1) PATH
Project for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) formula grant was created under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act in 1990 to help states deal with the needs of people who are homeless and have a serious mental illness. PATH provides flexible community-based mental health, substance abuse, case management, and support services for people with serious mental illnesses who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.  Demographic data reveals: (a) more than half of the clients needing services are between the ages of 35 and 64 (61%); (b) more than half the clients are male; and (c) half the clients (50%) have substance abuse disorders in addition to a serious mental illness.

Somerset County's PATH Program has a limited amount of funds available for housing services only.  Our PATH funds are utilized to assist mental health consumers with security deposits, one-time only rental payments to prevent eviction, minor renovations and/or repairs to a home owned by the consumer, and technical assistance with applying for housing. Even though the Somerset County's Path Program does not provide a variety of direct services to consumers, we do make referrals and provide consumers with information regarding existing community services they might access to address any other need. 

(2) Shelter Plus Care
The Somerset County Shelter Plus Care Housing Program (SPCHP) is a tenant-based rental subsidy program.  The Somerset County Shelter Plus Care Program is targeted to serve individuals 18 years or older and families who are homeless as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), have a serious mental illness, and are being served by the Maryland Community Criminal Justice Treatment Program.  The goal of the program is to break the cycle of recidivism for individuals who end up in the criminal justice system as a result of being homeless.

The SPCHP applicant must be currently in the Detention Center for misdemeanor charges related to their mental disability and/or homeless status.  The SPCHP will also serve individuals who have been recently released (minimum 2-year period) who are on the intensive caseloads of parole and probation or families who are homeless as a result of trauma.

The objectives of the program are:

• To assist participants to obtain/remain in permanent housing.
• To increase skills and/or income of participants.
• To help participants achieve greater self-determination.

(3) Consumer Support
Funds are used to provide for one-time only and limited emergency services and goods.   Eligible services and goods include: 

Pharmacy/Laboratory Services
Expenditures are used primarily to address the needs of consumers that require psychiatric medications while a medical assistance eligibility determination is being made.  They may also be used to assist uninsured consumers whose insurance coverage does not provide for medications.  Examples include purchasing a one or two month supply of psychotropic medications for individuals just being released from jail. 

Funds would be used to provide uninsured persons blood tests necessary to monitor psychiatric medications.  Needs which are covered by another payment source or community agency will be excluded and referred to the appropriate resource. 

Transportation
Transportation funds are used to assist consumers and families by ensuring that they are able to access services.  These funds are primarily used for uninsured consumers for who transportation to appointments is a barrier to receiving treatment.  These funds are used on a more limited basis for medical assistance recipients whose transportation needs fall outside of the parameters established by our local medical assistance transportation provider.

Rent/Start-up
These funds include: start-up cost for securing or maintaining independent living, and miscellaneous items which include dental services, eyeglasses and other incidental health expenditures.  The project provides funds to assist individuals with integration and maintenance in the community by supporting security deposits, first months rent and past due rent or mortgage. 

Community and Professional Education
In an effort to provide continual quality services and to retain quality mental health professionals, funds are used to bring quality educational and public awareness programs to the area, so that a wider array of professionals can be reached.

CSA Grant Funded Services

(1) Lower Shore Friends, Inc. 
Lower Shore Friends, Inc (LSF) operates a consumer wellness and recovery center located at 207 Maryland Avenue, Suite #5 in Salisbury, Maryland.  Currently, the center is open a minimum of five days a week and averages 40 consumers using the center per week. The wellness and recovery center gives consumers another choice as to where to receive mental health services such as peer support and advocacy.  In addition to working with consumers at the wellness and recovery center, LSF employs consumers to teach support groups at Go-Getters, Inc.

LSF works with the day programs helping to provide the consumers with accurate information intended to keep them abreast of the latest changes in entitlements, changes in their rights, as well as the policies of the mental health system.  LSF also educates and encourages consumers to exercise their right to vote and advocates for affordable and decent housing. 

