Section 5-1404 – Trial
(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the court shall hold a trial on termination of parental rights not later than 180 days after an answer to the complaint is filed. (2) Unless both parents agree otherwise or the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child to proceed, if […]
Section 5-1405 – Right to Counsel
(a) A parent in a proceeding under this subtitle is entitled to the assistance of counsel. (b) (1) The court shall: (i) refer an unrepresented parent to a qualified grantee of the Maryland Legal Services Corporation for assignment of counsel; or (ii) appoint counsel for an unrepresented parent. (2) A parent is not entitled to the assistance of counsel at the […]
Section 5-1303 – Measurement of Efforts — Addressing Child Abuse and Neglect
The effectiveness of efforts to address child abuse and neglect shall be measured by: (1) the recurrence within 12 months of child abuse or neglect among victims of indicated abuse or neglect; (2) the percentage of screened out reports of child abuse or neglect that are documented as reviewed by a supervisor; (3) the incidence of child abuse […]
Section 5-1304 – Measurement of Efforts — Protection of Children Removed From Homes From Abuse and Neglect
The effectiveness of efforts to protect children removed from their homes from abuse and neglect shall be measured by: (1) the incidence of indicated or unsubstantiated findings of child abuse or neglect of children in the custody of a local department, or a placement agency, for placements: (i) in foster care homes; (ii) in kinship care homes; (iii) in […]
Section 5-1305 – Measurement of Efforts — Permanency and Stability in Living Conditions
The effectiveness of efforts to address permanency and stability in the living situations of children in the custody of a local department, or a placement agency, shall be measured by: (1) the percentage of children who exit foster care within time periods consistent with federal national standards with a breakdown by each standard; (2) the percentage of […]
Section 5-1306 – Measurement of Efforts — Health, Mental Health, Education, and Well-Being of Committed Children
The effectiveness of efforts to address the health, mental health, education, and well–being of a child committed to the Department shall be measured by: (1) the percentage of children in out–of–home placements who received a comprehensive assessment in compliance with federal regulations for the early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment program within 60 days of […]
Section 5-1307 – Use of Measures
(a) The measures in §§ 5-1303 through 5-1306 of this subtitle shall be used by the local departments and the Administration, and may be used by an entity that enters into a memorandum of understanding with the Department, to measure the efficiency and the effectiveness of child welfare services. (b) Information collected by the State or federal […]
Section 5-1308 – Quality Assessment
(a) (1) The Department shall have a process for the assessment of the quality of casework services. (2) An entity that specializes in child welfare services that enters into a memorandum of understanding with the Department may review and provide guidance on the quality assessment process developed by the Department. (b) The quality assessment shall examine whether the outcome […]
Section 5-1309 – Local Department Self-Assessments
(a) The Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with an entity that has expertise in child welfare best practices to assist in the development and implementation of a local department self-assessment process to monitor the quality of: (1) child welfare services provided by the local departments; and (2) the management of the child welfare system by […]
Section 5-1310 – Caseload Ratios
(a) The Secretary and the Secretary of Budget and Management shall ensure that sufficient numbers of qualified child welfare staff, as specified in § 4–301 of the Human Services Article, are hired and retained in order to achieve caseload ratios in child welfare services consistent with the Child Welfare League of America caseload standards. (b) The Department, […]