Human Services (GHU) — Title 6. Community Services

“Emergency food organization” means a nonprofit entity that provides emergency food services.

“Emergency food organization” includes an organization that operates:

potential applicants; and

nutrition advocacy groups in the State;

the equitable distribution of funds across all geographical regions of the State;

the adequacy of existing distribution organizations in the region served or intended to be served by the applicant;

the estimated population to be served by the applicant;

the applicant’s level of experience in operating a distribution organization; and

the amount of funding and other resources available to the applicant.

The Department may not release funds to a grantee under this part until the grantee establishes that the grantee has obtained matching resources or a commitment for matching resources that equals at least 50% of the grant amount.

The matching resources may be in the form of cash or an in-kind equivalent acceptable to the Department.

“Emergency food provider” means a nonprofit organization or an organization operated by a local government that provides food at no charge to needy individuals.

“Emergency food provider” includes:

provide funding to assist emergency food providers in purchasing food for needy individuals;

encourage needy individuals to become self-sufficient; and

distribute information on the State’s earned income tax credit established under § 10-704 of the Tax - General Article.

provide emergency food providers with information about the Program, including Program guidelines and fund availability;

accept and process requests for funding assistance from emergency food providers; and

allocate funding to emergency food providers based on the procedures approved in the administering agency’s grant application under § 6-413 of this subtitle.

use the grant to purchase food for distribution to needy individuals;

as a condition of distributing food, provide to needy individuals information, developed in collaboration with the Department, that encourages self-sufficiency consistent with the goals of the Family Investment Program established under Title 5, Subtitle 3 of this article;

distribute information on the State’s earned income tax credit established under § 10-704 of the Tax - General Article; and

submit a report to the Department and the administering agency detailing how the grant was used and how many units of service were provided.

No more than 5% of the Program’s budget may be used to cover administrative costs of the Program.

All remaining funding shall be allocated for food purchase only.

Program funds may not be used for equipment or other capital expenditures.

adopt a formula and qualifications for allocating Program funds to the counties based on county-wide statistics for:

submit annually to the State Advisory Council on Hunger a report detailing:

notify each county through the administering agency of the availability of Program funds under item (1) of this subsection.

Each administering agency shall apply to the Department for a Program grant.

The application shall include the procedures that the administering agency will use to:

criteria to ensure that the selected administering agency has adequate internal controls over cash receipts, materials, supplies, and inventories; and

a definition of “units of service” that shall be used to track Program utilization.

“Community services” means household and personal services provided for an elderly individual under the direction and supervision of an appropriate social services or health agency.

“Community services” includes assistance with:

“Individual with a disability” means an adult who requires a supportive housing arrangement to reside in the community because of a physical, medical, or mental disability.

“Individual with a disability” does not include an adult whose disability is so severe or complex as to require specialized professional intervention as part of the supportive housing arrangement.

an increasing number of adults in the State are unable, because of disability, to reside in the community without a supportive housing arrangement;

many of these adults are therefore homeless, unnecessarily institutionalized, or residing in substandard housing; and

current State-operated programs do not adequately address this problem.

coordinate departmental programs to ensure that the services needed by individuals with disabilities residing in CARE housing are provided in an integrated and cost–effective manner; and

prepare and enter into a written memorandum of agreement that specifies the services to be provided by each departmental program and the integration and timing of the delivery of the services.

is independent; but

is located in the Department for budgetary and administrative purposes only.

the Secretary of Budget and Management;

the Secretary of Health;

the Secretary of Human Services;

the Secretary of Labor;

the State Superintendent of Schools;

the Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children or the Special Secretary’s designee;

one judge assigned to the family division of a circuit court nominated by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals;

one member of the Senate of Maryland nominated by the President of the Senate;

one member of the House of Delegates nominated by the Speaker of the House;

three individuals with extensive programmatic or academic experience with noncustodial fathers and their children;

three individuals with an interest or expertise in matters pertaining to noncustodial fathers and their children, including representatives of community, parent, or religious groups or organizations;

two representatives of local government in areas with a significant number of noncustodial fathers; and

one noncustodial father.

The term of a member appointed under subsection (a)(10), (11), or (12) of this section is 3 years.

The term of the member appointed under subsection (a)(13) of this section is 2 years.

The terms of members appointed under subsection (a)(10), (11), (12), and (13) of this section shall be staggered as required by the terms in effect for those members on October 1, 2007.

A member who is appointed to a position with a fixed term after the term has begun shall serve only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but

is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

Subject to the approval of the Governor, the Commission shall hire a staff director as provided in the State budget.

Subject to the advice and consent of the chair of the Commission, the staff director shall hire additional staff as provided in the State budget to perform the duties that the Commission considers appropriate.

conduct a thorough examination of the extent and implications of the absence of responsible fathers from families;

strongly advocate to ensure the development of a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the social, educational, economic, health, and legal problems of responsible fatherhood;

promote interdepartmental and public and private policy and program collaboration and coordination;

collect data and perform analyses on efforts to increase responsible fatherhood;

promote the development of statewide policies to address the issues preventing fathers from participating in raising their children;

monitor statewide progress towards reducing the number of noncustodial fathers;

promote and encourage wide community input, communication, and education regarding responsible fatherhood; and

advise local public and private agencies seeking to mobilize local efforts to promote responsible fatherhood.

hold hearings at which persons, organizations, and agencies with an interest in responsible fatherhood may present their views;

conduct meetings, discussions, and examinations as necessary to gather information on the laws and services relating to responsible fatherhood in this and other states;

identify and examine the limitations and problems associated with existing laws, programs, and services relating to responsible fatherhood; and

examine the financing and delivery of services relating to responsible fatherhood.

In cooperation with appropriate State and local units and in accordance with State and federal law, the Commission shall foster plans to enhance the coordination of federal– and State–funded programs and services regarding responsible fatherhood.

The Commission shall develop a coordinated comprehensive statewide plan, including estimates of necessary public and private funding, for:

In accordance with the statewide plan, the Commission shall recommend to the Governor distribution of community incentive grants concerning responsible fatherhood from funds provided in the State budget for this purpose or from grants or private donations, giving priority to innovative projects that:

English as a second language;

United States history; and

citizenship preparation;

For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $800,000 for the CASH Campaign.

From the appropriation made under paragraph (1) of this subsection, $150,000 shall be used to provide grants to external entities for providing income tax assistance in accordance with § 6–802 of this subtitle through on–demand or mobile tax clinics that serve senior populations, rural communities, or under–resourced communities, including New American populations.

file tax returns;

avoid predatory fees; and

claim the federal earned income tax credit or the State earned income tax credit under § 10–704 of the Tax – General Article;