Md. Code, Human Services, Title 6

Md. Code, Human Services, Title 6
in effect

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-101

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) “Department” means the Department of Human Services. (c) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Human Services.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-401

(a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) “Applicant” means an entity that applies for a grant under this part. (c) “Distribution organization” means a nonprofit entity that distributes food or equipment to emergency food organizations. (d) (1) “Emergency food organization” means a nonprofit entity that provides emergency food services. (2) “Emergency food organization” includes an organization that operates: (i) a soup kitchen; or (ii) a food pantry. (e) “Program” means the Statewide Nutrition-Assistance Equipment Program.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-403

The purpose of the Program is to provide funding to distribution organizations to enable the distribution organizations and emergency food organizations to obtain necessary equipment.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-404

In addition to any other responsibilities for administering the Program, the responsibilities of the Department include: (1) designing and implementing an ongoing outreach and publicity campaign to achieve the widest possible dissemination of information about the Program to: (i) potential applicants; and (ii) nutrition advocacy groups in the State; (2) receiving and reviewing applications for funding; and (3) allocating funds for approved applications in accordance with this part.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-405

(a) When reviewing and awarding grants under this part, the Department shall consider: (1) the equitable distribution of funds across all geographical regions of the State; (2) the adequacy of existing distribution organizations in the region served or intended to be served by the applicant; (3) the estimated population to be served by the applicant; (4) the applicant’s level of experience in operating a distribution organization; and (5) the amount of funding and other resources available to the applicant. (b) (1) The Department may not release funds to a grantee under this part until the grantee establishes that the grantee has obtained matching resources or a commitment for matching resources that equals at least 50% of the grant amount. (2) The matching resources may be in the form of cash or an in-kind equivalent acceptable to the Department.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-406

The Department shall report annually to the Governor and, subject to § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly on the activities of the Program, including: (1) financial reports; (2) distribution of funds; (3) community participation; and (4) the overall effectiveness of the Program in fulfilling its stated purpose.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-409

(a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) “Administering agency” means an entity that the Department approves in accordance with § 6-414 of this subtitle to administer the Program at the county level. (c) (1) “Emergency food provider” means a nonprofit organization or an organization operated by a local government that provides food at no charge to needy individuals. (2) “Emergency food provider” includes: (i) a soup kitchen; and (ii) a food pantry. (d) “Program” means the Maryland Emergency Food Program.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-411

(a) The purposes of the Program are to: (1) provide funding to assist emergency food providers in purchasing food for needy individuals; (2) encourage needy individuals to become self-sufficient; and (3) distribute information on the State’s earned income tax credit established under § 10-704 of the Tax - General Article. (b) When feasible and cost effective, food purchased under the Program shall be produced, grown, and harvested in the State.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-412

(a) The Department shall manage the Program. (b) Each administering agency shall: (1) provide emergency food providers with information about the Program, including Program guidelines and fund availability; (2) accept and process requests for funding assistance from emergency food providers; and (3) allocate funding to emergency food providers based on the procedures approved in the administering agency’s grant application under § 6-413 of this subtitle. (c) An emergency food provider that receives a Program grant shall: (1) use the grant to purchase food for distribution to needy individuals; (2) as a condition of distributing food, provide to needy individuals information, developed in collaboration with the Department, that encourages self-sufficiency consistent with the goals of the Family Investment Program established under Title 5, Subtitle 3 of this article; (3) distribute information on the State’s earned income tax credit established under § 10-704 of the Tax - General Article; and (4) submit a report to the Department and the administering agency detailing how the grant was used and how many units of service were provided.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-413

