When everyday tasks need a second pair of hands
Maybe it is a spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, a stroke, an amputation or arthritis that keeps getting worse. Maybe a parent who helped every day can’t anymore.
Whatever the cause, the result is the same: getting out of bed, showering and making dinner now take most of the day’s energy. Work, friends and errands get squeezed out.
Disability home care in Baltimore puts a caregiver in the hard parts of the day so you can spend the rest on your own life. You stay in charge. The caregiver helps with what you ask, the way you ask for it.
What in-home care for adults with disabilities looks like
Good disability care is about doing things with you, not taking over. The care plan says which tasks you want full help with, which ones you want standby for, and which ones you want to keep doing yourself.
A typical plan covers:
- morning and evening personal care, including showers and dressing,
- transfers between bed, chair, toilet and shower,
- meal prep in your own kitchen,
- light housekeeping and laundry,
- trips out for errands and appointments.
The hands-on tasks are the same ones described on our personal care at home page. If you mainly need help keeping the house running, see our homemaker services in Baltimore. Disability care is one of our specialized home care services.
Who disability home care in Baltimore is for
Disability home care is not only for seniors. We work with:
- younger and middle-aged adults living with a physical disability,
- adults with a long-term illness that limits strength or balance,
- older adults whose disability has grown with age,
- families caring for an adult son, daughter or sibling at home.
Recovering from a recent surgery or hospital stay is a shorter-term need, covered by post-hospital home care. For memory loss, see dementia care at home.
Maryland programs that pay for disability home care
Several Maryland Medicaid programs pay for personal assistance at home, and they are not limited to seniors. Here is how they compare.
| Program | Age | Medical rule | Main home care benefit | How to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community First Choice (CFC) | No age limit | Institutional level of care | Personal assistance, PERS, home adaptations, supports planning | Maryland Access Point, 844-627-5465 |
| Community Personal Assistance Services (CPAS) | No age limit | Help with at least one daily activity | Personal assistance, nurse monitoring, supports planning | Same as CFC |
| Community Options Waiver | 18+ | Nursing facility level of care | CFC services plus case management, family training, medical day care | Join the registry through MAP |
| In-Home Aide Services (IHAS) | 18+ | Functional disability | Personal care and chores, limited funding | Local Department of Social Services |
Both CFC and CPAS require full Medicaid first (MDH, CFC; MDH, CPAS). The CO Waiver has a long registry: 23,461 people on June 30, 2025, per the MDH End the Wait report.
IHAS gives priority to adults with no capable caregiver or at risk of institutional placement, and clients may pay part of the cost based on income (Maryland DHS). In the city, call Baltimore City DSS Adult Services at 443-423-4214.
Our guides cover Community First Choice, CPAS and the Community Options Waiver in detail. Beulah Home Care serves Baltimore families who use these Maryland Medicaid personal assistance programs, and our office can help with the application steps. Start with who qualifies and how to apply.
Agency care or self-direction under CFC
Since October 1, 2023, every CFC participant can choose between the agency model and a self-directed model (CMS, SPA MD-23-0012).
| Agency model | Self-directed model | |
|---|---|---|
| Who employs the caregiver | A licensed agency | You, as the employer |
| Hiring, payroll, taxes | The agency | You, with help from a state-contracted financial management service |
| Backup when a worker is sick | The agency finds cover | You arrange it |
| Family members as workers | Workers are hired by the agency | You may hire qualified family members |
Under both models, you can direct your own services. You decide the schedule and the duties, and you can ask for a different worker. Your supports planner can walk through both models with you before you choose.
DDA services are a separate system
People with developmental disabilities may get services through Maryland’s DDA waivers, such as Community Pathways. That system has its own coordinators, provider lists and rules. This page covers personal care at home outside DDA.
Getting around Baltimore with a disability
Home care works better when you can still get out. Two services matter here.
MTA Mobility is shared-ride paratransit for people who can’t use a regular bus or train because of a disability. It covers trips within ¾ mile of Local bus, Light Rail and Metro Subway routes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. The fare is $2.20 each way, and an approved Personal Care Attendant rides free (MTA Mobility). Certification needs a form from your health care provider and an interview. Call 410-764-8181, option 6.
CountyRide serves Baltimore County adults aged 18 to 59 with disabilities, after a documentation review, as well as residents 60+. Reservations: 410-887-2080.
Home changes, equipment and emergency buttons
A grab bar or a ramp can save hours of care. Under CFC, environmental adaptations and technology that replaces human help share a cap of $15,000 per participant over three years (COMAR 10.09.84.23). Under CFC, contractors who do accessibility adaptations must hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission license.
CFC also covers a personal emergency response system for people who live alone or are alone for long parts of the day.
How disability home care works with Beulah
- Free consultation at home. We meet you, see the layout of your home and hear how your day runs now.
- Written care plan. Your tasks, your hours, and the way you want each one done.
- Caregiver match. Matched to your schedule, your care needs and your personality. Visits can be a few hours a week or longer schedules.
- Check-ins. Our office follows up and changes the plan when your needs change.
To ask about hours or programs, call our Canton office at 410-421-1041, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
How to choose a disability home care agency
Questions worth asking any Baltimore agency:
- Is the agency licensed by Maryland’s Office of Health Care Quality as a residential service agency?
- Which Medicaid programs does it serve, and will it help with the paperwork?
- Who writes the care plan, and can I change it?
- What happens when my regular caregiver is out sick?
- Are caregivers employees of the agency?
Red flags: no written care plan, pressure to sign a long contract, or vague answers about who shows up.
Serving Southeast Baltimore and Baltimore County
Beulah Home Care is a home care agency in Southeast Baltimore with an office on O’Donnell Street in Canton. We serve Canton, Highlandtown, Fells Point, Patterson Park and nearby neighborhoods, plus communities in Baltimore County. You can also read more about Beulah or request a free consultation.