OFFICE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Director: Howard Bluth

301 W. Preston Street, Suite 1502
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-2290

The Office for Children and Youth was created
by Chapter 426, Acts of 1978. The basic purpose
of the Office for Children and Youth is to exam-
ine programs, services, and plans for children and
youth. The accomplishment of these purposes
precludes operation of programs and services.
Rather, it is to assist operating agencies, local
governments, and organizations in carrying out
their functions efficiently, economically, and effec-
tively and to assist families and the general public
in knowing and obtaining information about pro-
grams, services, and plans for children and youth.
The Office consists of a Director, twenty-four lo-
cal Children's Councils, and the State Advisory
Committee for Children and Youth. Within the
Office is the Governor's Youth Advisory Council,
formerly associated with the Governor's Commis-
sion on Children and Youth, Department of Hu-
man Resources.

The Director for Children and Youth is ap-
pointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Gov-
ernor and is directly responsible to him. Among
other duties, the Director examines programs,
services, and plans for children from birth
through age eighteen to identify duplications and
gaps in service delivery, program resources, ineffi-
ciencies, and unmet needs. In regard to children's
programs and services, the Director secures and
analyzes Departmental plans and budget requests,
reviews Federal funds used by and available to
the State, collates relevant Governor's Budget
items, issues impact statements, and makes rec-
ommendations to the Governor and appropriate
Department heads on planning and expenditures.
The Director serves as liaison with Departments
and local governments to coordinate services and
to make the best use of existing resources to ef-
fect an efficient and systematic delivery of ser-
vices. With representative local Children's Coun-
cils and other child advocacy groups, including
parents, the Director receives advice on resources,
needs, and priorities in different localities. In ad-
dition, the Director provides public information
on children's services in the State, advises the leg-
islature on the needs of children and their fami-
lies, and prepares an annual report to the Gover-
nor and the public.

Independent Agencies/311

The Advisory Committee, appointed by the
Governor, consists of the Secretary of Health and
Mental Hygiene, the Secretary of Human Re-
sources, and the Superintendent of Education or
their designees; one representative from each of
the twenty-four local Children's Councils, and
twelve appointed members. Of the members ini-
tially appointed twelve shall serve for a term of
one year, twelve shall serve for a term of two
years, and twelve shall serve for a term of three
years. After the expiration of the initial terms,
members are appointed for a term of three years.
The Advisory Committee biennially reviews the
operation of the Office to identify issues and pri-
orities, and reports its findings to the Director.

Local Children's Councils exist in each county
and in Baltimore City. Each Council is appointed
by the chief executive officer of that subdivision
and includes representatives of the local depart-
ments of health, education, social services and ju-
venile services, and members appointed at large.
One-half of the members initially appointed serve
for two-year terms; the remainder serve for three-
year terms. After the expiration of the initial
terms members are appointed for three-year
terms. Within their jurisdictions, the Children's
Councils examine programs, services, and plans
for children; secure and analyze Departmental
plans and budget requests affecting children's
programs and services; review the use and avail-
ability of Federal funds; identify, document, and
communicate the needs, resources, and priorities
to the local chief executive and to the Director of
the Office for Children and Youth; and provide
public information on children's programs and
services.

GOVERNOR'S YOUTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL

Kenneth Brown, Council President
Tracy Rone, Vice-President
Amy Jarvis, Secretary
Howard Bluth, Executive Director

Suite 1502
301 W. Preston Street
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-2290

The Governor's Youth Advisory Council was
created within the Department of Human Re-
sources by Executive Order in 1971. It was trans-
ferred to the Office for Children and Youth by
the Acting Governor in December 1978.