support (password reset or technical issues) call 1-844-463-7768 or  email  [email protected] .
Overview: Maryland START
The START (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment) model is designed to support the mental health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Center for START Services provides educational and capacity building for partners across the U.S. to improve the lives of people with I/DD by addressing their behavioral health needs.    

The DDA and the Center for START Services are developing a pilot project to implement the START model in Maryland (Maryland START). On Feb. 5, the DDA held a kickoff meeting to introduce Maryland START and discuss the pilot for the central Maryland region. More than 60 people attended the kickoff meeting including families, hospital representatives and service provider agencies.
Update: Quality Improvement Organization 
The Public Consulting Group (PCG) serves as the DDA’s Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) and is an extension of DDA’s quality enhancement framework. PCG will: 
  • Monitor basic waiver assurances: 
  1. Level of Care Reviews
  2. Service Record Reviews (including financial accountability) 
  3. Critical Incident Reviews
  4. Qualified Provider Reviews
  • Conduct utilization reviews to ensure that provider billing matches service authorizations
  • Enhanced funding - PCG qualifies as an enhanced federal fund participation match from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
  • Complete three National Core Indicator surveys:
  1. Family/Guardian Survey (due by June 2020) - Families or guardians of an adult with an intellectual or developmental disability who don’t live in the home 
  2. Adult Family Survey (due by June 2020) - Families or guardians of an adult with an intellectual or developmental disability who live in the home 
  3. Adult Face-to-Face Survey (due by June 2021) - Adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities receiving DDA service 

For questions, please contact Staci Jones, Acting DDA Director of Quality Enhancement at [email protected] . 
Update: How to Report Neglect and Abuse
The DDA does not tolerate the abuse, maltreatment or neglect of people in services. If you experience, witness, or suspect abuse or neglect, please report it.

For more information about reporting abuse, visit: bit.ly/DDAReportAbuse .
Update: Maryland is a Technology First State
The Maryland Department of Health - Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) and the Maryland Department of Disabilities - Assistive Technology Program (MDTAP) are establishing Maryland as a Technology First State. The goal of the partnership is to align Maryland as a leader in ensuring people with disabilities have access to assistive technology.

The DDA, MDTAP and the District of Columbia’s Department on Disability Services (DC DDS) will convene a Technology First Council to help guide the expanded use of supportive technology services for Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The first council meeting will take place in the spring. 
Announcement: New DDA Employees
Gretchen Torres joined the DDA on Feb. 5 as the Incident Management Coordinator for the Central Maryland Regional Office.
 
Ms. Torres has nine years of experience in the field of developmental disabilities. She has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Stockton University and is pursuing a master’s degree. 
Wayne Thomas joined the DDA on Feb. 12 as the Director of Financial Information Service at the Central Maryland Regional Office.

He has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Morgan State University.
Teresa Nataline has been promoted to Director of Provider Relations for the Southern Maryland Regional Office (SMRO). Her first day in the position was Feb. 26.

She previously served as Provider Relations Coordinator at SMRO. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology and political science from Salisbury University and a master's degree in human services management from McDaniel College.
2020 Census Maryland
For more information about the census, visit: 2020 Census Maryland.
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Maryland Department of Health
Developmental Disabilities Administration
201 W. Preston St. | Baltimore MD, 21201
The Maryland Department of Health promotes the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management, and community engagement. The state of Maryland pledges to provide constituents, businesses, customers, and stakeholders with quality customer service.