The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) is excited to announce that we will be accepting referrals for the Maryland START pilot within the Central Region as of April 19, 2021. The referral form is linked HERE. Please note that we will only be accepting 30 participants as this time. As we begin to expand, we will send out another communication regarding increasing the numbers of referrals.
To make a referral to MD START please make sure that the person is currently receiving DDA services and is on one of the DDA waivers.
Below are characteristics of someone who might be an appropriate participant for MD START:
- The person being referred is currently at or has been to Sheppard Pratt Hospital or any other inpatient psychiatric unit within the past 24 months.
- The person has been referred for additional staffing due to behavioral concerns or has been receiving additional staffing for an extended period of time, i.e., six months or more.
- The person referred has a history of multiple community placements over the past 12 months due to behavioral challenges.
- The person referred has complex mental health needs that require crisis intervention, calls to 911, and frequent medication changes within the past two to three months.
- The person is at risk of losing their work or home placement/services due to behavioral challenges.
- The person is presenting with complex behavioral, medical, and/or trauma related issues and has appeared to have deteriorated over the last 30 to 60 days or within the last year.
The DDA will assess over the next month to determine when on call after hour services will begin under the pilot phase. If there is an emergency after hours, please call the DDA’s mobile crisis number which can be found on the DDA website (below).
