Share Your Success Stories for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

Did DDA services help you land your dream job, start a business, or help you excel in your career? Or do you provide services that have helped someone to prepare for, find, exceed in, or retain employment? If so, tell us your story!

In honor of NDEAM next month, the DDA wants to showcase the positive impact of work in transforming lives. We’re looking for stories and photos about people’s employment journeys and the services that helped them achieve success. Throughout October, we’ll feature your stories on the DDA Facebook page and in The DDA Connection.



Help us celebrate your achievements and inspire others to dream big while reaching for their employment goals. Submit your success stories and photos to the DDA by Friday, October 6th by submitting your story here:

Medicaid Check-In > Redeterminations 

It is important for you to look for communication from the Maryland Department of Human Services and respond within the required timeframe. 

People with Redetermination Due Dates scheduled for August, September, and October 2023 

• If a redetermination application was submitted the application will be processed.
• If a redetermination application was not submitted, their redetermination was moved to November 2023. 

Important reminders and actions to take today:

• Only submit redetermination documents if a person receives a letter requesting information.
• Create a myMDTHINK account if you do not already have one. 
• MDTHINK is Maryland’s system that includes direct access to your Medicaid eligibility status, letters and notices.
• Make sure your myMDTHINK account has your current mailing address, phone number, email or other contact information.
• Once you establish your account, you can access your Medicaid case details, and manage your account information like updating your contact information. 
• Please note that you must have an email address to create a myMDThink account. 
• If you do not have an email address, you may create one with help from a family member, coordinator of community services or provider of your choice.
• You can follow these steps to review or update your contact information:
• To review or update contact information online, log in to your account at mymdthink.maryland.gov and review or update your address, phone number and email. 
• If you do not already have an account, you can create an account at mymdthink.maryland.gov by clicking on “create account.” 
• You can also call the DHS Call Center at 800-332-6347. Help is available in more than 200 languages. People who are deaf and hard of hearing can use Relay service.
• You can also call or visit your local Department of Social Services​ or your Local Health Department.

Coordinators of Community Services and DDA Providers should check the Eligibility Verification System (EVS) to determine the Redetermination Due Date of people they support.

For more information, visit the Maryland Medicaid Check-in Website.

For myMDThink account assistance:

●  Customer access concerns: Labelle Hillgrove at [email protected]

●  System issues: Gina Roberts at [email protected]

DDA Policy Reminder

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

• Behavioral Support Services

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

The public is invited to provide comments from September 15, 2023 through September 29, 2023.

Please submit comments electronically to [email protected] 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 Behavioral Support Services Policy’.

If you have questions or need any accommodations, please reach out to the Danielle Coles DDA Federal Programs, at [email protected].

Program Updates

The ABCs of ASMs: 

Exploring basic side effects and interactions of Anti-seizure medications 

The Developmental Disabilities Administration Regional Nurses invites the DDA agency nurses (RN CM/DNs) for a statewide nurses meeting on Friday, October 13, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Presenter: Kristen Bateson, NP-C, Assistant Director at the Orlando Epilepsy Center

Kristen is a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner in Orlando, Florida. Kristen has her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and her master's degree from the University of Central Florida. Kristen has been working at Orlando Epilepsy Center as a nurse practitioner and assistant director for the past eight years where she manages patients with epilepsy and also oversees an outpatient epilepsy monitoring unit. Kristen serves as a committee member on the Advanced Practice Provider committee at the American Epilepsy Society and has a passion for educating and advocating for her patients. 

For DDA RN CM DNs: If you plan to attend the webinar, you must be online during the training for at least one hour to qualify for attendance purposes.

COVID-19 Reporting Reminder

With the flu season approaching, DDA would like to clarify the reporting guidance related to COVID-19 cases. Please be reminded that COVID-19 is a reportable disease, as are other communicable diseases defined by the Maryland Department of Health.

For reporting COVID-19 per PORII, please use the following guidelines:

When & How to Report:

• Two or more cases of positive COVID-19 in people or staff members within 10 days in the same setting. 
• Report incident reports for people in PCIS2.
• Notify your DDA Regional Office Quality Enhancement team via email for staff reports.
• CMRO: [email protected]
• ESRO: [email protected]
• SMRO: [email protected]
• WMRO: [email protected]

Please click here to download additional MDH guidance. 

If you have any questions or technical assistance, please contact your regional office Quality Enhancement team.

Operations Updates

FY2024 Rates with Brick Components 

The FY2024 Rates with Brick Components have been posted to the DDA website and can be downloaded here.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Rate Review Advisory Group email at [email protected]. 

LTSSMaryland Provider Billing Training Sessions for Non-EVV Service for October and November 2023

The DDA is holding LTSSMaryland Provider Billing training sessions for non-EVV services. For those who are slated to go live in October and November, please register for one of the listed sessions as soon as possible. 



Staff are required to attend the training to receive credit for the training. This is mandatory. Below are the dates to register for the sessions that work best for you. When registering, please have the following information ready: 

• Agency FEIN# 
• Agency MA# 
• LTSSMaryland username 

This training will give users a good understanding of the system and review functionality that can be carried out by the providers in terms of service plans, billing, roles and responsibilities, and information on individual participants. The following staff members listed below in your agency should attend the training session: 

• Fiscal Manager 
• Revenue Cycle Manager 
• Fiscal Staff 

All training sessions will be conducted virtually. Following registration, training links will be sent one day in advance of each session. All class sessions will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Breaks, including lunch, will be scheduled throughout the day. The class size is limited to 25 participants per session. 

When logging in to the training, please remember to: 

• Have your LTSSMaryland user credentials ready. If your staff need

LTSSMaryland credentials, please create the credentials for them at least three days prior to the training session to facilitate ease of access to training materials. 

• Join using a laptop or desk computer with an internet connection. (Smartphones will not be adequate.) 
• Keep your webcams on during the sessions so the training is more interactive for all. 

If you have any questions about these sessions, please contact Rokesha Williams, LTSSMaryland System Business Analyst, by emailing her at [email protected]. 

When 

Session dates are listed below and dates for the following months will be sent out at a later time. The training will take place from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Please click on the "register" link beside the sessions that work best for you.

Resources

Easy-to-Understand Guide to Services

This guide has important information about the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration. The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration is also called the DDA. This Easy-to-Understand Guide to Services was written to be understandable to everyone. It has the most important information you should know. The DDA also has a longer guide called the Guide to Services for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Families. That guide has more information.

Upcoming Events

9/26 Support Broker Initial Certification Training

9/27 Joint DDA and DORS Training

9/29 Deputy Secretary Monthly Updates Webinar

10/3 Support Broker Initial Certification Training

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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