Maryland Administrative Code

.05 Emergency and Transitional Housing and Services Program. A. Program Purpose. The Emergency and Transitional Housing and Services Program provides funds for shelter and support services, start-up monies for new shelters and transitional housing programs, and limited rent and m…

.06 Housing Counselor and Aftercare Program. A. Program Purpose. The Housing Counselor and Aftercare Program assists families and individuals who are experiencing, or who are in imminent danger of, a housing crisis in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. B. Eligibility fo…

.07 Homelessness Prevention Program. A. Program Purpose. The Homelessness Prevention Program: (1) Assists family units in a housing crisis; and (2) Provides services that may include but are not limited to: (a) Case management; (b) Counseling to identify households at risk of bec…

.08 Appeal and Grievance Rights and Nondiscrimination. A. Appeal from LAA decision. (1) If the LAA is the direct service provider, the LAA shall give written notification of the right to and the procedures for requesting and obtaining an administrative hearing to each applicant o…

.09 Reports and Forms. A. The Department shall provide to the LAA the forms necessary to carry out the program. The LAA shall provide the forms to all agencies designated to provide program services. B. The LAA shall make reports required by the Department. C. The service provide…

.01 Purpose. The purpose of the Maryland Emergency Food Program is to: A. Provide funding to assist emergency food providers in purchasing food for needy individuals in Maryland; B. Encourage needy individuals to become self-sufficient; and C. Distribute information on Maryland's…

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Administering agency” means an agency or local government approved by the Department to administer the Program in a jurisdiction. (2) “Department” means the Department of …

.03 Formula for Allocation of Funds. A. The Department shall adopt a formula and qualifications for allocating Program funds to jurisdictions based on funding availability and jurisdiction-wide statistics for the: (1) Number of individuals and families living in poverty; (2) Unem…

.04 Procedure for Selection of Administering Agency. The Department shall: A. Manage the Program and select and approve an administering agency for each jurisdiction; B. Prepare the application and distribute it to potential participating agencies through the following resources:…

.05 Fiscal Recording. The administering agency shall: A. Maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence of all expenditures and income; B. Maintain records according to generally acceptable accounting standards; and C. Present, upon receipt of notice by a State auditor or…

.06 Grant Application Procedure. A. An agency or local government wishing to become an administering agency shall apply to the Department by submitting an application and include in the application the procedures that the administering agency will use locally to: (1) Notify emerg…

.07 Grant Management Procedure. A. The administering agency shall: (1) Assume responsibility for providing emergency food providers with information on the Program, including Program guidelines and fund availability; (2) Accept and process requests for funding assistance from the…

.08 Forms and Reports. A. Forms. (1) The Department shall provide to the administering agencies the forms necessary to carry out the Program. (2) The administering agencies shall provide Program service forms to the emergency food providers. B. Reports. (1) An emergency food prov…

.09 Monitoring. A. Emergency food providers shall be subject to site visits by the administering agency to ensure that grant awards are used to purchase food for needy individuals and families in accordance with Program requirements as follows: (1) Emergency food providers with g…

.01 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Department” means the Department of Human Services. (2) “Displaced homemaker” means an individual who: (a) Is at least 35 years old; (b) Has performed as a homemaker for t…

.02 Application. A. An applicant requesting services shall complete a written application in person at a displaced homemaker program's center. B. The program shall inform applicants about eligibility requirements, services, and the applicants' rights and obligations under the pro…

.03 Eligibility. A. An individual who meets the definition of a displaced homemaker in Regulation .01 of this chapter is eligible for services from a displaced homemaker program. B. When permitted by available resources, a program may offer those individuals who do not meet the d…

.04 Services Offered. A. A program shall offer services to eligible displaced homemakers based on individual need established in a service plan developed by the displaced homemaker with the program staff, and authorized by the displaced homemaker program director, except that ser…

.05 Fees. A program shall charge each participant an initial fee for services according to the fee scale in Schedule A in Regulation .09 of this chapter. The income limits are set at levels that take into account the fixed expenses necessary to maintain a home. Maximum charges ar…

.06 Training Allowances. A program may provide training allowances per Schedule B—Training Allowances in Regulation .09 of this chapter to approved participants whose income levels are such that they would have difficulty maintaining a home and providing the expenses necessary fo…

.07 Grievance Procedure. A. A displaced homemaker program shall make available to any applicant or recipient of service aggrieved by a decision, action, or inaction of the program, a procedure by which the grievance may be heard. B. The program shall include the following in the …

.08 Income. A. In determining eligibility for training allowances and in determining whether fees for workshops are to be assessed, a program shall treat any earned or unearned cash income as gross income. B. Services or goods received in-kind are not counted as income. C. Cash i…

.09 Schedules. A. Workshop Fee Scale. Schedule A—Workshop Fee Scale Gross Monthly Income Fee Per Family Size 1 2 3 and over $0—$850 $850—$1,050 $2 $0 $0 $1,050—$1,250 $3 $2 $0 $1,250 and over $4, $3 $2 B. Training Allowance. Schedule B—Training Allowance GROSS INCOME ALLOWANCE PE…

.01 Purpose and Goals. A. The purpose of In-Home Family Services is to: (1) Promote the safety and well-being of children and their families; (2) Preserve family unity where children's safety can be supported; (3) Maintain permanency for children; and (4) Empower families to achi…

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Abuse” has the meaning stated in Family Law Article, §5-701, Annotated Code of Maryland, and COMAR 07.02.11.03B. (2) “Acceptance date” means the day the local department d…

