On Tuesday, May 11, 2004 Governor Ehrlich signed SB 188 authorizing the creation of the Maryland State Department of Disabilities (MDOD). The mission of the new MDOD is to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve their personal and professional goals in communities where they live.

The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) assumes its place as the eighteenth cabinet-level department within the Executive Branch of the Ehrlich Administration. People with disabilities in Maryland represent a significant and growing portion of the population. The 2000 U.S. census reports that 17% of Marylanders between the ages of 20 and 65, and 39% of Maryland citizens over 65, have a disability. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) acknowledges that 13% to 15% of children in school have an IEP or 504 plan to accommodate a disability.

Maryland, through 58 different agencies, currently spends in excess of $2.6 billion on services to people with disabilities. This conservative figure represents almost 12 % of Maryland's total State budget. While programs exist across all levels of government, there has never been a consolidated process to plan for future needs, nor a method for various departments to collaborate strategically to accomplish common goals. Often times, the lack of a consolidated process results in a system that is fragmented, duplicative, and falls short of meeting the needs of the end-user.

In response to the pressing need for reform within the disability service delivery system, Governor Ehrlich has outlined a bold initiative to improve, consolidate, and unify disability services. To carry out this agenda, Governor Ehrlich successfully proposed legislation in the 2004 session creating the Department of Disabilities. The department is empowered to implement reform aimed at eliminating barriers that impede the independence, integration, and productivity of people with disabilities.