Maryland Department of Human Resources Section 14A

      The board of each local department of social services in the counties and the local commission of the Department of Social Services in Baltimore City has the following duties and functions (specifically, by way of example and not in limitation):

            (1)      To advise the local director as to the local application of State policies or procedures;

            (2)      To be well informed on local departmental activities;

            (3)      To communicate to the residents of the counties and of Baltimore City, as the case may be, broad and comprehensive information as to the objectives, policies, programs and problems of local social services and public assistance administration;

            (4)      To review the periodic evaluation of the local department which has been prepared by the State Administration and to consult with the local director as to the proper implementation of these recommendations, and of such other recommendations as may result from evaluation made by the local board or local commission of the operation of its local department;

            (5)      To review the annual report of the local director as to the activities of the local department, together with any changes in policies or procedures recommended by the local board, and to transmit it to the Secretary of Human Resources and to its local governing authority;

            (6)      To review and make suitable recommendations in connection with the annual estimate of funds needed for social services and public assistance purposes in the counties and in Baltimore City, as the case may be;

            (7)      To consult with the local director with respect to any new service that might be instituted by said director or by the local board or local commission to meet an unmet need in the county and in Baltimore City, as the case may be, and to approve or disapprove the local director's evaluation of the readiness of the local department to take on the new service and the propriety of it within the State plan; and to present to the State Administration suggested new services that it approves, whether these originate from the local director or from the local board or local commission, together with the recommendations of both the local director and the local board or local commission;

            (8)      To take active steps to secure the appropriation of local funds by the local governing authority to meet needs not financed by or available through any other federal, State or local plan, project or program, and which are not in conflict with the State plan;

            (9)      To meet with the Secretary of Human Resources periodically, as may be requested by the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources or at the request of the local board or local commission;

            (10)      To establish and maintain effective liaison with the respective local governing authority;

            (11)      To serve as an advocate, in conjunction with the State Department of Human Resources, for social services programs on the local, State, and federal level;

            (12)      To work to identify private, State, and federal grant sources for social services programs;

            (13)      To develop and implement, in conjunction with the State Department of Human Resources, an educational and public relations program for the public and elected officials on the local, State, and federal level; and

            (14)      To evaluate, in conjunction with the State Department of Human Resources and the county or Baltimore City, the director of the local department of social services and make recommendations, based on the evaluation, with regards to the local director to the Secretary of Human Resources.