Ch. 13

1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

an interagency basis in the belief that better
coordination of services will result in the
appropriate intervention on behalf of
children and families. Since 1990, the
General Assembly has enacted legislation
that mandates the establishment of local
management boards (LMBs), the
establishment of the Subcabinet Fund, and
the development of a plan for a continuum
of care and services that is family and child
oriented, and emphasizes prevention, early
intervention, and community-based
services. It is the intent of the General
Assembly that dollars fund the needs of
children rather than specific programs and
that the implementation of the Systems
Reform Initiative continue to move forward.
However, there are critical issues that need
to be resolved in the areas of State and local
coordination, funding, fiscal management,
and programmatic accountability.

In this regard, the General Assembly requests
that an executive task force, whose members
are representatives of foundations, advocacy
organizations, private service agencies, and
other applicable organizations, be
established. The task force should also
include representatives of the executive and
legislative branches of State government
and local government representatives. This
task force should perform a comprehensive
assessment of the initiative and develop
recommendations that should be
implemented during fiscal 1997. The
General Assembly shall have 30 days to
review and comment on the task force's
recommendations.

Until the General Assembly has had an
opportunity to comment on the task force's

recommendations regarding

implementation of the Systems Reform
Initiative, $10 million in funds provided for
the expansion of the Systems Reform
Initiative shall not be expended However, it
is the intent of the General Assembly that
local management boards that have received

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