WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

Ch. 556

(1) PROVIDE ONGOING EXAMINATION OF THE STRUCTURE AND
ORGANIZATION OF MARYLAND'S SYSTEM OF SERVICES TO CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND
FAMILIES; AND

(2) FACILITATE A COMPREHENSIVE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND
INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR SERVICES TO CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND
FAMILIES.

11.

(a)      Within guidelines developed by the Special Secretary of the Office for Children,
Youth, and Families, each local jurisdiction shall establish or designate a local planning entity
to ensure the implementation of a local, interagency service delivery system for children, youth,
and families.

(b)     In establishing the local planning entity, a local jurisdiction may elect to:

(1)     Appoint a quasi-public entity not to be considered an instrumentality of the
local government;

(2)     Designate a public entity to be considered an instrumentality of the local
government; or

(3)     Establish a regional entity to represent multiple jurisdictions.

10.

(A) IT IS THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT STATE AND LOCAL
PUBLIC AGENCIES WITHIN MARYLAND SHALL EXCHANGE INFORMATION FOR THE
PURPOSE OF:

(1) EFFECTUATING THE POLICY FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILY
SERVICES IN THE STATE AS SET FORTH IN § 2 OF THIS ARTICLE;

(2) FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SEAMLESS SYSTEM OF
FAMILY FOCUSED SERVICES; AND

(3) ACHIEVING A COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED, INTERAGENCY
APPROACH TO PROVIDING A CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT IS FAMILY AND CHILD
ORIENTED.

[(a)](B) Notwithstanding any other provision of State law and where not
prohibited by federal law, UPON WRITTEN REQUEST OF A STATE OR LOCAL PUBLIC
AGENCY, a State OR LOCAL PUBLIC agency [may] SHALL disclose information and
records specified in subsection [(b)] (C) of this section on children, youth, and families
served by that agency to:

(1) Any other State OR LOCAL PUBLIC agency serving the same children,
youth, and families;

(2) Any other State OR LOCAL PUBLIC agency having children or youth in a
program, home, or residential facility funded or licensed by that agency; or

(3) The Office for Children, Youth, and Families.

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