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MIH participated in the Maryland Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Administration’s (DDA) annual budget hearings on Feb. 27 and 28 in Annapolis, joining more than 40 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), family members, providers, and advocates in calling for full funding of vital DDA services.
MIH Executive Director Tim Wiens delivered testimony before the House Appropriations Committee’s Health and Social Services Subcommittee and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee’s Health and Human Services Subcommittee in support of the $260,000 included in the proposed FY26 DDA Operating Budget for MIH’s work.
For the Senate hearing, Tim was joined by MIH client Brian Silvea (pictured) and his father, Duke. With MIH’s assistance, Brian — a man in his 30s living with cerebral palsy — secured a voucher through Howard County’s Moderate Income Housing Unit program, leading to affordable, accessible housing that has provided independence, comfort, and the opportunity to live in a supportive community.
At the hearing Brian also spoke with Maryland Secretary of Health Meena Seshamani and DDA Deputy Secretary Marlana Hutchinson (pictured) to share how stable housing has transformed his daily life.
MIH’s testimony also emphasized the importance of the DDA Rent Subsidy Program (DDARSP), launched by DDA in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The program enables eligible Marylanders with disabilities to rent a home while paying just 30% of their total household income toward rent and basic utilities.
“This program is vital to the work that we do at MIH,” said Wiens. “Since 2024, MIH has housed eight Marylanders through the DDA Rent Subsidy. Our clients often live on fixed incomes and do not have full-time jobs. The DDARSP makes housing drastically more affordable and finding housing much more achievable.”
Approximately 25 individuals have already been placed through the program, with funding remaining for an estimated 25 additional placements. Nearly 600 Marylanders remain on the waiting list. MIH is urging the DDA to appropriate $1,250,000 to fund 50 additional placements and help close the gap.
Nick Sampson, an MIH client, was previously living in housing that did not meet his needs or provide long-term stability. Through the DDA Rent Subsidy Program, he secured independent housing in his own name along a convenient bus route that allows him to reliably commute to his full-time job. With stable housing and dependable transportation, Nick is more confident, independent, and secure — a powerful reminder that access to safe, affordable housing does more than provide shelter. It creates opportunities.