Behavioral Health - Region I
Region I Adult Developmental Services
Adult Developmental (DS) Services is a part of
the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. DS
provides support to adults with mental retardation and/or autism
and their families. The DS Services staff in the Portland regional
office are responsible for coordinating a network of direct
and contracted services in Cumberland and York Counties.
DS is a voluntary state agency. Services
are provided to eligible citizens and their families only with
their or their guardian's knowledge and consent. There are no
financial guidelines for eligibility or fee for services.
The following services are available by DS as
available resources allow:
1. Case management services - An Individual Support Coordinator is assigned to work with an eligible consumer and his/her family to help them identify their individualized needs and what is needed to meet those needs.
2. Necessary Information and Referral - Information is gathered on various services of interest to our consumers, and a great deal of effort is made to connect individuals with appropriate resources available to them.
3. Guardianship - Sometimes it is determined that
a consumer is in need of a legal guardian to make decisions
on his/her behalf. When a family member or close friend is unavailable
to assume the duties of a legal guardian, DS may be
appointed as the legal guardian.
4. Respite Services - DS has funding
available for consumers to purchase respite services from an
individual provider or from a contracted agency.
5. Family Support - Funding is available to families to use as they choose to help them support their family member in their home.
6. Residential Services - Different kinds of living
arrangements are available, through community agencies with
funding from DS, in order to meet the individualized
needs of consumers.
7. Day Habilitation - Day habilitation services
provide educational and self-growth opportunities. These services
are typically available through community agencies with funding
from DS.
8. Employment - Funding referrals for long term
support for a consumer who is employed and in need of ongoing
training and coaching at their job site is coordinated by DS
staff.
9. Representative Payee - Sometimes the Social
Security Administration determines that a consumer needs the
assistance of a rep payee in managing their benefits. DS can
fulfill this role when no one else is available. Budgeting and
payment of bills is provided in order to support the consumer
in meeting basic financial obligations.
10. Adult Protective Services - DS works
with the Office of Advocacy to intervene in substantiated instances
of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in order to meet consumers'
health and safety needs.
11. Resource Development - DS are based
on individualized needs which necessitates ongoing development
of services to meet those needs. Once a need and necessary funding
is identified, regional staff work with the consumer and family
to locate a service provider.
12. Management Information - A Management Information System is maintained in order to keep aggregate information about consumers and the services they are receiving or need. The system provides important information in the efforts to plan, fund, and improve services.
13. Clinical Services - DS has two basic avenues
to assist consumers in getting their medical, dental, and psycho
social needs met. Funding is available to pay for assessments
and direct services when usual funding sources, such as Medicaid,
can not be used. The Portland Regional Office has recently started
to provide direct dental, medical, and psychiatric services
at no cost to consumers when these services can not be provided
by community providers. Referrals for these services are made
through the Individual Support Coordinator.
14. Quality Assurance - All DS staff share a role
in quality assurance responsibilities. Feedback about the quality
of contracted services comes from many sources. The most important
source of feedback is directly from consumers and their families.
Administrative Office/ Adult Developmental
Services
175 Lancaster Street,
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (207)822-0270 or 1-800-269-5208
FAX: (207)822-0295
TTY: 888 254-3011
Administrative Office/Children Services
161 Marginal Way
Portland, ME 04101-2438
Phone: (207) 822-2231
FAX: (207) 822-2146
TTY: (888) 720-1925