(a) (1) No more than 5% of the Program’s budget may be used to cover administrative costs of the Program. (2) All remaining funding shall be allocated for food purchase only. (3) Program funds may not be used for equipment or other capital expenditures. (b) The Department shall: (1) adopt a formula and qualifications for allocating Program funds to the counties based on county-wide statistics for: (i) the number of families living in poverty; (ii) the unemployment rate; and (iii) the number of families receiving food stamps; (2) submit annually to the State Advisory Council on Hunger a report detailing: (i) the total appropriations for the Program for the current and prior fiscal years, including the amount allocated for administrative costs, the amount allocated to each administering agency, and the amount allocated to emergency food providers in each county; and (ii) how many units of service were provided in each county; and (3) notify each county through the administering agency of the availability of Program funds under item (1) of this subsection. (c) (1) Each administering agency shall apply to the Department for a Program grant. (2) The application shall include the procedures that the administering agency will use to: (i) notify emergency food providers of the availability of Program grants; (ii) approve emergency food providers as recipients of Program grants; and (iii) allocate Program grants among approved emergency food providers. (d) Before an administering agency may receive a Program grant, the Department must approve the application.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-414

(a) The Department shall adopt regulations to govern the selection and approval of an administering agency for each county. (b) The regulations adopted under this section shall include: (1) criteria to ensure that the selected administering agency has adequate internal controls over cash receipts, materials, supplies, and inventories; and (2) a definition of “units of service” that shall be used to track Program utilization.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-501

(a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) (1) “Community services” means household and personal services provided for an elderly individual under the direction and supervision of an appropriate social services or health agency. (2) “Community services” includes assistance with: (i) meal preparation and planning; (ii) home-delivered meal services; (iii) dressing; (iv) shopping; (v) visits to health, recreational, and shopping facilities; (vi) transportation and personal escort services; (vii) light housekeeping; and (viii) personal medical and nursing care related to the provision of community services. (c) “Elderly individual” means an individual at least 65 years old and the individual’s spouse, regardless of the spouse’s age.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-502

(a) It is the policy of the State that elderly individuals in the State should have access to a comprehensive range of community services to enable them to remain in their own homes or other independent living arrangements consistent with their desires, abilities, and safety. (b) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the community services provided under this subtitle shall be available to all elderly individuals, but that those elderly individuals who are financially able to do so shall pay all or a portion of the costs of the community services.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-503

With the advice, cooperation, and assistance of the Department of Aging and the Maryland Department of Health, the Department shall administer a system of community services to serve as an effective alternative to inappropriate institutional care for elderly individuals.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-504

To carry out the system of community services required under this part, the Department or its designee shall: (1) adopt regulations, including standards and means for reimbursement from elderly individuals financially able to pay for all or part of the services provided; (2) monitor continuously the effectiveness of the system and perform evaluative research through the Department of Aging; (3) contract, where feasible and desirable, with governmental units, private nonprofit organizations, and volunteer groups to provide community services and group nutritional dining services; (4) provide funds to train individuals to perform community services and for administrative costs of the system; and (5) use, to the extent available, grants from federal, State, and other public or private sources to fund the system.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-505

(a) To the extent possible, the Department shall train and utilize elderly individuals to perform community services. (b) Elderly individuals compensated for performing community services are not subject to the State Personnel Management System or any merit system of a political subdivision. (c) The Department has sole authority for determining all conditions of employment and rates of compensation.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-508

(a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) “CARE Program” means the Certified Adult Residential Environment Program. (c) (1) “Individual with a disability” means an adult who requires a supportive housing arrangement to reside in the community because of a physical, medical, or mental disability. (2) “Individual with a disability” does not include an adult whose disability is so severe or complex as to require specialized professional intervention as part of the supportive housing arrangement. (d) “Supportive housing arrangement” means a housing arrangement that provides an individual with room, board, and assistance with the activities of daily living.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-509

(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that: (1) an increasing number of adults in the State are unable, because of disability, to reside in the community without a supportive housing arrangement; (2) many of these adults are therefore homeless, unnecessarily institutionalized, or residing in substandard housing; and (3) current State-operated programs do not adequately address this problem. (b) It is the policy of the State to encourage the development of affordable housing for adults who are unable to avail themselves of existing housing because of disability.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-510

