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Local Care Team Administration (Cecil County) Annual

Partners

Program Summary

Under Maryland Code (Human Services §8-407) a Local Care Team shall: 

1) be a forum for: 

    a) families of children with intensive needs to receive assistance with the identification of individual needs and potential resources to meet identified                 needs; and 

    b) interagency discussions and problem solving for individual child and family needs and systemic needs; 

2) refer children and families to: 

    a) care management entities when appropriate; and 

    b) available local and community resources; 

3) provide training and technical assistance to local agency and community partners; 

4) identify and share resource development needs and communicate with the care management entity, local core service agencies, provider networks, local management boards, and other local care teams in surrounding jurisdictions; and 

5) discuss a request for a voluntary placement agreement for a child with a developmental disability or a mental illness under § 5-525 of the Family Law Article. 

Story Behind the Curve

FY23: Cecil County's Local Care Team consists of a robust group of community partners that meet every Monday except holidays and the infrequent times when there are no cases. The LCT Coordinator also invites community partners to share their program information at team meetings, and reaches out to referral partners to explain the services offered by the LCT. Referrals may be handled formally through an LCT meeting or informally, through referrals and warm hand-offs to appropriate partners.

Cecil County continues to have a robust group of partners at the table. The Local Care Team added Advantage Psychiatric and CASA to our group of team members. Referrals can be triaged by the LCT Coordinator and/or brought to the LCT. A Family Action Plan is conducted for every family who attends an LCT meeting. LCT Coordinator follows up with families regarding the Family Action Plan. The family is welcome to circle back to the LCT Coordinator at any time.  

Data Discussion

FY23 HFY1: It has been a struggle to maintain an appropriate staff member in the LCT Coordinator position. The prior LCTC vacated the position in May 2022, and a replacement was hired in August 2022. At the time of this hire, the LCTC's direct supervisor, the LMB Director, was vacant. A new LMB Director was hired in mid-September 2022. After several months working internally and with GOC with the LCTC, the Coordinator decided to vacate the position, leaving in early December. Since that time, Cecil County has consistently advertised the position and conducted a number of interviews, with no viable candidates and very few applicants with appropriate educational background and work experience. We are working with our Human Resources team and following advice from GOC to hire an appropriate candidate. Cecil is fortunate to have hired an LMB Director who is extremely familiar with the LCT process, partners, and clients. She is currently managing the LCT along with her own duties until an appropriate Coordinator can be hired, and Cecil is increasing the number of formal and informal LCT cases being managed by our office. Cecil intends to continue to educate our partners on appropriate referrals for the LCT, and intends to update our referral form to make things more clear and specific for referring partners.

FY23 HFY2: The LCT Coordinator position became vacant again at the beginning of December, a new LCT Coordinator joined us in May of 2023. The Local Management Board Director continued to act as the interim LCT Coordinator. The newly hired LCT Coordinator possesses a plethora of experience working with families of children with behavioral health needs. The LCT Coordinator and LMB Director have plans to do outreach to agencies to educate them on the LCT and referral process. The LCT did 2 outreach events in HY2. The LCT had three presentations/training from the community during HY2.

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