In the past few years, we have seen a sharp decline in this service’s accessibility for people who need this service to be able to stay in their own homes successfully by having supports that increase skills and abilities to be successful in the community of the person’s choosing. We are concerned by the lack of providers of this service and others who support our fellow peers. We also know that individuals who may have non-traditional housing arrangements do not qualify for this service due to their housing situation.
If Maine citizens, not just State Government offices, do not spend significant resources to look at the workforce issues in behavioral health and other critical services we will continue to struggle to have a community to support our fellow peers.
Recommendations:
- We support a broad, inclusive definition of the term “living quarters” in the DLSS definition similar to how the Secretary of State defines eligibility for voting for those unhoused. “Homeless/Displaced persons: If you are homeless or living in a shelter, you are entitled to register to vote in the Maine municipality where you currently reside, even if you have a non-traditional address such as a park bench or other physical location. You may submit a physical description of your place of residence, under oath, to your municipal clerk in lieu of other residency documentation. Voters who are homeless are not required to present a mailing address in order to register to vote.” We say this as many individuals choose to live in non-traditional settings.
- DHHS needs to clarify internally and externally to providers who can access these services. For example, if someone presently is living in their car, they should qualify just as much as anyone who has a registered address.
- We would like to see a wider array of agencies providing the continuum of care that includes DLSS or Community Rehabilitation Services (CRS) which has DLSS as an integral part of this program. Absent that, this important service will be inaccessible and only available to a few peers in Maine. If we want to build the capacity for CRS and we have a slim DLSS workforce, it will hamper the development of CRS across the State.
Expected Outcomes:
We expect that no matter what you define as a home or what area of Maine you live in, you can access DLSS or CRS.
Definitions:
“Community Rehabilitation Service (C.R.S.): Community Rehabilitation services combine Community Integration and Daily Living Support Services. Individuals learn the necessary skills for living in the community independently. Individuals receiving Community Rehabilitation Services develop an individual service plan consisting of goals specific to the skills the personal wishes to learn. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Staff are at their worksite 12 hours a day and are on call the other 12 hours. Individuals receive a minimum of 1 face-to-face contact with one of their workers per day 7 days per week.
Daily Living Support Services (DLSS): DLSS provides therapeutic support to assist members in learning, developing, and maintaining daily living skills. DLSS supports members with maintaining a high level of independence. Methods of support include but are not limited to modeling, cueing, and coaching. The services do not include activities of socialization, recreation, or housekeeping services.” From Mental Health Recovery Support Services & Treatment | Department of Health and Human Services (maine.gov)
