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Local Care Team Administration (Wicomico County) Annual

Story Behind the Curve

FY23: The Local Care Team is still managing with loss of a few referrals due to the lack of referrals from Wicomico County schools. In addition, Wicomico County schools continues to implement Multi-D meetings, which effect the LCT from receiving refferals. In other counties, the families that would normally be referred to Multi-D would be LCT appropriate.  The Local Care Team Coordinator has been working with some school social workers and families to produce resources even when the family does not want to schedule a meeting. The Local Care Team is still consistent in assisting families on a daily basis. Lastly, COVID-19 is still affecting the community.

Previous Narrative: The Local Care Team is the product of a new statewide intiative by the Governor's Office for Children to create multi agency teams in each county.  The LCT was created to help families receive the support and services that they need to help their children who have intensive emotional and behavioral needs.  Parents are invited to be a part of the discussions with a focus on their most pressing concerns.  Children who are at risk for out-of-home placement are a priority of the Local Care Team.  The Wicomico County Local Care Team meets once a month, on the first Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Only one (1) new case referral for out of state placement is now being served in an out of state residential placement and is being paid for by the parents as they felt RTC was the best alternative to working with community based services. 

Partners

  • Department of Social Services
  • Behavioral Health Authority
  • Department of Juvenile Services
  • Wicomico Health Department
  • Wicomico County Public Schools
  • Developmental Disabilities Administration
  • Division of Rehabilitation Services
  • Maryland Coalition of Familes 

Strategy

The Local Care Teams are being put into place in order to serve as a point of access to services for children and their families. Team members from different county agencies meet, along with parents/guardians, to discuss the child’s current needs and services, as well as prior services, in order to help the family and/or lead agency problem solve. This collaboration allows for problem solving and coordination of services from multiple agencies and recommendations can be made for other community based services that could be added in an effort to prevent residential placement.

Who We Serve

In the Wicomico County Needs Assessment, completed by Beacon (Salisbury University), one of the critical problems identified for health care was "access to mental health services". Under the "Children and Families" section, a primary barrier that was identified for familes was "awareness of existing services" 

(Beacon 2017)

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. 

Target Population

Families of children with intense behavioral and emotional needs.

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