Maryland Governor's Transitioning Youth Initiative (GTYI): What Families Need to Know

A One-Year Funding Bridge That Most Families Miss

When a student with a developmental disability graduates or ages out of Maryland's public school system, the entitlement to a Free Appropriate Public Education ends — and with it, all school-funded therapies, day programming, and structured activities. The Governor's Transitioning Youth Initiative provides dedicated DDA funding for day and employment services during the first year after school exit, specifically to prevent the gap between school-based services and DDA waiver funding.

The problem is that most families don't learn about GTYI until it's too late to use it effectively. The initiative has a narrow eligibility window, and the application must be coordinated with your DDA Coordinator of Community Services before the student leaves school.

Who Qualifies

GTYI is available to individuals who meet all of the following:

• They have been determined eligible by the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration
• They are exiting the public school system (graduating, receiving a Certificate of Completion, or aging out at 21)
• They are on the DDA waiting list or have not yet been funded through the Community Pathways Waiver

The key detail is timing. GTYI funding is accessible for one year starting from the student's graduation or school exit date. Submit the application during the student's final year of school so services can start at exit. Services must begin within that one-year window — unused months are lost, and a late application does not extend the clock.

What GTYI Covers

The initiative specifically funds day and employment services during the transition year. This can include:

• Meaningful Day services: structured programming that builds community integration skills, independent living skills, and social engagement
• Employment services: job development, supported employment, job coaching, and customized employment through DORS or DDA-approved providers
• Community-based activities: structured programs that keep the individual engaged while the family works toward permanent waiver funding

GTYI does not cover residential services. It's designed as a day-services bridge, not a comprehensive waiver replacement.

How to Apply

The application process runs through the DDA Regional Office serving your county. Your assigned Coordinator of Community Services (CCS) is the primary contact for initiating the GTYI application. The four regional offices cover:

• Central Maryland (Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel, Harford, Howard): 410-234-8200
• Southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's): 301-362-5100
• Western Maryland (Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Washington): 301-791-4670
• Eastern Shore (Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester): 410-572-5920

Start the conversation at least six months before the expected school exit date. The IEP transition team should be coordinating directly with the CCS during the final year of school — if these two systems aren't talking to each other, raise the issue at the next IEP meeting.

The Broader Context: Why GTYI Exists

Maryland's DDA waiting list has been a persistent policy challenge. The End the Wait Act of 2022 set ambitious targets for reducing the backlog, but the enacted state budgets for FY2026 and FY2027 included combined service reductions exceeding $290 million, severely constraining the state's capacity to fund new waiver slots.

GTYI exists because the legislature recognized that the gap between school exit and waiver funding isn't just inconvenient — it's dangerous. Young adults who lose all structured programming and services at graduation are at significantly higher risk of regression, behavioral crisis, and caregiver burnout. The one-year bridge doesn't solve the waiting list, but it prevents the most critical immediate gap.

For the full transition timeline — from age 14 IEP planning through school exit and beyond — the Maryland SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide integrates GTYI into the broader multi-agency coordination sequence.

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