(a) There is a CARE Program in the Department. (b) The purpose of the CARE Program is to provide housing and related services for individuals with disabilities.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-511

In accordance with the State budget, the CARE Program shall provide for: (1) the development of CARE housing; (2) case management to individuals with disabilities residing in CARE housing; and (3) supportive services for individuals with disabilities residing in CARE housing.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-512

(a) The Department of Human Services, the Department of Education, the Maryland Department of Health, and the Department of Aging shall provide appropriate ancillary services to individuals with disabilities in the CARE Program subject to programmatic eligibility and priority criteria and budgetary resources. (b) The Secretary of Human Services, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Aging, and the State Superintendent of Schools shall: (1) coordinate departmental programs to ensure that the services needed by individuals with disabilities residing in CARE housing are provided in an integrated and cost–effective manner; and (2) prepare and enter into a written memorandum of agreement that specifies the services to be provided by each departmental program and the integration and timing of the delivery of the services. (c) The Department may adopt regulations to carry out the CARE Program.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-513

(a) Eligibility for services under the CARE Program does not preclude eligibility for other services. (b) The CARE Program may not serve an individual with a disability who is not a resident of the State when the application for service is made.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-602

(a) There is a Commission on Responsible Fatherhood. (b) The Commission: (1) is independent; but (2) is located in the Department for budgetary and administrative purposes only.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-603

The purposes of the Commission are to: (1) raise awareness of the problems created when a child is raised without the presence of a responsible father; (2) identify obstacles that impede or prevent the involvement of responsible fathers in the lives of their children; and (3) identify strategies that encourage responsible fatherhood.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-604

(a) The Commission consists of the following 18 members appointed by the Governor: (1) the Secretary of Budget and Management; (2) the Secretary of Health; (3) the Secretary of Human Services; (4) the Secretary of Labor; (5) the State Superintendent of Schools; (6) the Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children or the Special Secretary’s designee; (7) one judge assigned to the family division of a circuit court nominated by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals; (8) one member of the Senate of Maryland nominated by the President of the Senate; (9) one member of the House of Delegates nominated by the Speaker of the House; (10) three individuals with extensive programmatic or academic experience with noncustodial fathers and their children; (11) three individuals with an interest or expertise in matters pertaining to noncustodial fathers and their children, including representatives of community, parent, or religious groups or organizations; (12) two representatives of local government in areas with a significant number of noncustodial fathers; and (13) one noncustodial father. (b) (1) The term of a member appointed under subsection (a)(10), (11), or (12) of this section is 3 years. (2) The term of the member appointed under subsection (a)(13) of this section is 2 years. (3) The terms of members appointed under subsection (a)(10), (11), (12), and (13) of this section shall be staggered as required by the terms in effect for those members on October 1, 2007. (4) A member who is appointed to a position with a fixed term after the term has begun shall serve only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. (5) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. (c) A member appointed under subsection (a)(1) through (6) of this section may designate in writing an alternate to represent the member and exercise the member’s power to vote.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-606

(a) A majority of the members then serving on the Commission is a quorum. (b) The Commission shall determine the times and places of its meetings. (c) A member of the Commission: (1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but (2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-607

The Commission shall determine any necessary operating procedures, including establishing subcommittees or work groups utilizing the expertise of persons who are not members of the Commission.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-608

(a) (1) Subject to the approval of the Governor, the Commission shall hire a staff director as provided in the State budget. (2) Subject to the advice and consent of the chair of the Commission, the staff director shall hire additional staff as provided in the State budget to perform the duties that the Commission considers appropriate. (b) The staff is responsible to the Secretary solely for routine administrative purposes. (c) Members of the Commission may designate staff from their respective units to assist the Commission.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-609

