Maryland Manual 1994-1995 Department of Human Resources /357

Modern Public Assistance. Scientific charity attacked in particular the out-pensioner system, which was
flawed. For instance, county trustees of the poor or the county levy court (whichever had responsibility
for pensions) had no authority or manpower to check on recipients without an act of legislature. A person
could receive a pension until death, no matter how circumstances changed. In each county, the process
was different with no uniform standard of need or accountability. In contrast, the proponents of scientific
charity wanted an organized system with the poor classified and labeled according to need; they believed
statistics would provide enlightened forms of relief. Opponents of scientific charity's campaign to end
out-pensions argued that most recipients of public assistance were mothers with children who would be
separated if pensions were ended. Progressives working for reforms such as workmen's compensation and
child labor laws embraced the mothers' pension issue as well. A federal conference in 1909, the White
House Conference on Children, influenced some states to establish mothers'pensions. In 1916, Maryland
extended partial relief to widows with children under the age of fourteen. County government adminis-
tered and funded the pensions, each application was investigated, and a mother's worthiness was
considered (Chapter 670, Acts of 1916). Pensions went to the most needy, in case county funds were not
sufficient to provide pensions to all acceptable applicants.

Board of State Aid and Charities. In Maryland, the State role in social welfare began with the creation
in 1900 of the Board of State Aid and Charities, the first State agency with any responsibility for social
services (Chapter 679, Acts of 1900). Initially, the Board did not shape State policy for social welfare or
administer programs for the poor; instead, the Board investigated private charitable institutions and
recommended to the legislature which were worthy to receive State funds. Beginning in 1922, the Board
headed the Department of Charities and received annual reports from the State's two tuberculosis
sanitoriums (Chapter 29, Acts of 1922).

The Great Depression beginning in 1929 and the resultant New Deal changed the structure of social
welfare. The federal government established and funded programs for jobs, old age pensions, allotments
for dependent children, and distribution of surplus food commodities. States were responsible for creating
the machinery to issue federally subsidized support.

In 1935, Board powers were increased substantially (Chapter 586, Acts of 1935). The Board was
authorized to coordinate poor relief in Maryland and administer Aid to Dependent Children, Old Age
Assistance, Assistance to the Needy Blind, and General Public Assistance. It also licensed institutions,
agencies, or organizations having custody of either children or the elderly; established county welfare
boards; and received federal funds and surplus commodities under federal acts relating to public welfare.
Under the Board, county welfare boards certified eligible persons for employment in the federal Works
Progress Administration, the Public Works Administration, and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

State Department of Public Welfare. Retaining its watchdog function, the State Department of Public
Welfare replaced the Board of State Aid and Charities in 1939 (Chapter 99, Acts of 1939). The new
Department administered public assistance in Maryland for nearly 30 years.

State Department of Social Services. Reorganized and renamed in 1968, the State Department of Social
Services took over duties of the State Department of Public Welfare (Chapter 702, Acts of 1968). It
became the Department of Employment and Social Services in 1970 (Chapter 96, Acts of 1970). In
1970, the Department became responsible for all State employment and training programs and various
diverse commissions relating to aging, children and youth, migrant labor, manpower, Spanish-speaking
persons, and veterans. The Department was renamed the Department of Human Resources in 1975
(Chapter 382, Acts of 1975).

Department of Human Resources. The Department of Human Resources and its predecessor agencies
at times have had duties and functions which now belong to other executive departments. From 1970
to 1983, the Department was responsible for employment and training programs now found in the
Department of Economic and Employment Development, and from 1943 to 1966 the State
Department of Public Welfare had jurisdiction over the juvenile training institutions now within the
Department of Juvenile Services. Because the poor were often lumped together with insane, feeble-
minded, blind, sick, elderly and criminal persons, both in institutions and in the public mind, duties
of the Department of Human Resources often have overlapped those of the Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene. Chronic care hospitals, now under the latter department, began as tuberculosis
sanitoriums overseen by the Department of Charities. The first State inspection of almshouses was
conducted in 1876 by the State Board of Health, and later the Board of Mental Hygiene was required
to inspect them every six months.