Ch. 250                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

provision takes effect, Section 2 of this Act shall be abrogated and of no further force
and effect. This Act may not be interpreted to have any effect on that termination
provision.

SECTION 2. 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, subject to the
provisions of Section 4 of this Act, this Act shall take effect October July 1, 2003.

Approved May 13, 2003.

CHAPTER 250
(Senate Bill 458)

AN ACT concerning

Children with Disabilities - Individual Treatment Plans and Voluntary

Placements

FOR the purpose of requiring the juvenile court, in a child in need of assistance
disposition hearing, to take certain actions if the court finds that a child is in
need of assistance solely because of a developmental disability or mental
disorder under certain circumstances; prohibiting the juvenile court from
changing a child's custody statue under certain circumstances; authorizing a
juvenile court to order a local department or the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene to take certain actions under certain circumstances; granting
exclusive, original jurisdiction to the juvenile court over a certain disposition
hearing for a child under a certain age; establishing venue for filing a petition
for a certain disposition hearing; establishing that in Prince George's County a
master for juvenile causes may conduct a certain disposition hearing;
authorizing the juvenile court to exclude the public from a certain disposition
hearing; specifying the contents of a certain petition; establishing a certain time
frame for conducting a certain disposition hearing; requiring the juvenile court
to make certain determinations in a certain disposition hearing; requiring the
juvenile court to take certain actions in making a certain disposition judicial
determination; requiring the juvenile court to conduct a certain permanency
plan hearing; requiring the Social Services Administration to establish an
out-of-home placement program for children in certain voluntary placements;
requiring a local department of social services to obtain the approval of the
Social Services Administration before offering a certain out-of-home placement;
prohibiting a local department from seeking legal custody of a child with certain
disabilities under certain circumstances; authorizing a child with certain
disabilities to remain in an out-of-home placement for more than a specified
period of time under certain circumstances; requiring a local department of
social services to provide certain services to a child placed in accordance with a
voluntary placement agreement; prohibiting a child from being committed to the
custody or guardianship of a local department solely for certain reasons;
defining certain terms; altering certain definitions; making clarifying changes;
and generally relating to children with disabilities.

- 2090 -