236                                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                                      Ch. 38

(i) The Department shows a public health need
for individual identity;

(ii) The hospital obtains written consent of
the parent or guardian of the child; and

(iii) The Department assures that the identity
of the child will not be released without the written consent of
the parent or guardian.

(2) If the Department shows a need for the individual
identity of children without sentinel birth defects to conduct a
case-control investigation, paragraph (l)(ii) and (iii) of this
subsection applies.

(d) (1) The Department shall assure that information is
prepared and periodically updated on:

(i) Sentinel birth defects; and

(ii) Public and private services for the
disabled with sentinel birth defects.

(2) (i) The Secretary shall appoint a committee to
determine the information required under paragraph (1) of this
subsection.

(ii) The committee shall consist of:

1.  Physicians;

2.  Educators;

3.  Social service specialists;

4.  Representatives of the Department;

5.  Representatives of the Department of

Human Resources:

Education; and

6.  Representatives of the Department of

7.  Parents of children with sentinel

birth defects.

(3) The information provided under this subsection
shall be distributed to each hospital and made available to
parents or guardians of children with sentinel birth defects by
the infant's physician.

(e) The Department shall develop procedures to monitor the
data on sentinel birth defect trends which may be caused by
environmental hazards.