WAIVER
SERVICES
Caring for a child with autism can challenge and, at times, overwhelm, a family. The Maryland Autism Waiver provides invaluable support for families affected by autism.
The waiver was created to keep your child safe at home and in the community. It also helps improve the lives of your family members. The waiver provides quality services to help your child become more independent, learn new skills, and reduce behaviors that interfere with growth and learning.
The Autism Waiver program plays a crucial role in supporting children and youth on the autism spectrum. It’s set up not only to provide care but also to help families improve their quality of life.
Services can include a wide range of supports — such as therapy, respite care, social skills training, assistive technology, and more.
How do you qualify for the Waiver Program?
Diagnosis
The child or young adult must have a documented diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from a qualified healthcare professional.
Age
The program is available for children five years old through young adults up to 21.
Residency
The individual must be a resident of Maryland.
Functional Limitations
Individuals who have functional limitations associated with their autism diagnosis can qualify for waiver services. You might need a recommendation from a healthcare professional to show how serious your child’s limitations are and what their needs are.
Medicaid Eligibility
To receive waiver services, the individual must be eligible for Medicaid. This gives families peace of mind that the financial burden of care is covered.
It’s important to note that the specific eligibility requirements may vary. For detailed information regarding getting approved for the Maryland Autism Waiver, you can learn more via visiting the Maryland Department of Health or the Maryland Medicaid websites.
THE TRELLIS
DIFFERENCE
At Trellis, we focus on what’s clinically best for each child. We also prioritize what will have the most positive effect on the family dynamic. Sticking to our mission, we involve all staff members in monthly meetings—helping us reinforce our team approach for each client.
Trellis provides a comprehensive range of autism waiver services. So far, Trellis has helped more than 500 families with the Autism Waiver. We use motivation-based learning in our curriculum to help build skills and meet each child’s unique needs.
The program uses a person-centered care approach. This means that the care and support are tailored to each participant’s needs, goals, interests, and preferences. Individuals with autism have a say in their own care and are involved in decision-making.
At Trellis, we go beyond just providing services. We believe in a comprehensive treatment plan that considers the clinical needs of your child and the overall well-being of your family. Our team helps to make sure everyone is on the same page and working together for the best possible outcomes.
We understand that every child with autism is unique, and their needs are ever-evolving. That’s why our team is committed to ongoing assessment and collaboration. We continuously monitor progress and adjust our approach to make sure that your child receives the best possible care.
WE’RE LOCAL
Our Waiver Locations
Towson
1001 Cromwell Bridge Road
Suite 200
Towson, MD 21286
Edgewood
2700 Philadelphia Road
Edgewood, MD 21040
WAIVER
SERVICES
Trellis is committed to providing Autism Waiver services using a team model, in which families and professionals work closely to develop and implement effective treatment plans to accelerate the progress of each learner. Our staff participates in professional development, team assessment, and treatment planning meetings, along with specific training in instructor intervention strategies. We offer the following services as part of Maryland Autism Waiver:
Family Counseling
Family counseling provides ongoing support to caregivers and serves as a vital part of each treatment plan. In fact, we consider it essential to the overall success of the program. Goals are developed for each family based on their individual needs. They can include guidance on specific teaching strategies, behavioral techniques, and interventions, or more general information on issues related to autism and your child’s learning style and development.
Intensive Individual Support Services (IISS) & Respite Services
IISS is a one-on-one (1:1) goal-directed service designed to facilitate your child’s individual goals in their home and community setting. Goals are based on an ongoing assessment of skills regarding communication, play, daily living, recreation, and adaptive behavior. Instructors receive onsite training and ongoing direction from a supervisor.
Afterschool/Therapeutic Integration (TI)
As part of our Autism Waiver services, we designed the Therapeutic Integration (TI) Afterschool program to provide learners ages 10 to 21 with the maximum amount of opportunities to develop social skills in a group setting.
Our small client-to-staff ratio (3:1) allows participants to develop physical, mental, social, and functional abilities in a safe and nurturing environment. We use fun, interactive, and structured group activities to promote the expansion of play and leisure skills. This can include art, music, dance, yoga, cooking, and social skills. Children are grouped with peers and remain active and engaged for the duration of the time they attend.
Adult Life Planning
Adult Life Planning is a waiver service available to clients and the parents/guardians of clients between the ages of 16-21. Family-centered sessions focus on educating and supporting the family in accessing adult community services on behalf of the participant. During sessions, parents/guardians have the opportunity to work with a trained specialist who will assist the family in transition planning for adulthood. Through the utilization of person-centered planning, goals are developed for each family/client focusing on helping families plan for their child’s future and transition as they exit from the waiver.
LET’S TALK
Regardless of your child’s age or where you are in your journey, we want to help.
