DBHS SERVICES

Diversity Behavioral Health Services offers quality Psychiatric Rehabilitation services to the eligible Adults and Minors in State of Maryland in a conducive environment or location best fit to meeting their healthy needs. We help them move towards wellness and independence in their communities. Our Mental Health Service offerings include:
• Assessment
• Reassessment
• Community Support
• Group Counseling
• Individual Intervention/Supportive Counseling
• Medication Management
• Parent/Family Intervention (Counseling)
• Psychosocial Skills Training-Group (Youth)
• Anger Management
• Behavior Modification

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

This agency is a private agency offering comprehensive services to individuals and families regardless of race, age, gender, handicap, creed, sexual orientation or national origin. This agency strives to provide quality care to all social and economic sectors of the population by developing specific programs to meet the specific needs of its recipient population. Furthermore, this agency is governed by the Board of Directors whose primary responsibility is to ensure that recipients receive an optimal level of services by emphasizing recipient's strengths and competencies and to build on them.
Our fundamental commitment is to support and encourage perceptions, involvement and commitment as central to all aspects of care. Recipients are actively encouraged to set their goals and re-evaluate them throughout treatment. The agency is committed to holistic care which includes the involvement of family and/or family surrogates and community support network whenever possible. Our holistic approach is outcome oriented, strength based, believing in measurable outcomes in terms of improved health, reduction in utilization of acute treatment services and increased independence, productivity and satisfaction.
Diversity Behavioral Health Services, LLP (DBHS) will provide services to children, adolescent, and adults in accordance with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH). Additionally, the families and surrogate families of recipients with severe emotional disturbances should be full participants in all aspects of the planning and delivery of services.
There is an expectation that recipients share the responsibility for achieving their goals and promoting their ongoing health. To carry out these responsibilities, the governing body requires that the professional staff participate in professional and community educational programs. These educational programs will include but not be limited to; implementation, facilitation, accommodation, knowledge of the ever-changing needs of the community through evaluation, links to referral resources and education regarding compliance with Maryland State Licensure requirements. The governing body will ensure that staff receives continuous education through in-service, workshops, seminars and conferences. To achieve these objectives, the agency will have established a Performance Improvement Program that provides a comprehensive review of quality services to recipients and their family members. This program and the efforts of all staff members are the key elements to providing quality recipient care.

Our program conforms to Children and Adolescence Service System Program (CASSP) principles such as:

1. Providing needed services in the recipient's home or community;
2. Least restrictive, most normalized environment;
3. Comprehensive array services that address physical, emotional, social and educational
needs.
4. Recipient and family-centered approach to strength-based service;
5. Culturally appropriate services;
6. Interagency collaboration and cooperation;
7. Early identification and intervention; and
8. Include specific recipient/family outcomes in the accountability system.
Our desired outcomes are:
1. Assist the recipient(s) in coping with the symptoms of their mental illness; minimize the aspects of mental illness that make it difficult for a recipient to live independently.
2. Reduce or prevent time spent in a psychiatric hospital.
3. Minimize the amount of time spent out of home for children.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES STATEMENT

Pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Diversity Behavioral Health Services, LLP that admission of client services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin or handicap.
It is the policy of Diversity Behavioral Health Services, LLP to assure human rights to each consumer. These rights include the right to dignity, privacy, human care, and freedom from mental and physical abuse, neglect and exploitation. Other rights for s are found in the consumer handbook and additional rights in 24-hour facilities policies. Diversity Behavioral Health Services, LLP shall assure each consumer the right to live as normally as possible while receiving care and treatment.
The Administration and staff of Diversity Behavioral Health Services, LLP shall provide services to participants without discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental handicap.

DEFINITION OF MENTAL HEALTH REHABILITATION

Mental Health/ Psychiatric Rehabilitation assists persons' ages 5 and older with long-term psychiatric disabilities to increase their functioning so that they are successful and more satisfied in the environments of their choice with the least amount of ongoing professional intervention. Assisting persons with long-term psychiatric disabilities entails a range of services which are medically necessary and can reasonably be expected to reduce the disability resulting from mental illness and improve his/her functional level in the community. These services are provided through an outpatient delivery model on an as needed basis. They assist recipients in coping with the symptoms of their mental illness, and are designed to prevent or limit periods of inpatient treatment or hospitalization.

AREA SERVED

Diversity Behavioral Health Services proposed to primarily target the population that resides in the State of Maryland This agency serves recipients residing in the geographic location inclusive of the following Maryland parishes:
• Prince George's County
• Howard County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore City
• Montgomery County
• Harford County

TARGET RECIPIENT POPULATION

Recipients of this agency's services are geared to children, adolescents, and adults who meet the Medicaid definition of seriously mentally ill.
The adult population is defined as an adult, from age 18 and older with a severe non-organic mental illness, which includes, but is not limited to, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, mood disorders, and severe personality disorder that substantially interfere with their ability to carry out such primary aspects of daily living as self-care, household management, interpersonal relationships, and work or school.
The child population is defined as a child or adolescent from age 5 through 17, with a behavior or emotional response disorder which includes, but is not limited to, psychosis schizophrenia, major affective disorders, reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood, or severe conduct disorders that limits a child's performance in the areas of academics, social, vocational or personal skills.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Normal hours of operation are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. This agency's telephone number is (301) 577-8636, which is answered during normal business hours. Calls on holidays are considered emergency and are answered by a designated staff member.
Routine questions about the services we provide or offer are best answered during normal office hours. If a staff person is not available at the time of the call, the staff member will relay the message and the appropriate staff will return the call as soon as possible.
The agency accepts referrals during regular business hours from individuals, families, schools, health care providers, insurers, and other agencies and organizations.

EMERGENCY/AFTER HOURS

If there is an emergency during regular office hours, recipients are instructed to call their primary Community Support Worker (CSW). The phone number of their CSW is provided to them at the beginning of service. If they are unable to reach their CSW, they are instructed to call the agency at: (301) 529-8143.
For any time after regular office hours, and on the weekends and holidays, recipients are instructed to contact their primary Community Support Worker at the phone number given to them at the beginning of service.
If they are unable to reach their CSW for any reason, the backup emergency telephone number is (301) 529-8143. The staff member assigned to handle emergency calls will notify the appropriate personnel and their call will be returned within 20 minutes. The team staff and psychiatrist are available to provide treatment, rehabilitation and support activities, seven days per week, twenty-four hours per day.

ON CALL POLICY

Each Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) is to provide their clients with a number that they can be reached at 24/7. In case of an emergency the MHP must contact the on-call LMHP to discuss the situation with them. The LMHP will decide on what to do. If they are unable to reach their CSW for any reason, the recipient is to call the emergency telephone number, (301) 529-8143. The Licensed (Mental Health Practitioner) LMHP that is on-call will carry the emergency phone and handle those calls.
All calls will be returned within 20 minutes.

APPROVED HOLIDAYS

Diversity Behavioral Health Services, LLP observes the following holidays:
• New Year's Day (January 1)
• Martin Luther King
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day (First Monday in September)
• Veteran's Day
• Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November0
• Christmas (December 24-26)