2138                            JOINT RESOLUTIONS

recommend THE MOST EFFICIENT FORM OF DEPARTMENTAL
ORGANIZATION AND a comprehensive program for the Depart-
ment for use of available job skills at suggested salary scales; and to
make the results of the study available to the General Assembly at
the beginning of the 1964 legislative session; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Governor
of Maryland.

Approved May 6, 1963.

No. 25
(House Joint Resolution 6)

House Joint Resolution requesting the State Department of Public
Welfare, Health, Mental Hygiene, the State Board of Education
and private family and children's agencies to take certain action
designed to strengthen family life in Maryland and to provide
moral and religious guidance to citizens of the State.

Whereas, In the report of the Governor's Commission to Study
Problems of Illegitimacy, the Commission made several recommenda-
tions of a general nature as a part of its study of illegitimacy, which
recommendations were designed to provide the various departments
of State government and private agencies with data and informa-
tion to enable them to provide services to strengthen family life and
to provide guidance to our citizens; and

Whereas, The Commission noted that there is a trend to elimi-
nate religious identity of a person from public records, that there
is a need for such information, and that a public servant attempting
to help a citizen in distress needs this information, pointing out
that the need is especially urgent in the case of an illegitimate preg-
nancy. The Commission urges strongly that the State Departments
of Public Welfare, Health, and Mental Hygiene place the religious
affiliation of the person in every personal data form in order to
provide a resource in helping to rehabilitate the person; and

Whereas, The Commission further noted that the regular col-
lection of social and personal data, such as birth status, age, race,
sex, religion, education, occupation, and nature of problem involved
when summarized and made available to authorized organizations
and individuals will permit systematic evaluation of the effective-
ness of programs designed to combat illegitimacy among recipients
of public welfare monies. The Commission urges that the State
Departments of Health and Public Welfare regularly collect, sum-
marize and distribute such information to authorized organizations
and individuals so that community services and needs can be properly
evaluated; and

Whereas, The Commission reported that a good family casework
agency, available to help parents with their own problems, can be a
forceful factor in the prevention of illegitimacy. Such services are
available now only in the urbanized counties of the State. The Com-