Posted on February 11, 2025
LISS Program could be eliminated entirely
Gregory Miller
President/CEO Penn-Mar Human Services
As I wrote this, our organization is still trying to process the shock and implications of the Moore Administration’s FY26 budget. It proposes $200 million in cuts and cost containment measures for the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) and, if approved, will put Maryland’s DDA budget levels back to the FY24 level.
Greg Snyder, Vice President of Government Relations with the Maryland Association of Community Services (MACS), referred to it as “a historic budget crisis” as the DDA system overall budget will not only cut $200 million of state funding but will also cut over $200 million in Federal matching dollars.
The proposed budget cuts have been met with widespread dismay and disbelief. And Penn-Mar along with advocates and stakeholders within the developmental disabilities community are grappling with the potential repercussions which are seen as a severe setback for the thousands of individuals and families who rely on this support.
One budget line item that is squarely on the chopping block is the Low Intensity Support Services (LISS) Program which currently serves 2000-2500 families a year.
For the past 13 years, Penn-Mar has been one of only two providers selected to administer the resources for this program to thousands of families across the state.
Five full-time Penn-Mar team members are dedicated to the task of supporting 1300 families annually, helping them secure one-time services for things like family respite care, a one-week summer camp experience, a piece of adaptive medical equipment or different types of therapies that can provide welcome relief to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The need for staffing this program will go away if the LISS program is eliminated but we are committed to working with our team to find new roles whenever possible for these valued team members.
Most distressing is that the need for the LISS services will never go away.
The stated goal of Maryland’s LISS program is to “ensure that children and adults with developmental disabilities live happy, healthy, independent lives while being integrated into their communities across their life span.”
It was designed as a lifeline to help families be as healthy as they can be, given the stress and challenges involved with caring for a family member with a disability. Now these families will have no place to go for the essential supports that help make their lives more manageable.
To me it is both disappointing and shortsighted to target a low-cost, high-impact program that has greatly benefited families facing poverty or mental health challenges, just to save $5 million. In addition, many of the services these families receive are found in our communities with local businesses, so a large portion of these funds fuel our local economies.
Penn-Mar does not make the program rules, but we strictly enforce them by providing due diligence and administrative tasks. This is not about giving families a check to use for whatever services they want. The LISS program has a prescribed approval process and a system of checks and balances that should be the envy of every government program out there.
All LISS requisitions are approved in advance before a resource can be provided. Every dollar spent is documented. And as administrators of the program, we are charged with ensuring that people have received the service they requested and that it was effective for the person with IDD.
So, what are we doing to save this vital program and funds for other IDD services?
People with disabilities and their families in the State of Maryland – the wealthiest state in the nation — deserve better.