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<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="8-1004" title_number="8" title_name="Children, Youth, and Families" subtitle_number="10" subtitle_name="Programs for Children in Out-of-Home Placement -- Standards for Staff and System for Outcomes Evaluation">
  <level label="a">
    <text>On or before July 1, 2008, the Office and the cooperating departments shall develop, coordinate, and implement a system for outcomes evaluation.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The system for outcomes evaluation shall be used to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>monitor the care, supervision, education, and treatment provided by State–operated and State–supported programs described in § 8–1001(d)(2) of this subtitle so that successful services can be expanded and services that do not produce positive results can be identified;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>establish an evaluation system for program performance, including measures of safety, quality, and effectiveness; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>complete an assessment of the capacity of the programs described in § 8–1001(d)(2) of this subtitle in the State that identifies programs in each community to serve the needs of a family that resides in the community.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The system for outcomes evaluation shall use standardized measures of function to evaluate the child’s:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>protection from harm while in out–of–home placement;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>stability of living environment;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>family situation and efforts to treat and counsel the family unit;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>educational and vocational development;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>job skills and employment readiness;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>legal and appropriate use of drugs and alcohol;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>progress in learning positive, nonaggressive behavioral habits; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>delinquency status.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The system for outcomes evaluation shall ensure that collection and use of data in the system maintains confidentiality of information on the children from the cooperating departments.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The system for outcomes evaluation shall ensure that a cooperating department shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>facilitate the participation of programs described in § 8–1001(d)(2) of this subtitle operated by the cooperating department or private agencies with which the cooperating department has a contract for the placement of children in out–of–home care; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>include in the cooperating department’s contract with a private program provisions requiring the program to collect and report to the cooperating department:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>child–specific demographic information; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>data necessary to evaluate changes in functioning of the child as provided in subsection (c) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>When reporting demographic information and data under subsection (e) of this section, a cooperating department:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>may not disclose personal identifiers; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>shall ensure the confidentiality of the information about the children under its responsibility.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>On or before October 1 of each year, the Department of Human Services, in coordination with the other cooperating departments, shall submit a report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly on the progress of implementing the system for outcomes evaluation.</text>
  </level>
</section>
