Maryland Administrative Code

.06 State-Funded Monthly Adoption Assistance. A. State-funded adoption assistance is medical benefits, and in appropriate cases a monthly payment, to adoptive families on behalf of eligible adoptive children with special needs that is intended to help defray the cost of raising s…

.07 Post Adoption Assistance. A. Post adoption assistance payment is a State Medicaid benefits and/or a State-funded monthly payment to adoptive families on behalf of adoptive children who have a condition that would have made them eligible for adoption assistance had the conditi…

.08 Adoption Assistance for Nonrecurring Expenses of Adoption. A. In a domestic adoption, an adoptive parent of a child who meets the special needs criteria as delineated in Regulation .05(D)(4) or .05(E)(3) of this chapter may be eligible for reimbursement for certain nonrecurri…

.09 Right to Appeal. A. Each applicant for adoption assistance or family who is receiving adoption assistance has the right to appeal the denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of adoption assistance. B. The local department shall: (1) Notify the applicant or family of the…

.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to: A. Allow adult adoptees and eligible birth family members to: (1) Exchange identifying information between all eligible consenting persons who register and are matched through the Maryland Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry;…

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Administration” means the Social Services Administration. (2) “Adult adoptee” means an adult adopted individual: (a) Whose adoption decree was issued by a Maryland court; …

.03 Maryland Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry. A. Registry Registration Requirements. (1) Registration shall be accepted from: (a) An adoptee, 21 years old or older; and (b) An adoptee's birth mother, birth father, and birth siblings who are 21 years old or older. (2) C…

.04 Search, Contact, and Reunion Services Program. A. Program Registration Requirements. (1) Program registration is open to: (a) An adoptee, 21 years old or older, who does not live with a birth sibling younger than 21 years old; (b) The birth parents of an adult adoptee whose p…

.05 Referrals of Registrants to the Confidential Intermediary. A. The Director shall refer the registrant for the Search, Contact, and Reunion Services Program to the child placement agency that handled the adoption if the agency is known and is a confidential intermediary. B. If…

.06 Service Agreement. A. A registrant who applies for search, contact, and reunion services shall execute a service agreement with a confidential intermediary concerning the provision of search, contact, and reunion services and the fee to be paid for those services. B. The serv…

.07 Authorization to Obtain Information. A. The Director may authorize a confidential intermediary to obtain the following documents: (1) The original birth certificate of the adoptee; (2) The new birth certificate of the adoptee and any records that relate to it; (3) The final a…

.08 Reporting the Results of a Search. A. The confidential intermediary shall submit to the Director a report of the findings within 90 days of the execution of a service agreement. B. Results. (1) If an individual contacted by the confidential intermediary consents to the disclo…

.09 Disclosure Vetoes. A. The following individuals may file a disclosure veto prohibiting the disclosure of any information concerning the individual contained in agency, birth, or court records: (1) A biological parent of an adoptee; (2) An adopted individual 21 years old or ol…

.01 Purpose. The purpose of the In-Home Aide Services Program (IHAS) is to complement other social services programs by providing specific services to individuals of all ages in the community in order to: A. Prevent or reduce the length of institutional placement; B. Prevent or r…

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Abuse” means the sustaining of any physical injury of an IHAS client receiving service as a result of: (a) Cruel or inhumane treatment; or (b) A malicious act by a person.…

.03 Eligibility. A. An individual is eligible for IHAS if the individual: (1) Is receiving case management in a social service program from the local department, or from a social service agency through an arrangement with the administration, and requires the service as a part of …

.04 Application Process. A. Application. (1) Local departments shall accept and process requests for In-Home Aide Service by, or on behalf of, any individual or family. (2) The local department shall assign requests for IHAS that do not come from a case manager in the local depar…

.05 Local Department Response to Application for IHAS. A. The IHAS supervisor shall review the request for completeness, and inform the case manager of additional information required to determine the applicant's need for IHAS. If the request is complete, and the IHAS supervisor …

.06 Delivery of Service. A. If funds or staff are available, the local department may provide the services by: (1) Assigning a local department staff member; (2) Purchasing the services from a private for-profit or nonprofit agency that has contracted with the Administration to p…

.07 Limitation on Service. A. The local department may provide aide services up to the maximum of 20 hours per week for each eligible individual except for individuals identified in Regulation .06D(2) and (3) of this chapter. B. For a client requiring intensive service as identif…

.08 Redetermination and Termination. A. The local department shall redetermine the client's income and whether the client is required to pay a fee at least every 6 months. B. The local department shall reconsider the client's need for In-Home Aide Services, including any required…

.09 Appeal Rights and Nondiscrimination. A. The local department shall give written notification of the right to and the procedures for requesting and obtaining a fair hearing, to each applicant or client of IHAS at the time of application, and if the local department notifies th…

.10 Ranking Applicants and Clients. A. Local departments shall use the ranking scale shown in §F of this regulation, for applicants who are eligible for aide services. B. Local departments shall keep a waiting list if they are unable to serve eligible applicants immediately upon …

.01 Purpose. A. The purpose of the Social Services to Adults (SSTA) Program is to engage clients and their formal and informal resources while in the process of decreasing risk to the client and achieving successful client goals through identification, linkage and enhancement of …

