72 MARYLAND MANUAL

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 •Welfare
services, and any other welfare activities, financed in whole or in part
by the State or Federal Government (Acts 1949, Ch. 108). The Gov-
ernor is authorized 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 (Acts 1949, Ch. 12).

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 six persons, who are appointed for six-year terms
by the Board of County Commissioners. Each year the County Com-
missioners designate one of its members to serve on the Welfare
Board (Code 1947 Supp., Art. 88A, sees. 12,13).

The duties of the Department include the investigation of the sys-
tem 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 convening 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, organizations, and agencies,
excepting hospitals receiving financial aid from the State, and recom-
mendations as to appropriations. All monies appropriated to insti-
tutions, organizations, and agencies, excepting hospitals, are paid on
a per capita basis at the rates, and subject to the rules and regula-
tions, established by the State Board of Public Welfare (Acts 1947,
Ch. 108).

The Department has the administration of the laws regarding the
placement of children in this State by out-of-State agencies. It
licenses agencies, institutions, and individuals having the care and
custody of minors; these include child placement agencies and foster
homes for minors (Acts 1949, Ch. 14). Individuals not regularly en-
gaged in the business of providing foster homes for minors, who
receive into their home one or more minors, other than children re-
lated to them by blood or marriage, must register with the State
Department of Public Welfare their intention to receive such minor,
stating whether or not the purpose is to adopt (Code 1947 Supp.,
Art. 88A, sec. 16H).

The State Department of Public Welfare is responsible for the
supervision, direction and control of the four State training schools.
In developing the program within each training school, including
provision for after-care supervision, the Department establishes rules
and regulations, standards of care, policies of admission, transfer and
discharge, and may order changes in the policies, conduct or manage-
ment of the four State training schools. Subject to these limitations,
each of the schools is under the general management of its Board of
Managers. The Governor appoints nine members for staggered terms