(2) Jail Mental Health
Mental health services are provided within the jail setting by a part time masters level licensed social worker, a part-time case manager and a part-time psychiatrist. These services include global assessment, individual and group counseling services, didactic groups, crisis intervention, development of an after care plan, information and referral, and medication management. 

(3) Mental Health Case Management
Assessment, Planning, Linkage, Follow-up and Advocacy for individuals who meet priority population criteria. Our services permit individuals to live and work in normalized settings by utilizing community resources.

(4) Hospital Diversion Case Management
Short-term case management for individuals with mental illness that have been seen in the emergency room of the local hospital for a psychiatric crisis.

Maryland's Public Mental Health System (PMHS)

In 1997 Maryland changed the way of how publicly supported mental health services is organized.

Prior to 1997, public mental health services in Maryland were organized around two separate funding sources through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH): Medicaid (Medical Assistance) and Mental Hygiene Administration (MHA) grant funding.  These two funding sources for public mental health services were merged so that they can be managed according to a common set of guidelines and principles.

This change has allowed MHA to create a one-tiered system for care governed by uniform standards.  This system allows:

• improved access to mental health services
• ensure that mental health services help consumers achieve treatment goals
• ensure that public mental health services are high-quality and cost effective

The MHA has oversight authority of the PMHS, which includes policy development, State-wide planning, resource allocations, and continuous quality improvement responsibilities. 

Link to http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/mha

APS Health Care

APS Health Care is an organization contracted by the Mental Hygiene Administration (MHA) to assist Core Service Agencies in managing the public mental health system.  APS Health Care is a limited liability corporation formed by two Maryland-based managed behavioral healthcare organizations-- Green Spring Health Services, Inc. and CMG Health, INC.  APS Health Care provides support to MHA and the Core Service Agencies by:

• determining whether an individual is part of the public mental health system
• referring the individual to qualified providers of public mental health services
• pre-authorizing non-emergency care
• with MHA and the Core Service Agencies, concurrently managing the care and cost of care in the public mental health system according to established protocols
• conducting utilization review of services to ensure quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness
• collecting data and submitting reports
• processing billing claims and remitting payments
• evaluation of the public mental health system

Link to www.maps-md.com

Network of Care

Network of Care is a highly interactive, single information place where consumers, community-based organizations and municipal government workers all can go to easily access a wide variety of important information. The resources in this "virtual community" include a fast, comprehensive Service Directory; links to pertinent Web sites from across the nation; a comprehensive, easy-to-use Library; a political advocacy tool; community message boards; and many others.

Visit: www.networkofcare.org

Primary Adult Care Program

Beginning July 2006, Maryland started a new program called the Primary Adult Care Program or PAC for short. PAC offers health services to people 19 and over who make limited amounts of money each year. PAC replaced the Maryland Pharmacy Assistance Program (MPAP) and the Maryland Primary Care Program.

People on PAC will get:

•  Free visits to a family doctor. Also called a Primary Care Provider or PCP
•  Free outpatient visits to a counselor or psychiatrist for mental health services
•  Lower-priced or no-cost prescription drugs. You may need to pay a co-pay for some prescriptions
PAC does not pay for hospital stays, emergency room visits or specialty care.

Who can apply?

•  You need to be age 19 or over
•  You can't be on Medicare
•  You need to meet the income and assets conditions.

For individuals:

If you are an individual applying for PAC, call to see if you meet income guidelines. Your assets can't be more than $4,000. You will find out more about what an asset is when you fill out your application form.

For families:

If you are a household of more than one person, call to see if you meet income guidelines. Your assets can't be more than $6,000. You will learn more about what an asset is when you fill out your application form.

How do I apply?

1. Call toll-free at 1-800-226-2142. Ask for a PAC application form.

2 . Or go online to this Web site www.dhmh.state.md.us/mma/mpap to print off a PAC application.

3. Make sure to put your phone number on your form so someone can contact you if they have questions.

4. Mail in your completed application form to:

PAC Program Application
P.O.Box 386
Baltimore , MD 21203-0386

5. You will get a letter stating if you qualify for PAC. You have to apply each year to be in PAC.