178 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 38

CHILDREN'S Center, for the detention and study of children held
by peace officers on a charge which is or could be adjudged as delin-
quency. The department by rule and regulation shall establish such
policies of administration and discharge for these children as will
provide for adequate care for the children, and adequate service to
the courts in which they may appear. The State Department also
shall supervise, direct and control the Detention SOUTHERN
MARYLAND CHILDREN'S Center, prescribe minimum qualifica-
tions for personnel, and appoint personnel needed to staff the
Detention SOUTHERN MARYLAND CHILDREN'S Center, all in
accordance with the provisions of Article 64A of this Code, title
"Merit System".

(b) The advisory board for the Maryland Children's Center, estab-
lished by Section 39A of this article, shall be also the advisory board
for the Southern Regional Detention MARYLAND CHILDREN'S
Center, with the same duties, powers and responsibilities for the
latter institution was provided for the Maryland Children's Center.

(c) The Southern Regional Detention MARYLAND CHILDREN'S
Center, subject to the rules and regulations adopted and promul-
gated by the State Department of Public Welfare, shall accept from
police and court officers the temporary custody of children then
being held on a charge which is or could be adjudged as delinquency.
For the period during which children are in the custody of the Deten-
tion SOUTHERN MARYLAND CHILDREN'S Center, it shall provide
for them a residential program of care and study. Unless a formal
petition covering the charge against the child has been filed in the
proper Circuit Court or Juvenile Court and detention ordered there-
under, the Detention SOUTHERN MARYLAND CHILDREN'S
Center may not in any event, on any one charge or set of charges,
detain or hold a child in custody for longer than 24 hours (excluding
Sundays and holidays from the computation for this restriction).
Once such a petition is filed, the Detention SOUTHERN MARY-
LAND CHILDREN'S Center, if ordered and authorized by the Court,
shall continue to detain and hold the child in custody for a continued
residential program of care and study; but the Detention SOUTH-
ERN MARYLAND CHILDREN'S Center may not in any event, on
any one charge or set of charges, detain or hold a child in custody for
a period of time greater than thirty days (excluding from the com-
putation for this restriction the twenty-four hour period prior to the
filing of a petition in Court and the order of the Court for continued
detention and custody).

(d) During the period that any child may be placed in the custody
of the Detention SOUTHERN MARYLAND CHILDREN'S Center
pursuant to the provisions of this section, the county (or Baltimore
City) where the child resided at the time of his admission to the
Detention SOUTHERN MARYLAND CHILDREN'S Center shall be
chargeable with the sum of one hundred and eighty dollars ($180. 00)
per annum for each child under care and study. It is the duty of the
State Department of Public Welfare, or its agent or agents, to fur-
nish the board of county commissioners or to the comptroller of
Baltimore City, a quarterly statement giving the number and names
of all such children from the particular political subdivision and the
total amount due therefor. The State Department of Public Welfare
shall also certify to the State Comptroller the amount due from each
of the several counties and from Baltimore City, and it shall be the