STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE
State Board of Public Welfare.

Lee L. Dopkin, 1953; William L. Galvin, 1951; James M.
Hepbron, 1949; Sidney Hollander, 1951; Frank C. Marino,
M.D„ 1953; Thomas W. Pangborn, 1949; Mrs. J. Enos Bay,
1949; Ernest O. Wheatley, 1951.
J. Milton Patterson, Director.

Elizabeth G. Smith, Assistant to the Director
120 W. Redwood Street, Baltimore 1 Telephone: Lexington 0050.

The State Department of Public Welfare is the central, coordinat-
ing and directing agency of all welfare activities in the State, in-
cluding Aid to Dependent Children, Old Age Assistance, Child Wel-
fare Services, and any other welfare activities, financed in whole or
in part by the State or Federal Government. The Governor is au-
thorized to designate the Chairman of the Board, and to arrange the
terms of the members so that they will hold office for staggered terms
of six years, the terms of three members expiring on June 1st of
every second year (Code 1947, Art. 88A, sec. 2)..

In each county there is a County Welfare Board, constituting an
administrative department, of the local government, with authority to
administer under the supervision, direction and control of the State
Department, the welfare activities within each county, including the
care of neglected, dependent and delinquent, children. Each County
Board consists of seven persons, who are apointed for six-year terms,
with the exception of a County Commissioner, who is designated each
year by the Board of County Commissioners..

The duties of the Department include the supervision of all public
and private institutions having the care, custody or control of de-
pendent, delinquent, abandoned or neglected children, and the investi-
gation of the system of public and private institutions, organizations
and agencies of a charitable nature in the State, including those which
receive part of their income from the State, except those placed by law
under the supervision of another State agency. Prior to the con-
vening of each regular session of the General Assembly, the Director
furnishes to the Governor a report which includes activities of the
Department, the conditions of all charitable institutions, organiza-
tions, and agencies, including hospitals receiving financial aid from
the State, and recommendations as to appropriations. All monies ap-
propriated to institutions, organizations, agencies and hospitals are
paid on a per capita basis at the rates, and subject to the rules and
regulations, established by the State Board of Public Welfare..

The Department licenses any person or institution maintaining a
house in which two or more persons beyond the age of 65 shall be
cared for and for which a charge is made, except persons caring for
relatives. It has the administration of the laws regarding the place-
ment of children in this State by out-of-State agencies. The Depart-
ment licenses agencies, institutions, and individuals having the care
and custody of minors; these include child placement agencies and
foster homes for minors. Individuals not regularly engaged in the
business of providing foster homes for minors, who receive into their
home one or more minors, other than children related to them by blood
or marriage, must register with the State Department of Public Wel-
fare their intention to receive such minor, stating whether or not
the purpose is to adopt..