PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor Ch. 385

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland
read as follows:

Article 49D - Office for Children, Youth, and Families

(a) The Office for Children, Youth, and Families is created as part of the
Executive Department.

(b) The head of the Office is the Special Secretary for Children, Youth, and
Families. The Special Secretary is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the
Governor and is directly responsible to him. The Special Secretary shall receive the salary
provided in the State budget.

(c) The Office shall have a Director and the assistants, fiscal analysts, consultants,
and employees provided in the State budget. The Special Secretary may establish areas of

responsibility within the Office and may designate staff as necessary to fulfill the duties
assigned to the Special Secretary.

(d) The following units are in the Office:

(1) Advisory Committee for Children, Youth, and Families;

(2) Children's councils;

(3) Governor's Council on Adolescent Pregnancy;

(4) State Coordinating Council for Residential Placement of Handicapped
Children; AND

(5) [Infants and Toddlers Interagency Coordinating Council; and

(6)] Other multiple agency initiatives for children, youth, and families that
are not reserved by law to another agency.

Article — Education

2 107. 8-416.

(a) The [ Office for Children, Youth, and Families] DEPARTMENT shall be the
lead agency for supervising and monitoring a statewide, community-based interagency
system of comprehensive early intervention services to eligible infants and toddlers, birth
through age 2, and their families.

(b) The interagency system shall include the early intervention services provided
or supervised by the State Departments of [Education,] Health and Mental Hygiene,
Human Resources, and Juvenile Justice, AND THE OFFICE FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH,
AND FAMILIES.

(c) The interagency system of early intervention services shall be administered in
accord with the applicable requirements of Federal Public Law 99-457 and other
applicable federal and State laws.

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