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Abuse” means the sustaining of any physical injury by a vulnerable adult as a result of cruel or inhumane treatment or as a result of a malicious act by any person. (2) “A…

.03 Eligibility. A. An adult is eligible for SSTA if the adult: (1) Is a resident of Maryland. Temporary absence from the State may not interrupt continuity of residence. (2) Is in need of the services. Need is: (a) Established if the local department determines that the program’…

.04 Application Process. A. The adult or the adult's representative shall make a referral for service to the local department in writing, by telephone, or in person. B. The local department based upon availability if staff, shall send a representative to take the application and …

.05 Local Department Response. A. The local department shall collect the application and determine client’s eligibility and the type of service for which the applicant is appropriate. B. After determining eligibility and program appropriateness, the local department shall notify …

.06 Delivery of Service. A. Information and Referral. (1) When only information and referral is needed, the local department, no later than 5 working days following the request for service, shall: (a) Clarify the type of information or referral which is requested, if needed; and …

.07 Coordination With Other Services. A. Adult Protective Services. (1) While providing the service of this program, the SSTA case manager shall be alert for indicators of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect and, therefore, requires Adult Protective Services. (2) If the…

.08 Redetermination and Reassessment. A. The local department shall make a redetermination of eligibility: (1) When required on the basis of information the agency has obtained about change or anticipated changes in the adult's situation; (2) Promptly, not to exceed 30 days, afte…

.09 Termination. A. The local department shall terminate the provision of SSTA when: (1) The adult is no longer eligible; (2) An eligible adult moves to the jurisdiction of another local department and a referral for service to that department is made; (3) The adult is in need of…

.10 Waiting Lists and Ranking. A. Client Waitlist without an Assessment. The local department shall establish and enforce a procedure for governing a written waiting list for customers requesting services, if due to a lack of staff the local department is unable to assess the cli…

.11 Appeals and Complaints of Discrimination. A. Appeal of the Local Department Decision. The local department shall give written notification of the right to and the procedures for, requesting and obtaining a fair hearing to each applicant or recipient of public assistance at th…

.01 Purpose. Adult Protective Services is a social services program to assist vulnerable adults who are unable to provide for their basic living needs or access necessary professional services, or protect their own interests and are subject to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or sel…

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Abuse” means the sustaining of any physical injury by a vulnerable adult as a result of cruel or inhumane treatment or as a result of a malicious act by a person. (2) “Adu…

.03 Eligibility Requirements. A. A vulnerable adult is eligible for an investigation of reports by himself or others when abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation is occurring, except in instances of abuse of a patient occurring in a: (1) Mental health facility under Health-…

.04 Report of Vulnerable Adults. A. A health practitioner, police officer, or human service worker who contacts, examines, attends or treats an alleged vulnerable adult and who has reason to believe that the adult has been subject to abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation …

.05 Response to Report of a Vulnerable Adult. A. To protect the welfare of the alleged vulnerable adult the local department shall begin a thorough investigation: (1) Within 5 working days after the receipt of the report of suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation;…

.06 Protective Service Investigation. A. The investigation shall include: (1) A face-to-face interview with the vulnerable adult; and (2) Information gathered from the adult and collateral contacts. B. The investigation shall be directed to: (1) A determination of whether the ind…

.07 Coordination with Law Enforcement Officials. A. The local department shall: (1) Report to the appropriate local law enforcement agency any incident of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an alleged vulnerable adult when the possibility of a crime being committed against the al…

.08 Coordination With Other Agencies. As appropriate, a local or State Office on Aging or local geriatric evaluation service may assist in the investigation.

.09 Service Plan. A. The local department shall develop, record, and initiate an appropriate plan for service for each client. B. The service plan shall include the following: (1) An assessment of the situation which describes the: (a) Client's level of risk which means the natur…

.10 Provision of Services. A. Services provided by the local department include: (1) Counseling; (2) Coordinating and facilitating the client's use of community resources including health services. B. The following services are available through the local department of social ser…

.11 Guardianship Procedures. A. The local department shall file a petition for guardianship in the appropriate court when: (1) A vulnerable adult who is a client of the Adult Protective Services program is in need of services but lacks sufficient understanding to make and communi…

.12 Emergency Procedures. A. Petition. (1) When a local department of social services determines that the conditions set forth in Regulation .11A exist except for statements by two authorized licensed health professionals and, in addition, determines that an emergency exists, the…

.13 Redetermination and Termination. A. The local department of social services shall: (1) Review the service plan and the effectiveness of the service given; (2) Decide whether to continue the service at least every 6 months; and (3) Decide whether to extend voluntary service be…

.14 Appeal from Local Department Decision. A. Appeals for a fair hearing and the conduct of the hearing are according to the fair hearing regulations in COMAR 07.01.04. B. The local department shall give written and oral notification of the right to and methods of requesting and …

.15 Adult Public Guardianship Review Board. A. There are one or more boards serving each subdivision for the purpose of reviewing at least semi-annually the guardianship cases which are held by any public agency. The boards are advisory to the court and make recommendations to th…

.16 Discrimination. A. An individual in the United States may not be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance on the grounds of race, color, sex, national orig…