.03 Scope of Services. In order to achieve family unity within a safe environment for all family members, each In-Home Family Services program can provide, coordinate, or refer families to services including but not limited to: A. Family, couple, and individual counseling or ther…

.04 Services to Families with Children — Central Intake (SFC-I) or Family Support Services (FSS). A. Description. (1) Services to Families with Children—Central Intake or Family Support Services is a voluntary assessment and service provision program for families requesting assis…

.05 Service to Families—Continuing (SF-C). A. Description. (1) Services to Families—Continuing is a voluntary, means based, service program for families who have had an initial assessment and it has been determined that additional assistance is needed to prevent further breakdown…

.06 Intensive Family Services (IFS). A. Description. IFS is a short-term, highly intensive, non-entitlement in-home service for families whose children: (1) Are at imminent or high risk of out-of-home placement; or (2) Have been emergently placed outside of the home within 7 days…

.07 Families Now. A. Families Now is a voluntary non-entitlement program to families whose children are at risk of removal from their primary home, or have recently been removed from the home and the plan is rapid reunification. Families Now Levels I, II, III, and IV are develope…

.08 Continuing Protective Services. A. Continuing Protective Services is a non-entitlement specialized, time limited, goal-oriented service designed to develop positive, nurturing parent-child relationships for families when children remain at home, when there has been a determin…

.09 Consolidated Family Services. A. Consolidated Family Services is the blending of Families Now, Intensive Family Services, and Continuing Protective Services to achieve a seamless continuum of services in an effort to better service families whose children are at risk of out-o…

.10 Flex Funds. A. To access flex funds on behalf of a family, the worker shall: (1) Determine that the goods or services to be purchased cannot be obtained without cost to the local department; and (2) Document in the case record how the: (a) Goods or services to be purchased su…

.11 Appeal Procedures. A. Decisions of the local department with respect to In-Home Family Services Programs may be appealed as specified in the fair hearing provisions of COMAR 07.02.02. B. The local department shall give written and oral notification of the right to and the met…

.01 Purpose. This chapter defines the eligibility criteria for all social services provided by the Department of Human Services through the Social Services Administration or by other public and private agencies who provide social services through purchase of service agreements wi…

.02 Definitions. A. “Administration” means the Social Services Administration of the Department of Human Services. B. “TCA” means temporary cash assistance to eligible children and caretaker relative under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 199…

.03 General Eligibility Requirements With Income Limitations. The following individuals or families are eligible for services appropriate to them: A. Recipients of TCA; B. Recipients of SSI or TEMHA (Temporary Emergency Housing and Medical Assistance) or Public Assistance to Adul…

.04 Application for Service. A. Each individual wishing to do so shall be assured the opportunity to apply for services without delay. The application may be filed by the applicant himself or his authorized representative, or, where the applicant is incompetent or incapacitated, …

.05 Determination of Eligibility. A. Individual Basis. (1) A determination of eligibility shall be made on each application within 30 days of the date on which it was signed. (2) For each individual determined to be eligible, Departmental records shall include sufficient informat…

.06 Redetermination of Eligibility. Redetermination of eligibility shall be made by the local department or service vendor: A. When required on the basis of information the agency has obtained about anticipated changes in the individual's situation. B. Promptly, not to exceed 30 …

.07 Appeals. A. Appeals for an administrative hearing and the conduct of the hearing are according to the administrative hearing regulations in COMAR 07.01.04.

.08 Schedule. SCHEDULE AIncome by Family Size(For the period July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015) Family Size/Percent Median Income 40% 50% 60% 80% 115% 1 person - (52%) $55,355 $22,142 $27,678 33,213 $44,284 $63,658 2 persons - (68%) 72,387 28,955 36,194 43,432 57,910 83,245 3 persons - …

.01 Purpose and Scope. A. The purpose of Child Protective Services is to stop and prevent child abuse and neglect through the: (1) Investigation of child abuse and neglect; (2) Comprehensive assessment of safety, risk and service needs; and (3) Provision of services or service re…

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Accidental means” means an action in which injury is unintended and could not be reasonably expected. (2) “Administration” means the Social Services Administration of the …

.03 Eligibility for a CPS Response. A. Without regard to economic circumstances, the following individuals are eligible for a CPS response: (1) An alleged victim; (2) An alleged maltreator; and (3) Household and family members of the alleged victim. B. Alternative Response. Repor…

.04 Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect. A. Individuals who are not mandated reporters and have reason to believe that a child has been abused or neglected shall immediately notify a local law enforcement agency or a local department by any available means. B. A mandated reporter sh…

.05 Receiving Reports of Child Abuse or Neglect. A. A local department shall accept reports of suspected child abuse or neglect from any source including local department staff. B. A local department shall establish a process for ensuring that a report of suspected child abuse or…

.06 Initial Response to a Report of Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect. A. The local department shall attempt to obtain from a reporting source the information set forth in Regulation .04F of this chapter. B. The local department shall enter identifying information into the central…

.07 Investigation of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect — General. A. During an investigation, the local department shall: (1) Assess the immediate safety and risk of maltreatment of the alleged victim and of the children who are household or family members of the alleged victim o…

.08 On-Site Investigation. A. Physical and Sexual Abuse. Within 24 hours of receiving a report of suspected child abuse, the local department or, by joint agreement with the appropriate law enforcement agency, a law enforcement officer, shall: (1) Initiate an on-site investigatio…