<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 07.01.07.04" title_num="07" subtitle_num="01" chapter_num="07" heading="Program Records.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Except as permitted by other law or regulation, a custodian shall deny a request for disclosure of any information or record concerning an applicant for service or customer under the following programs:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Social Services;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Family Investment;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Purchase of Child Care;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Community Services;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Child Support Enforcement; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Medical Assistance.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Disclosure of Information.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Information described in §A of this regulation may be disclosed as follows:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Under a court order;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>To a State, local government, or federal official or employee, for a purpose directly connected with the administration of the programs specified in §A of this regulation including, but not limited to:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Verification of eligibility, and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Audits or criminal investigation of these programs;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>To a volunteer or contractor of a State or federal agency for a purpose directly connected with the administration of a program listed in §A of this regulation if the volunteer or contractor has been informed of, and has executed a written agreement to abide by, State and federal confidentiality laws and regulations.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Medical Assistance records and information may be disclosed only for a purpose directly connected with the administration of the program including assisting the Child Support Administration in locating absent parents.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The custodian shall disclose the current address of a customer to a federal, State, or local law enforcement officer who:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Can be properly identified as a law enforcement officer;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Shows the custodian a signed warrant for the arrest of the customer which establishes that the customer is a fugitive felon; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Provides the name and Social Security number of the customer.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>With regard to a fugitive felon in a food stamp case, the custodian shall disclose the current address, the Social Security number, and, if available, a photograph of a food stamp household member to a federal, State, or local law enforcement officer who:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Can be properly identified as a law enforcement officer engaged in official duties which include locating or arresting the food stamp household member;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Demonstrates that the food stamp household member either:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Is a fugitive felon, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Has information concerning a fugitive felon; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Provides the name of the food stamp household member.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Notice of Record Disclosure.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>When §B of this regulation does not apply, and disclosure is permitted under State law or regulation, the Department shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Notify an applicant or customer described in §A of this regulation, when possible, of the request for a record concerning the applicant or customer; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Obtain the applicant's or customer's consent to disclose the record.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The Department:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>May require the requestor to obtain the applicant or customer's consent pursuant to Regulation .05 of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>May not provide a requestor with any information regarding whether:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Records exist for an individual, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>An individual is an applicant or customer; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>In an emergency, may disclose information without prior consent if the Department notifies the applicant or customer of the disclosure:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Orally or in writing, and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Within 2 working days of the disclosure.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Food Stamps.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Upon receipt of a written request from a responsible member of a household receiving food stamp assistance, the Department shall allow the individual to review the food stamp records for the household.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Before review by the household member, the Department shall remove from the record:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Names and identifying information of individuals who have disclosed information to the Department without the household's knowledge; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Information about any criminal prosecutions.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Research. The Department may disclose:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Identifying information to an individual engaged in a research project only if:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An applicant or a customer who is the subject of a record to be disclosed has signed a written consent form for the disclosure, in accordance with Regulation .05 of this chapter, and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The official custodian has given prior written permission for the research project; and</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Nonidentifying information for research purposes without the consent of the applicant or customer.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>