In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. “Agencies of the Children’s Cabinet” includes: the Department of Budget and Management; the Department of Disabilities; the Maryland Department of Health; the Department of Housing and Community Development; the Department of Human Services; the Department of Juvenile Services; the Maryland Department of Labor; the Department of Service and Civic Innovation; the State Department of Education; the Higher Education Commission; and the Governor’s Office for Children. “Child in need of out–of–state placement” means a child who is recommended by a public agency for out–of–home placement outside of the State. “Child in need of out–of–state placement” does not include a child: placed in foster care, as defined in § 5–501 of the Family Law Article; or who is in a hospital for 30 continuous days or less. “Child with intensive needs” means a child who has behavioral, educational, developmental, or mental health needs that cannot be met through available public agency resources because: the child’s needs exceed the resources of a single public agency; or there is no legally mandated funding source to meet the child’s needs. “Core service agency” has the meaning stated in § 7.5–101 of the Health – General Article. “Council” means the State Coordinating Council for Children. “Evidence–based” means meeting the criteria for an evidence–based early childhood home visiting service delivery model as defined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services. “Family” means an eligible child’s natural, adoptive, or foster parents. “Family” includes: a guardian; a person acting as a parent of a child; and a relative or stepparent with whom a child lives. “Home visiting program” means a program or initiative that: contains home visiting as a primary service delivery strategy; offers services on a voluntary basis to pregnant women, expectant fathers, and parents and caregivers of children from birth to kindergarten entry; and targets participant outcomes that may include: improved maternal and child health; prevention of child injuries, child abuse or maltreatment, and reduction of emergency department visits; improvements in school readiness and achievement; reduction in crime or domestic violence; improvements in family economic self–sufficiency; improvements in the coordination of and referrals to other community resources and supports; or improvements in parenting skills related to child development. “Home visiting program” includes those program models identified in the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness project of the federal Department of Health and Human Services. “Home visiting program” does not include: programs with few or infrequent visits; programs in which home visiting is supplemental to other services; or in–home services delivered through provisions of an individualized family service plan or an individualized education program under Part C or Part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. “Hospital” has the meaning stated in § 19–301 of the Health – General Article. “Local behavioral health authority” has the meaning stated in § 7.5–101 of the Health – General Article. “Local management board” means an entity established or designated by a county under Subtitle 3 of this title to ensure the implementation of a local, interagency service delivery system for children, youth, and families. “Office” means the Governor’s Office for Children. “Promising” means a home visiting program or practice that: does not yet meet the standard for evidence–based practices; and meets the criteria of a promising approach as defined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services. “Public agency” means a State or local government unit or a quasi–governmental entity. “Residential child care program” means an entity that provides 24–hour per day care for children within a structured set of services and activities that are designed to achieve specific objectives relative to the needs of the children served and that include the provision of food, clothing, shelter, education, social services, health, mental health, recreation, or any combination of these services and activities. “Residential child care program” includes a program: licensed by: the Maryland Department of Health; the Department of Human Services; or the Department of Juvenile Services; and that is subject to the licensing regulations of the members of the Children’s Cabinet governing the operations of residential child care programs. “Special Secretary” means the Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children.

It is the policy of the State to promote a stable, safe, and healthy environment for children and families that provides access to necessary services and supports in the least restrictive, most appropriate, and most effective environment possible, thereby increasing self–sufficiency and family preservation. This policy shall be achieved through a comprehensive and coordinated interagency approach that: is family–driven, child–guided, home– and community–based, culturally and linguistically competent, individualized, and effective; provides a continuum of care, opportunities, and supports that emphasize prevention, early intervention, and community–based services, as well as natural supports; gives priority to children and families most at risk; and engages and empowers families and children so that, to the extent possible, they will be well–represented in every facet of the child–family serving system and partners in their own care planning.

The Children’s Cabinet shall meet not less than four times a year in open session to discuss matters related to State needs for children, youth, and families. The Special Secretary shall chair the Children’s Cabinet. The Office shall staff the Children’s Cabinet. On or before December 1, 2024, and each December 1 thereafter, the Children’s Cabinet shall submit a report, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly on the Children’s Cabinet meetings in the prior year and activities planned in the upcoming year.

On or before October 1, 2025, the Office shall submit a report on neighborhood indicators of poverty to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Accountability and Implementation Board, and the Department of Education. The report required under this subsection shall include an analysis of different methods used to calculate indicators of poverty in order to determine: eligibility for the compensatory education program under § 5–222 of the Education Article, including the data necessary to implement each methodology; and eligibility under the Concentration of Poverty School Grant Program under § 5–223 of the Education Article, including the data necessary to implement each methodology. In completing the report required under this subsection, the Office shall: evaluate the American Community Survey data available across geographic areas in the Small Income and Poverty Estimates Program to provide school district poverty estimates; evaluate the Area Deprivation Index developed by the University of Wisconsin–Madison to rank neighborhoods by socioeconomic status disadvantage; analyze how other states approach measuring poverty; analyze how other states calculate eligibility for state programs for school districts that participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision; and consult with each local school system for input. Any State agency, including the Department of Education and the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center, shall share any data needed by the Office to complete the report required under this subsection. On or before December 1, 2025, the Accountability and Implementation Board, in consultation with the Department of Legislative Services and the Department of Budget and Management, shall submit a methodological recommendation, based on the Office’s report required under subsection (a) of this section, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly. The recommendation submitted under this subsection shall include whether there should be an updated methodology for calculating eligibility for compensatory grants under § 5–222 of the Education Article, and if so, an updated methodology for calculating the compensatory education formula under § 5–222 of the Education Article.

There is a Governor’s Office for Children. The Office is a separate unit within the Executive Department. The purpose of the Office is to provide a coordinated, comprehensive, interagency approach to promoting the well–being of children and families through a network of supports, programs, and services that are family and child–oriented and reducing the number of children living in poverty. The Governor may provide for the structure, duties, and responsibilities of the Office by executive order. For each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $250,000 to the Governor’s Office for Children to provide grants to fund operating expenses of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland.

There is a Children’s Cabinet administered by the Governor’s Office for Children. The purpose of the Children’s Cabinet is to promote the vision of the State for a stable, safe, and healthy environment for children and families. The head of the Governor’s Office for Children shall serve as the Chair and be responsible for the administration and operations of the Children’s Cabinet. The Governor may provide for the structure, duties, and responsibilities of the Children’s Cabinet by executive order.