(a) The Commission shall: (1) conduct a thorough examination of the extent and implications of the absence of responsible fathers from families; (2) strongly advocate to ensure the development of a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the social, educational, economic, health, and legal problems of responsible fatherhood; (3) promote interdepartmental and public and private policy and program collaboration and coordination; (4) collect data and perform analyses on efforts to increase responsible fatherhood; (5) promote the development of statewide policies to address the issues preventing fathers from participating in raising their children; (6) monitor statewide progress towards reducing the number of noncustodial fathers; (7) promote and encourage wide community input, communication, and education regarding responsible fatherhood; and (8) advise local public and private agencies seeking to mobilize local efforts to promote responsible fatherhood. (b) To carry out its duties under subsection (a)(1) of this section, the Commission shall: (1) hold hearings at which persons, organizations, and agencies with an interest in responsible fatherhood may present their views; (2) conduct meetings, discussions, and examinations as necessary to gather information on the laws and services relating to responsible fatherhood in this and other states; (3) identify and examine the limitations and problems associated with existing laws, programs, and services relating to responsible fatherhood; and (4) examine the financing and delivery of services relating to responsible fatherhood. (c) (1) In cooperation with appropriate State and local units and in accordance with State and federal law, the Commission shall foster plans to enhance the coordination of federal– and State–funded programs and services regarding responsible fatherhood. (2) The Commission shall develop a coordinated comprehensive statewide plan, including estimates of necessary public and private funding, for: (i) increasing the participation of fathers in raising their children; and (ii) improving services to noncustodial fathers. (3) In accordance with the statewide plan, the Commission shall recommend to the Governor distribution of community incentive grants concerning responsible fatherhood from funds provided in the State budget for this purpose or from grants or private donations, giving priority to innovative projects that: (i) promote the establishment of a coordinated network of services for noncustodial fathers; and (ii) demonstrate a high level of commitment to the project by making available nonstate funds, personnel, and facilities.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-703

The purposes of the Program are: (1) to encourage and assist eligible foreign-born residents to become naturalized citizens of the United States and active participants in the civic life of Maryland; (2) to increase the number and proportion of eligible foreign-born residents who become citizens of the United States; and (3) to encourage foreign-born residents who become citizens to be involved in our democratic institutions.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-704

In accordance with the State budget, the Program shall: (1) encourage eligible residents to learn English; (2) encourage eligible residents to become naturalized citizens of the United States; (3) inform eligible residents about the rights and responsibilities of citizens, the process of naturalization, and the availability of citizenship services; (4) make available or increase the availability of instruction in: (i) English as a second language; (ii) United States history; and (iii) citizenship preparation; (5) make available or increase the availability of assistance in completing applications for naturalization; (6) establish an effective connection to nonpartisan voter registration efforts; (7) encourage the involvement of new citizens in democratic institutions; and (8) work with federal, State, and local units of government and organizations to respond to the need for citizenship services in the State.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-801

(a) For fiscal years 2021 through 2023, the Governor shall include in the annual State budget an appropriation of $200,000 for the CASH Campaign of Maryland to promote the financial capability of low–income individuals and families by providing outreach, education, and free tax preparation services. (b) For fiscal years 2024 and 2025, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 for the CASH Campaign. (c) (1) For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $800,000 for the CASH Campaign. (2) From the appropriation made under paragraph (1) of this subsection, $150,000 shall be used to provide grants to external entities for providing income tax assistance in accordance with § 6–802 of this subtitle through on–demand or mobile tax clinics that serve senior populations, rural communities, or under–resourced communities, including New American populations.

Md. Code, Human Services § 6-802

An appropriation made under § 6–801 of this subtitle may be used only to: (1) provide free volunteer income tax assistance that helps low–income individuals and families: (i) file tax returns; (ii) avoid predatory fees; and (iii) claim the federal earned income tax credit or the State earned income tax credit under § 10–704 of the Tax – General Article; (2) coordinate and expand access to free, fact–based financial education and coaching for low–income individuals and families; (3) connect low–income individuals and families to affordable, high–quality financial services; (4) recruit, train, and manage a corps of volunteers to provide financial education, coaching, and tax preparation services for low–income individuals and families; and (5) conduct outreach to low–income individuals and families.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatutesFetched: 10/16/2026