for the certification of low income families
for medical assistance. In agreement with
the United States Department of Agricul-
ture, the Administration administers the
food stamp program, which is available in
all political subdivisions of the State whose
governing body has agreed to provide cer-
tain administrative costs (Code 1957, 1969
Repl. Vol., 1972 Supp., Art. 88A, sec. 3).
In Baltimore City and in each county,
there is a local department of social serv-
ices whose directors administer these social
service and public assistance activities within
their respective locality, subject to the su-
pervision, direction, and control of the State
Administration. These welfare activities in-
clude: foster care services; adoption serv-
ices to the natural parents, the child, and
the adoptive parents so that in a legally
responsible way the best interests of all
concerned may be served; licensing of family
homes giving care for not more than four
children for a part of the twenty-four hour
day; protective services on behalf of families
with children who are suspected of being
neglected or abused. Professional persons
concerned with the welfare of children are
required to report suspected child abuse to
their local social services department. Ex-
amples of additional services provided by
local departments of social services are:
referrals for family planning; homemaker
services which provide certain in-home serv-
ices to help maintain and strengthen family
life; services to single parents; and referrals
to the Work Incentive Program operated by
the Employment Security Administration
(Code 1957, 1969 Repl. Vol., 1975 Supp.,
Art. 88A, sees. 19-32A; 1973 Repl. Vol.,
Art. 16, sees. 67-88; 1971 Repl. Vol., 1975
Supp., Art. 27. sec. 11A).
The Social Services Administration car-
ries the responsibility for the development
and the coordination of its services, for de-
termining the factors which seem to con-
tribute to social and economic problems,
and for recommending changes or new pro-
grams to meet some of the problems. In car-
rying out this responsibility, the Social
Services Administration calls upon the local
social services departments for leadership |
within a community and for participation in
Statewide activities.
The Social Services Administration ex-
ercises supervision over all public and pri-
vate institutions which have the care. cus-
tody or control of dependent, abandoned
or neglected children, except those placed
under the supervision of another agency. It
is authorized to establish a central registry
of records for the purpose of locating de-
serting or absent parents of children who
are likely, or liable to be, recipients of pub-
lic assistance or foster care. The State Ad-
ministration administers the child care laws,
which regulate placement in Maryland. It
licenses agencies and institutions having the
care and custody of minors, including agen-
cies giving day care services to children
The Social Services Administration main-
tains a central registry of reported child
abuse cases (Code 1957, 1969 Repl. Vol.,
1975 Supp., Art. 88A, sees. 3, 5A, 13, 17,
19-32A, 46; 1973 Repl. Vol., Art. 16, sees.
67-88; 1971 Repl. Vol., 1975 Supp., Art.
27, sec. 11A).
Each year before the General Assembly
convenes, the State Administration furnishes
to the Secretary of Human Resources and
to the Governor a report of{ its activities
(Code 1957, 1969 Repl. Vol., 1975 Supp.,
Art. 88A, sec. 3(g)).
Staff: State Administration 244
Local Operation 4,070
MARYLAND OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY
Executive Director: Frank W. Welsh
1100 N. Eutaw Street,
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-2500
The Maryland Office of Economic Op-
portunity was created by proclamation of
Governor J. Millard Tawes on October 15,
1964, and made a part of the State Govern-
ment by Chapter 306, Acts of 1965.
The Maryland Office of Economic Op-
portunity was established for the purpose of
administering in the State of Maryland, the
Community Services Act of 1974 (PL 93-
644), of creating and participating in vari-
ous areas and types of youth and work |
