§ 5-1309
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/md/family-law/5-1309·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
§5–1309.
(a)The Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with an entity that has expertise in child welfare best practices to assist in the development and implementation of a local department self-assessment process to monitor the quality of:
(1)child welfare services provided by the local departments; and
(2)the management of the child welfare system by the Administration.
(b)A local department self-assessment shall be conducted every 3 years.
(c)In conducting the self-assessment, a local department shall be required to:
(1)incorporate the results from the outcome measures in §§ 5-1303 through 5-1306 of this subtitle;
(2)incorporate the results of the quality assessment of casework services in § 5-1308 of this subtitle; and
(3)consider the results of the case reviews conducted by the Citizens’ Review Board for Children.
(d)After a local department self-assessment is accepted by the Administration, the local departments shall develop a plan to:
(1)maintain performance that meets standards;
(2)strengthen areas needing improvement; and
(3)describe how areas needing improvement will be addressed and how improvements will be measured.
(e)The Secretary shall adopt regulations governing the local department self-assessment process, including:
(1)the development of quality assurance procedures;
(2)performance standards;
(3)the timing of the assessment;
(4)the scope of the assessment;
(5)the process by which the Administration may accept or reject the local assessment and the plan;
(6)the process by which the Administration shall monitor the implementation of the local plans described in subsection
(d)of this section; and
(7)the process by which the Administration shall use the assessments of the local departments to develop the statewide assessment under Title 45 § 1355.33(b) of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(1)The Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with an entity with expertise in child welfare best practices to collect and maintain information necessary to conduct a local department self–assessment and statewide assessment.
(2)Any unit of State government substantively involved with abused or neglected children may contribute information to the entity provided in paragraph
(1)of this subsection.