WESTERN MARYLAND CENTER

Carl A. Fischer, M.D., Director

1500 Pennsylvania Ave.
Hagerstown 21740 Telephone: 791-4400

Western Maryland Center was established as
Western Maryland State Hospital in 1952 (Chap-
ter 53, Acts of 1952). It opened in 1957.

The Center provides chronic hospital and com-
prehensive care facility inpatient care, outpatient
end-stage kidney dialysis, adult day treatment
services, and outpatient rehabilitation services.
Currently, it has 117 licensed hospital beds and 58
licensed comprehensive care beds for rehabilita-
tion services and the care of the chronically ill.
An outpatient unit provides hemodialysis for pa-
tients with chronic kidney disease (Code
Health—General Article, sec. 19-502).

Citizens Advisory Board for Western Maryland
Center

Chairperson: Roberta Niklewski, R.N., 1988

Marguerite E. Doleman, 1987; Peter G. Callas,
1988; Jack M. Goldman, 1988; Kery C. Hummel,
1988; Rev. C. Richard Masters, 1989; Donald F.
Munson, 1990.

The Board's seven members are appointed to
four-year terms by the Governor.

OFFICE OF MATERNAL AND CHILD
HEALTH

Vacancy, Director

201 W. Preston St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 225-6721

The Office of Maternal and Child Health was
established by the Department under the Family
Health Administration in 1987. The Office is re-
sponsible for the divisions of Maternal Health,
Family Planning, Hereditary Disorders, and Child
Health Services.

WIC OFFICE

Melvina Ford, Director

Hecht Towers, 7th floor
118N. Howard St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 333-3200

Created by the Department in 1985, the WIC
Office is responsible for the administration of the
Maryland Special Supplemental Food Program
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) under
federal law (P.L. 95-627). The primary purpose of
the WIC Program is to provide health and nutri-
tion services, including supplemental foods, to eli-
gible individuals. The Program serves pregnant,
postpartum and breast-feeding women; infants, to
one year of age; and children, to their fifth birth-
day. To be found eligible, an individual must be in
one of the covered categories, meet income eligi-
bility requirements, and be at nutritional risk.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
the Program is administered by the WIC Office
through grants to twelve local agencies that serve
the entire State. Each local agency determines re-
cipient eligibility, prescribes individually deter-
mined food packages, provides nutrition educa-
tion, prepares required records and reports, and
issues food instruments (negotiable checks used in
exchange for approved foods). The WIC Office is
responsible for all Program operations in Mary-
land in accordance with federal program regula-
tions, guidelines, and instructions.

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
ADMINISTRATION

Lois M. Meszaros, Ph.D., Director
Harold Kushner, Deputy Director

201 W. Preston St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 225-5600

In 1986, the Mental Retardation and Develop-
mental Disabilities Administration was renamed
the Developmental Disabilities Administration
(Chapter 637, Acts of 1986). The Administration
plans, develops, and directs a statewide compre-
hensive system of services for mentally retarded
and developmentally disabled persons and their
families. Developmental disabilities services in-
clude programs for disorders such as cerebral pal-
sy, spina bifida, epilepsy, and severe commu-
nicative disorders. The Administration
coordinates its activities with other government,
voluntary, and private health, education, and wel-
fare agencies.

The Administration consists of six Divisions:
Administration and Management; Program De-
velopment and Regulation; Licensing, Evaluation,
Training, Research and Development; Access and
Eligibility; Mental Retardation; and Developmen-
tal Disabilities Services.