Social Services Administration - Accountability - Protecting Maryland's Most Vulnerable

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4
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By: Delegates Kipke and Griffith
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A House Joint Resolution concerning 1

Social Services Administration – Accountability – Protecting Maryland’s Most 2
Vulnerable 3

FOR the purpose of affirming Maryland’s commitment to the physical, mental, and 4
emotional well–being of children in guardianship homes and any child under the care 5
of the Social Services Administration in the Department of Human Services; 6
imploring the Social Services Administration to strictly comply with State law and 7
regulations to protect children in guardianship homes from abuse and neglect , 8
ensure facilities are properly certified , and implement certain audit 9
recommendations to ensure the health and safety of children in guardianship homes; 10
and generally relating to the Social Services Administration and the protection of 11
children in guardianship homes. 12

WHEREAS, The State places children under guardianship in instances of abuse or 13
neglect; and 14

WHEREAS, The Social Services Administration in the Department of Human 15
Services is charged with protecting children, assisting parents and caretakers in providing 16
proper care and attention, reducing the risk of continued abuse and neglect, and providing 17
alternate care plans when parents or caretakers are unable to ensure a child’s safety and 18
well–being; and 19

WHEREAS, The federal Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (P.L. 105–89) sought 20
to promote the safety, permanency, and well–being of children in foster care, accelerate the 21
permanent placement of children, and increase the accountability of the child welfare 22
system; and 23

WHEREAS, The Social Services Administration oversees the work of the State’s 24 24
local departments of social services, which provide programs and services to approximately 25
24,000 children, supported by roughly 12,500 providers and parents at an annual cost of 26
approximately $360 million; and 27

2 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4

WHEREAS, Children, through no fault of their own, may be removed by court order 1
from their biological parents due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect; and 2

WHEREAS, Guardians must meet high standards of responsibility, maturity, 3
health, patience, and understanding, be at least 21 years of age, complete background and 4
medical clearances, training, and a home study appro val process, manage their personal 5
and household financial needs, have independent means of support, and be able to meet 6
the medical, educational, and emotional needs of a child, while also maintaining housing 7
that passes health and fire inspections; and 8

WHEREAS, The Social Services Administration has repeatedly been found lacking 9
in accountability and compliance, thereby neglecting the health and safety of children 10
under guardianship; and 11

WHEREAS, The Office of Legislative Audits in the Department of Legislative 12
Services has determined that the Social Services Administration failed to ensure that foster 13
children received required medical and dental exams, failed to conduct timely abuse and 14
neglect investigations, failed to properly process eligibility redeterminations, failed to 15
pursue provider overpayments, and failed to ensure consistency in payments and work 16
agreements; and 17

WHEREAS, There remains a lack of quality assurance and effective oversight of local 18
departments of social services administering child welfare programs; and 19

WHEREAS, Children are the future of Maryland, and ensuring they live in safe, 20
stable, and dignified homes that support their physical, mental, and emotional 21
development is a shared responsibility of all Maryland communities; now, therefore, be it 22

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That Maryland 23
implores the Social Services Administration in the Department of Human Services to 24
strictly comply with State law and regulations to protect children in guardianship homes 25
from abuse or neglect, ensure facilities are properly certified, and implement audit 26
recommendations to safeguard the welfare of children placed in State guardianship; and be 27
it further 28

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be f orwarded by the Department of 29
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the President of the Senate of Maryland; 30
and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. 31