Maryland Juvenile Services Section 2-104

      (a)      The Secretary is responsible for the budget of the Department and for the budget of each unit in the Department.

      (b)      (1)      The Secretary may adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of law that are within the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

            (2)      The Secretary shall review and may revise the rules and regulations of:

                  (i)      Each unit in the Department that is authorized by law to adopt rules and regulations; and

                  (ii)      The Department.

      (c)      The Secretary may create any advisory council that the Secretary considers necessary and assign appropriate functions to it.

      (d)      The Secretary shall have a seal.

      (e)      (1)      The Secretary is responsible for the coordination and direction of all planning that the office of the Secretary initiates.

            (2)      The Secretary shall keep fully apprised of plans, proposals, and projects of each unit in the Department and, except as expressly provided otherwise, may approve, disapprove, or modify any of them.

            (3)      (i)      Prior to January 1, 1990, the Secretary shall develop a State Comprehensive Juvenile Justice 3-Year Plan. The Plan shall:

                        1.      Include an inventory of all in-day treatment programs and residential care programs and an accounting of the residence of all clients;

                        2.      Set out the needs of the various areas of services for clients including alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation services;

                        3.      Establish priorities for the different services needed;

                        4.      Set standards for the quality of residential services and outreach services;

                        5.      Include a program dedicated to reducing recidivism rates of clients; and

                        6.      Include any other matters that the Secretary deems appropriate.

                  (ii)      The Plan shall be revised for each subsequent calendar year and shall be submitted, subject to § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly by February 1 of each year.

      (f)      Each unit in the Department shall report to the Secretary as provided in the rules, regulations, or written directives that the Secretary adopts.

      (g)      Except as expressly provided otherwise, the Secretary may transfer, by rule, regulation, or written directive, any function, staff, or funds from any unit in the Department to the office of the Secretary or another unit in the Department. Any staff transferred to the office of the Secretary shall be provided space, equipment, and services by the unit from which it was transferred, unless the Secretary orders removal to another location for the proper and efficient functioning of that office.

      (h)      The Secretary may apply for, receive, and spend grants-in-aid by the federal government or any of its agencies or any other federal funds made available to the Department for use in carrying out the powers and duties of the Secretary or the Department.

      (i)      (1)      Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary shall pay all money collected by the Department under this article into the General Fund of the State.

            (2)      (i)      With the approval of the Secretary of Budget and Management, the Department shall accept, on behalf of this State, a conditional or unconditional gift or grant.

                  (ii)      The Department shall pay all funds collected under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph into a special fund of the State Treasury and use the special fund to carry out the provisions of this article.

      (j)      The Secretary shall carry out and enforce the provisions of this article, the rules and regulations of the Department, and any other provisions of law that relate to the Secretary or the Department.

      (k)      The Secretary is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive client information system, including an individual current record on each child, that is integrated in and accessible to the various segments of the Department. The Secretary shall undertake efforts to link the system to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Human Resources for the purpose of allowing the exchange of information on clients being served by each department. Employees using the information shall protect the confidentiality of client records.

      (l)      The Department shall be subject to State finance and procurement laws under the State Finance and Procurement Article.