The Commission promotes equality for women and partners with local organizations to solve problems facing women.
Under the Human Resources Development Commission are three departments: the Area Agency on Aging, Children and Family Services, and Community Resources and Housing.
DEPARTMENT OF AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Grants of federal and State funds for local programs to serve the elderly are provided by the federal Older Americans Act (Title III), the federal Food and Agriculture Act (sec. 700), and State general funds. The Commission also receives local funds, private donations, and contributions from program participants.
MARYLAND ACCESS POINT (MAP) CENTER
SENIOR CENTERS
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES & HOUSING
HOUSING AUTHORITY
Working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Housing Authority provides affordable housing and resources to low-income residents.
The Authority is a five-member board.
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).
In 1996, the Local Management Board formed in Allegany County.
A system of local services for County children, youth, and families is coordinated by the Board (Code Human Services Article, secs. 8-301 through 8-305). In this fashion, local child-serving agencies, child providers, service clients, families, and community representatives are brought together by the Board to identify and address local needs, and prioritize and target resources.
To young people who may be moved from their home because of abuse, neglect, delinquency, or special needs, health, education, social and justice services are provided. In the community, the Board coordinates services so that children, placed in programs out-of-state, may be helped closer to home.
Fifteen members make up the Board.
Social service and public assistance programs in Allegany County are the responsibility of the Department of Social Services. These include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the food stamp program), and Temporary Cash Assistance, as well as services for adoption, foster care, and child protection. To implement programs and provide support services to children and families in their communities, the Department also works with local organizations to offer education and training, transitional housing, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation. The Director of the Department administers these programs subject to the supervision, direction, and control of the Social Services Administration, and the Family Investment Administration.
With the approval of the Secretary of Human Services and the advice of the Allegany County Social Services Board, the Board of County Commissioners appoints the Director (Code Human Services Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-303).
On a regular schedule, the Board reviews each guardianship that a public agency holds, and makes recommendations on whether to continue, modify, or end the guardianship.
The Board's eleven members are appointed to three-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners (Code Family Law Article, secs. 14-401 through 14-404).
CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD FOR CHILDREN
The Citizen Review Board for Children reviews cases of children in foster care to evaluate what progress has been made towards their permanent placement. Cases are reviewed in accordance with priorities established by the Allegany County Department of Social Services and the State Citizens Review Board for Children and contained in a memorandum of agreement. For each child reviewed, a recommendation is sent to the County Department of Social Services and the local juvenile court. With concurrence of the Social Services Administration, the State Board may establish categories of foster children for whom a satisfactory permanent arrangement has been made and who may be exempt from local review.
Each local review board has seven members. They are appointed by the Governor to four-year terms (Code Family Law Article, secs. 5-540 through 5-547)
SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD
Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Board's nine-members serve three-year terms (Code Human Services Article, secs. 3-501 through 3-503).
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The Department of Area Agency on Aging is the local area agency designated by Allegany County to administer State and federal funds for local senior citizen programs. These programs cover advocacy services, health education, housing, information and referral, in-home services, and nutrition (Code Human Services Article, secs. 10-201 through 10-214).
LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMEN
Ombudsman staff and volunteers advocate for the rights of nursing-home residents and seniors in assisted-living facilities and continuing-care centers.
The Maryland Access Point (MAP) Center provides seniors with information on assisted-living facilities, in-home care, and long-term care, Medicare, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities.
Under the Department of Area Agency on Aging are four senior centers that provide meals and nutritional education, group senior-assisted housing, and guardianship and ombudsman programs. They are found at Cumberland, Frostburg, Lonaconing (George's Creek Senior Center), and Westernport.
Head Start and Early Head Start programs are overseen by the Department of Children and Family Services. These programs provide early education to children from birth to age five, medical referrals for pregnant women, and job training programs.
Under the Department of Community Resources and Housing are the Office of Housing Opportunities (for the homeless); a Foreclosure Intervention Counselor; and the local office of the Maryland Energy Assistance Program. The Department also is responsible for the Affordable Housing Program, the Weatherization Assistance Program, the Financial Literacy Program, the Tax Preparation Assistance, the Rehab and Housing Program, and the Section 8 Voucher Rental Assistance Program.
In 2006, the Housing Authority of Allegany County was authorized by the General Assembly (Chapter 63, Acts of 2006). In order to save costs and share resources, the County Housing Authority was absorbed by the Housing Authority of the City of Cumberland on April 1, 2019.
LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARD
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.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
When the Department of Social Services started as the Department of Public Welfare in 1939, the Welfare Board was the local administrative agency for public assistance (Chapter 99, Acts of 1939). The Department of Public Welfare assumed welfare responsibilities from the Welfare Board in 1967, and was renamed the Department of Social Services in 1968 (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967; Chapter 702, Acts of 1968).
ADULT PUBLIC GUARDIANSHIP REVIEW BOARD
The Adult Public Guardianship Review Board originated as the Disabled Persons Review Board in 1977 (Chapter 768, Acts of 1977), and reformed under its present name in 1988 (Chapter 295, Acts of 1988).
In 1978, the Citizen Review Board for Children originated as the Foster Care Review Board (Chapter 980, Acts of 1978). The Board reformed under its present name in 1999 (Chapter 355, Acts of 1999).
Until the Great Depression, public assistance and welfare functions of the Social Services Board were administered by the Board of County Commissioners. Under the Board of State Aid and Charities, the Welfare Board assumed those duties in 1933 and became the local agency to direct public relief (Chapter 222, Acts of 1933). The Board also began to certify eligible persons for employment in the federal Works Progress Administration, the Public Works Administration, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (Chapter 586, Acts of 1935). When the State Department of Public Welfare replaced the Board of State Aid and Charities in 1939, the Welfare Board was overseen by the State Department (Chapter 99, Acts of 1939). The Board reformed in 1967 with many of its administrative duties transferred to the County Department of Public Welfare (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967). In 1968, the Board was renamed as the Social Services Board under the Allegany County Department of Social Services (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967; Chapter 702, Acts of 1968).
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