GOVERNOR

GOVERNOR'S COORDINATING OFFICES

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, 45 Calvert St., Annapolis, Maryland] In 1978, the Governor's Office for Children began as the Office for Children and Youth (Chapter 426, Acts of 1978). It reorganized as the Office for Children, Youth, and Families in 1990 (Chapter 419, Acts of 1990). From January 1997 to July 2003, the Office functioned under the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. In June 2005, it was restructured as the Governor's Office for Children (Executive Order 01.01.2005.34). In April 2015, the Governor assigned four initiatives to the Office: reduce the impact of parental incarceration on children, families, and communities; improve outcomes for disconnected youth; reduce childhood hunger; and reduce youth homelessness.

45 Calvert St., Annapolis, Maryland, October 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

On January 17, 2020, the Governor reformed the Office of Crime Control and Prevention to include functions of the Governor's Office for Children, and renamed the Office of Crime Control and Prevention as the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services (Executive Order 01.01.2020.01). In March 2020, those changes were authorized by statute by the General Assembly (Chapter 11, Acts of 2020; Code Human Services Article, sec. 8-402). On January 17, 2024, the Governor rescinded Executive Order 01.01.2020.01, and removed the Division of Children and Youth from the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to re-establish the Governor's Office for Children (Executive Order 01.01.2024.05). Effective July 1, 2024, the General Assembly authorized the Governor's Office for Children by statute (Chapter 408, Acts of 2024; Chapter 735, Acts of 2024).

Within State government and across public and private sectors at the federal, State and local levels, the Governor’s Office for Children serves as a central coordinating office to support the wellbeing of children and families, and reduce the number of children living in poverty. For children and their families, the Office leads statewide efforts to build a comprehensive and efficient network of supports, programs, and services to promote social and emotional well-being, reduce food insecurity, and combat youth homelessness. The Office also works to expand access to health services, improve education and job readiness, and expand access to good jobs. Within jurisdictions that historically have experienced underinvestment, the Office seeks to increase economic opportunity in sustainable ways.

With multi-sector partners, the Office works to implement place-based strategies to provide “cradle to career” access to quality education, care, and jobs; family-sustaining income; and affordable quality housing. Moreover, with these partners, the Office seeks ways to improve community health and safety; and secure child care and health care, including reproductive, maternal, behavioral and mental health care.

FINANCE & OPERATIONS

Under its present name, Finance and Operations was initiated in January 2000 under the Office of Lt. Governor. It reorganized in 2003 as Operations, then part of the Office for Children, Youth, and Families, and became responsible for Budget Administration, Human Resources, Procurement, and Subcabinet Fund Administration. When Operations disbanded in June 2005, the Fiscal Office was created within the Governor's Office for Children to assume its financial responsibilities. In June 2006, the Office reverted to its original name.

Finance and Operations is responsible for Children's Cabinet Interagency Fund Administration, and Fiscal and Human Resources.

CHILDREN'S CABINET INTERAGENCY FUND ADMINISTRATION
The Governor’s Office for Children oversees the administration of the Children's Cabinet Interagency Fund. The Fund supports the work of local management boards in Maryland counties (Code Human Services Article, secs. 8-501 through 8-507).

POLICY

Policy formed in January 2000 as Policy and Planning, a part of the Office for Children, Youth, and Families under the Office of Lt. Governor. It became Policies, Initiatives, and Councils in 2003 under the Office of Children, Youth, and Families, and reorganized as Interagency Policy Development in October 2004 within the Governor's Office for Children. In June 2006, it reformed as Programs and Policy to oversee Local Management Boards Monitoring; Local Management Boards Technical Assistance; Prevention Strategies; and Research and Evaluation. In August 2007, Community Resource Development was added. In July 2009, the office was renamed Interagency Initiatives, and in June 2015 adopted its present name.

Policy is responsible for four main units: Child and Family Well-Being, Reducing Child Poverty, Place-Based Strategies, and Local Management Boards.

LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARDS
Since 1990, each county in Maryland has been required to establish a local management board to plan, implement, and monitor child and family services. Each board determines what services are needed within the parameters of the goals of the Children's Cabinet.

Each local management board enters into a community partnership agreement with the Governor's Office for Children, which assists with training and technical assistance so that each local board may develop resources, implement programs, and become fiscally accountable.

Reflecting the interagency nature of services for children and families, each board's membership must include representatives from the local health department, core service (mental health) agency, and department of social services; the local office of the Department of Juvenile Services; and the county public school system. Other members representing public and private community organizations also may serve on a board (Chapter 3, Acts of 2007; Chapter 604, Acts of 2011; Chapter 469, Acts of 2015; Chapter 456, Acts of 2017; Code Human Services Article, secs. 8-301 through 8-305).

The Office staffs the State Coordinating Council for Children.

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