Supporting Individuals and Families to
Self Direct Their Lives Through the
Maryland New Directions Medicaid Waiver

Who Can You Choose for Service Providers?

Services available through New Directions are those services individuals you and your team determine are necessary to carry out your individual plan, and enable you to achieve that plan in your home and community.

Individual directed services include just about any services documented as needed by your plan. Some examples of types of services are listed in the box to the right. If your plan calls for "other" services, they may be eligible for approval, and you can participate in the process of defining provider qualifications.

You can pick the providers of your choosing, as long as they meet the criteria established and are approved by the state, and can be provided within the resources available in your individual budget. For example, instead of using a bus service to get to work, you may decide to pay your neighbor to take you, because they go right by the building. Or you may decide to hire your cousin to provide personal support to you for grocery shopping, meal preparation, and working out at the local YMCA.

Under the New Directions Waiver your options for services are

• Creating your own Service Provider by picking, hiring, and supervising that person
• Purchasing services from an existing DDA provider
• Purchasing services from a community resource (Example -

You may decide after a few months or years, that you are no longer happy with who is providing your services. You then have the ability, with the help of your support broker and resource coordinator, to pick a different service provider. You will not need to have a meeting or a plan revision, so long as it is for the same service outlined in your plan. Y Provider must be trained by individual/family on person-specific information ou also have the right to decide to manage all of the plan or only parts of it. For example, you might manage the respite care service, but not the transportation or supported employment services.

Provider qualifications vary by the type of service being provided or managed. For those services for which there is a uniform State license or certification requirement, the provider has to meet those requirements. Either the family or individual and the State Agency may manage some services. For example, the family or individual might have self-directed support services which include personal care type arrangements. The State may also have personal care services provided by an agency. If one person manages their own personal care, and another chooses to use a service provided by an existing agency, the provider requirements might be different under these two arrangements.

Minimum Qualifications for Self-Directed or Community Resource Providers

• Provider must be trained by individual/family on person-specific information: (including preferences, positive behavior supports, when needed, and disability-specific information).
• Provider must possess current first aid/CPR training.
• Provider must successfully pass criminal background investigation.
• Providers, fiscal intermediary and individuals/families must sign a provider agreement verifying qualifications and articulating expectations
• When necessary, the provider must have the necessary background to perform the service. For example" To provide transportation services, the provider must have a current Maryland Drivers Liscense, and a vehicle which passes necessary inspections.
• You and your family be satisfied that the Provider has the necessary skills to successfully support you when providing the service. You are responsible to train providers on specific information they will need to know about you or your family member.
• All providers’ qualifications are subject to approval by DDA or its agent.

Agency Provider Requirements:

• Compliance with COMAR 10.22.02 and 10.22.08
• Must have a current state license and certification

What is the Process for Getting a Provider Approved?

The process is not yet fully developed as of January 2005.