BUREAU OF AGING & DISABILITIES
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 Department also receives local funds, private donations, and contributions from program participants.
The Bureau is responsible for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman; the Maryland Access Point (MAP) Center; Senior and Community Centers; and is aided by the Commission on Aging.
MARYLAND ACCESS POINT (MAP) CENTER
SENIOR & COMMUNITY CENTERS
BUREAU OF HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Programs under the Bureau include: Domestic Violence Counseling, Family Unification, First-Time Home Buyers, Housing Choice Voucher, and Thrive: Family Self-Sufficiency.
LOCAL MANAGEMENT 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 Carroll County, the Local Management Board coordinates a system of local services for children, youth, and families (Code Human Services Article, secs. 8-301 through 8-305). Health, education, social and justice services are provided to young people who may be moved from their home because of abuse, neglect, delinquency, or special needs. In the community, the Board coordinates services so that children, placed in programs out-of-state, may be helped closer to home.
Social service and public assistance programs in Carroll 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 Resources and the advice of the Carroll County Social Services Board, the Board of County Commissioners appoints the Director (Code Human Services Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-303).
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 Carroll 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 Social Services Board consists of at least nine-members. They serve three-year terms (Code Human Services Article, secs. 3-501 through 3-503).
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Under the Department of Citizen Services, the Bureau of Aging and Disabilities began in 1972 as the Bureau of Aging, and reformed in March 2011 under its present name. The Bureau is the local area agency designated by Carroll 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.
To seniors and adults with disabilities, the Maryland Access Point (MAP) Center provides information on assisted-living facilities, in-home care, long-term care, Medicare, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities.
Under the Bureau of Aging and Disabilities are five Senior and Community Centers. They are located at Hampstead (North Carroll Senior & Community Center); Mount Airy; Sykesville (South Carroll Senior & Community Center); Taneytown; and Westminster.
The Bureau of Housing and Community Development supports affordable housing, economic opportunity, and housing free from discrimination.
HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM
The Housing Choice Voucher Program provides support to low-income residents and enables them to select affordable housing.
Since 1990, each Maryland county 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).
CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD FOR CHILDREN
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 Carroll County Department of Social Services (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967; Chapter 702, Acts of 1968).
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