Respite for Children

MARYLAND

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

Mental Hygiene Administration, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Title of Grant

Maryland Respite for Children

Type of Grant

Respite for Children

Amount of Grant

$100,000

Year Original Funding Received

2003

Contact Information*


Tom Merrick, Project Director
SGHC-MHA
55 Wade Avenue—SGHC
Mitchell Building
Catonsville, MD 21228
410–402–8488
tmerrick@dhmh.state.md.us

Subcontractor(s)

Center for Health Program Development and Management, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Target Population(s)


Children under 18 with developmental disabilities, mental health conditions, and special health care needs who meet the SSI definition of disability and are eligible for Medicaid; and their family caregivers.

Goals


  • Conduct a feasibility study as a foundation for a demonstration project that integrates respite services for family caregivers of children with disabilities, using a Medicaid-type delivery model.
  • Develop an implementation plan for the proposed demonstration.
  • Develop an evaluation plan for the proposed demonstration.

Activities


  • Identify the target population and site where the demonstration will take place.
  • Analyze strengths and weaknesses of regional versus statewide infrastructure, which includes a review of the State's information and referral systems.
  • Explore different types of respite care (i.e., in-home, community activities, foster homes, etc.) and the regulatory change needed to develop a new model for respite care.
  • Establish maximum service levels based on variables such as severity of disability, medical necessity, family factors, and other extenuating circumstances.
  • Develop social marketing strategies to increase provider recruitment, increase family member involvement in policy making, reduce the stigma of disabilities, and increase multi-agency buy in.
  • Review existing provider training requirements to set standards or operational procedures that ensure a consistent level of quality.
  • Develop a local governance infrastructure to oversee the demonstration.
  • Develop an implementation and evaluation plan for the proposed demonstration.

Abstract


The Mental Hygiene Administration, a unit of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is leading this project on behalf of the Maryland Caregiver Support Coordinating Council. The Council is a legislatively mandated coordinating body comprising public agencies, private providers, family and consumer representatives and their advocates, and other caregiver supports across the State. The Council will study respite care and make recommendations to the Governor concerning service improvement.

A major component of the project includes the development of a new cost model for respite care. To accomplish this goal, the need for regional versus statewide infrastructure will be examined and regulations and changes needed to support the demonstration will be reviewed. In addition, the project will develop social marketing strategies to achieve a number of specific aims. These include (1) recruiting providers, (2) expanding outreach to families to improve family access to services and increase family member involvement in policy making processes, (3) promoting a better understanding of family burden, (4) reducing the stigma of disabilities, and (5) increasing organizational buy-in to the system change.

The project will include the broadest possible targeted population within the established parameters—children under 18 with disabilities who meet the SSI definition of disability and are Medicaid eligible. Site selection will be based on the availability of current respite program infrastructure in a given community and community readiness to undertake a demonstration project. Family members and key stakeholders will be involved in all aspects of the planning, research, and evaluation.

*Grantee did not provide any updates to contact information for this edition.