Grant
Information
Name of Grantee
Mental
Hygiene Administration, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Title of Grant
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—
410–402–8488
tmerrick@dhmh.state.md.us
Subcontractor(s)
Center for Health Program Development and Management,
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
Activities
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.