<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="7-804" title_number="7" title_name="Individuals With Disabilities" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Access of Maryland">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Department in consultation with the Board shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>establish and administer a program to provide cost–efficient, 24–hour, dual party relay service to program participants at a comparable level of access and quality that a standard telecommunication service provides to a person without a hearing or speech disability;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>develop the program in collaboration with State programs currently serving disabled individuals and with community agencies or other organizations that have established relay programs; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>maintain an information and referral service to provide information about the availability of the relay service.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Department in consultation with the Board shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>contract with a private vendor or nonprofit organization to provide the information and referral service required under subsection (a)(3) of this section; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>provide appropriate staff assistance from the Department, including a director, to assist the Board in carrying out its duties under this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The director provided under subsection (b)(2) of this section shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>be an individual who is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or speech disabled; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is a user of telecommunications relay services;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>direct the implementation of services and programs established in accordance with this subtitle and Subtitle 9 of this title; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>advise the Department and the Secretary of Disabilities on regulatory policy and the administration of the Universal Service Trust Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
