The Department is the local area agency designated by St. Mary's 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).
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 Department is responsible for the Human Services Division, and the Senior Information and Assistance Office, and is aided by the Commission on Aging.
Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to three-year terms, the Commission consists of at least ten members (County Code of Ordinances & Resolutions, secs. 149B-1, 149B-2)
HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION
LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARD
Social service and public assistance programs in St. Mary's County are the responsibility of the Department of Social Services. 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 St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's 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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COMMISSION ON AGING
The Commission on Aging advises and assists the Deparment of Aging and Human Services in developing the content, administration, and financing of County programs designed to serve elderly residents. The Commission also provides general oversight and review of the operations of the Department of Aging and Human Services.
The Human Services Division is responsible for the Office of Community Services and the Local Management Board.
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
In St. Mary's County, the Human Relations Commission is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to four-year terms (Code Local Government Article, secs. 29-101 through 29-109).
The Local Management Board coordinates a system of local services for St. Mary's County 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.
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 St. Mary's County Department of Social Services (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967; Chapter 702, Acts of 1968).
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