James is a 38-year-old resident of Germantown who takes pride in being actively involved in the community. James is diagnosed with Diabetes and Dandy Walker Syndrome, but he does not let that stop him from achieving his goal of staying physically active. James enjoys walking and exercising to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, James thrives in social settings; he is a person who enjoys connecting with others and being an integral part of his community. He tries to be present in his community as much as possible, often up to three times a week. However, his medical conditions present a challenge — a challenge his SCI Supports Planner, Joseph, was happy to help him overcome. James’s mother, Cathy, has served as his informal support for much of his life; yet, over time, her ability to provide support has significantly diminished. Cathy and James began working with Service Coordination for home and community-based services.
James and his family began exploring the possibility of him transitioning into a DDA (Developmental Disabilities Administration) group home and moving out of his home and the community. Joseph began working with the family in July 2023. Joseph took the time to build a rapport with James and Cathy to understand what was important to James, how his conditions impacted him, and what services were needed to successfully address his needs. He worked closely with the family to submit a plan of service that requested services such as personal assistance, nurse monitoring, and support planning. This plan was approved by the Maryland Department of Health, awarding critical funding to access key services that ensure the activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living are met. Due to Joseph’s assistance, James was able to choose to remain in the community, where he could work on meeting his goals, rather than being placed in a group home.
Cathy took the time to explain the significance of Joseph’s help to their family: “His exceptional, dedication, attention to detail, always responding to calls immediately, and willingness to go above and beyond have truly made a difference in James and my life. Especially when I was hospitalized due to emergency needs. He jumped right in and got James’s caregiver services. I am deeply impressed with his professionalism, expertise, and the way he handled processing James’s applications, conversing with James’s non-custodial father by getting him on board, equally important, how he stayed on task throughout my absence when I wasn’t available for weeks.” Through this partnership, James is now able to continue working on achieving his goals and remaining active in the community that he loves.