Ch. 593                                    1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(I) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS CREATED IN ARTICLE 88A, § 53 OF
THE CODE;

(II)    SECOND CHANCE HOMES NOT SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS OF
SECTION 12 OF CHAPTER 351 OF THE ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1996; OR

(III)   DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS TO EMPIRICALLY EVALUATE A
STRATEGY OR SET OF STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF NONMARITAL BIRTHS
IN THE STATE;

(2)     45% of the savings that were generated for the 2-year period following
the effective date of this Act shall be allocated in accordance with the savings achieved by
each local department of social services AND, NOTWITHSTANDING § 7-302 OF THE
STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE, ANY OF THE SAVINGS THAT
REMAINS UNEXPENDED AFTER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR MAY BE CARRIED OVER
INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR; and

(3)     45% of the savings to child care, work activities, welfare avoidance, drug
treatment for targeted recipients, emergency funds for applicants and recipients,
administration to the extent that additional administrative costs are required to
effectively implement this program, or any other direct service to applicants or recipients
that the Secretary deems appropriate to further the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Secretary of Health
and Mental Hygiene shall apply for a waiver from the Health Care Financing
Administration of the federal department of Health and Human Services or take other
such steps that are necessary to receive federal reimbursement for the provision of
inpatient, intermediate, and halfway house substance abuse treatment services for adult
substance abusing recipients of Family Investment Program benefits.

SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED. That:

(a)     Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, at the request of any local
department of social services, the Secretary of Human Resources may grant a waiver for
a period of up to 2 years to a local department of social services from having to comply
with specified provisions of State law or regulations that are within the scope of authority
of the Secretary;

(b)     The Secretary of Human Resources may grant a waiver under subsection (a)
of this section if the Secretary determines during the Secretary's review of the waiver
request that the waiver:

(1) likely will promote more efficient, effective, and appropriate
management and delivery services and benefits under the Family Investment Program;

(2) will improve opportunities for Family Investment Program recipients in
gaining self-sufficiency:

(3) will provide additional flexibility to the local department in
administering the Family Investment Program: and

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