STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE

Board of Public Welfare

Chairman: W. Thomas Kemp, Jr., 1959

Sanford V. Larkey, M.D., 1957; Mrs. Albert F. Metzger,
1957; Joseph Meyerhoff, 1957; Lee L. Dopkin, 1959; Herbert
R. O'Conor, Jr., 1959; Henry C. Evans, 1961; Howard H.
Murphy, 1961; Kenneth Jones, 1961.

Thomas J. S. Waxter, Director
Elizabeth G. Smith, Assistant Director

120 West Redwood Street, Baltimore 1 Telephone: Lexington 9-0050

The State Department of Public Welfare is the central, coordinating
and directing agency of all welfare activities in the State, including
aid to dependent children, old age assistance, public assistance to the
needy blind, aid to the permanently and totally disabled, child welfare
services and any other welfare activities, financed in whole or in part
by the State or Federal government. The Governor is authorized to
designate the Chairman of the Board, and to arrange the terms of
the members so that they will hold office for staggered terms of six
years, the terms of three members expiring on June 1st of every
second year (Code 1951, Art. 88A, secs. 2, 3).

In each county there is a County Welfare Board, constituting an
administrative department of the local government, with authority to
administer under the supervision, direction and control of the State
Department, the welfare activities within each county, including the
care of neglected, dependent and delinquent children. Each County
Board consists of six persons, who are appointed for six-year terms
by the Board of County Commissioners. Each year the County Com-
missioners designate one of their members to serve on the Welfare
Board (Code 1961, Art. 88A, secs. 13, 14).

The duties of the Department include the investigation of the
system of public and private institutions, organizations and agencies
of a charitable nature in the State, including those which receive part
of their income from the State, except those placed by law under
the supervision of another State agency. Prior to the convening of
each regular session of the General Assembly, the Director furnishes
to the Governor a report which includes activities of the Department,
the conditions of all charitable institutions, organizations, and
agencies, excepting hospitals, receiving financial aid from the State,
and recommendations as to appropriations (Code 1951, Art. 88A,
sec. 3). All monies appropriated to institutions, organizations, and
agencies, excepting hospitals, are paid on a per capita basis at the
rates, and subject to the rules and regulations, established by the
State Board of Public Welfare (Code 1961, Art. 88A, sec. 10).

The Department administers the child care laws with regard to
the placement of children in this State. It licenses agencies and
institutions having the care and custody of minors (Code 1961, Art.
88A, secs. 19-31).

The State Department of Public Welfare is responsible for the
supervision, direction and control of the four State training schools.
In developing the program within each training school, including
provision for after-care supervision, the Department establishes
rules and regulations, standards of care, policies of admission,
transfer and discharge, and may order changes in the policies, conduct
or management of the four State training schools. Subject to these
limitations, each of the schools is under the general management of