Md. Code Regs. 07.02.11.23 – Procedures to be Followed when Abuse or Neglect is Suspected in an Out-of-Home Foster Care Placement.

A. Initial Action.
1. (1) The public or private child placement agency employee who receives a report, or makes a personal observation, of suspected abuse or neglect in an out-of-home foster care placement shall immediately:
  1. (a) Notify the following unit and staff of the local department in the jurisdiction in which the incident occurred:
    1. (i) Child welfare screening unit;
    2. (ii) The out-of-home placement caseworker or supervisor for each child in placement; and
    3. (iii) If applicable, the foster home caseworker or supervisor; and
  2. (b) Assess the level of safety for each child, and, if the child is not safe, remove the child and arrange for the child's protection and care.
2. (2) Within 5 working days, the local department shall provide notice of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response to the report, to the:
  1. (a) Administration;
  2. (b) Child's parents or legal guardian, unless:
    1. (i) The child sustained an injury in which case notification must be made within 24 hours of the report; or
    2. (ii) Notification to the parents or legal guardian is contrary to the child's best interest;
  3. (c) Child's attorney;
  4. (d) Caseworkers for other children living in the out-of-home foster care placement;
  5. (e) Parties permitted by State law to receive notification upon request; and
  6. (f) Department's Office of Licensing and Monitoring if the child resides in a:
    1. (i) Private agency foster home;
    2. (ii) Group home, including a shelter; or
    3. (iii) Residential treatment program.
B. Investigation.
1. (1) The local department's child welfare screening unit shall respond to the complaint of abuse or neglect as required by Family Law Article, Title 5, Subtitle 7, Annotated Code of Maryland, and COMAR 07.02.07, except that the investigator may not be the caseworker for any child in the out-of-home foster care placement.
2. (2) Additional children may not be placed in the home pending the outcome of the investigation and the decision by the local department director or designee as to the continued use of the home.
3. (3) The local department shall complete a preliminary reassessment of the home within 2 working days of the complaint to determine whether the home still meets the standards for a foster home pursuant to COMAR 07.02.25 or 07.05.02.
4. (4) If foster children remain in the home, the appropriate local department staff shall visit the foster home weekly until the local department director or designee renders a written decision as to the continued use of the home.
5. (5) The investigator, the caseworkers for the children in the out-of-home placement, and the foster home worker shall remain in close communication throughout the investigation.
C. Review of a Critical Incident in a Foster Home.
1. (1) Not later than 2 working days after the incident is reported, the local department shall, according to the Administration's Critical Incident Protocol, conduct a case conference which shall include the:
  1. (a) Child protective services caseworker;
  2. (b) Out-of-home placement caseworker and supervisor; and
  3. (c) Foster home and private agency caseworker, if applicable.
2. (2) After considering the information provided, the case staffing team shall produce recommendations regarding continued use of the foster home for the local department director or designee.
3. (3) Within 5 working days of receiving the recommendations, the local department director or designee shall render a written decision.
4. (4) A copy of the local department director or designee's decision shall be placed in the foster home record and the child's record.
D. Notification of Foster Home Disposition. Within 5 working days of the staffing review, the local department shall mail a copy of the local department director or designee's written decision to the:
1. (1) Foster parent;
2. (2) Administration;
3. (3) Private child placement agency, if applicable;
4. (4) Child's attorney; and
5. (5) Parties permitted by State law to receive notification upon request.
E. Notification of Investigation Disposition. Upon receipt of the disposition report for the investigation, the local department shall:
1. (1) Notify the:
  1. (a) Foster parent;
  2. (b) Child's parents, unless notification is contrary to the child's best interest;
  3. (c) Child's attorney; and
  4. (d) Parties permitted by State law to receive notification upon request; and
2. (2) Place a copy of the letters of notification in the child's record.

Authority: Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, §§3-801, 3-802, 3-815, 3-816.1, 3-817, 3-819.1, 3-819.2, 3-820, and 3-823;
Education Article, §§7-101(b) and 15-106.1; Family Law Article, §§5-501, 5-504, 5-524—5-534, 5-701, and 5-709;
Human Services Article, §9-101 et seq.; Annotated Code of Maryland
(Agency Note: Federal Regulatory Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§620 et seq., 670 et seq.; 45 CFR §205.10;
45 CFR §303.72; 45 CFR 1355—1357)

Effective date: February 1, 1973

Regulation .05, .06 amended effective January 8, 1975 (2:1 Md. R. 14)

Regulation .05D, .09 effective January 1, 1976 (3:13 Md. R. 718) as emergency; amended effective October 27, 1976 (3:22 Md. R. 1249)

Regulation .05F amended effective June 8, 1977 (4:12 Md. R. 946)

Regulation .07B amended effective January 5, 1977 (4:1 Md. R. 15)

Regulation .09 effective July 1, 1976 (3:18 Md. R. 980) as emergency; amended effective March 2, 1977 (4:25 Md. R. 372)

Regulation .09, schedules B-2 and B-3 amended effective May 11, 1977 (4:10 Md. R. 764)

Chapter revised effective February 10, 1978 (5:3 Md. R. 136) (Previous Regulations .01, .02, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07, .07D, and .08 renumbered as Regulations .04, .06, .07, .09, .10, .11, .13, .14, and .15 respectively. New Regulations .01, .02, .03, .05, .08, .12, .16, .17, and .18 adopted)

Regulation .01C adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 1982 (9:18 Md. R. 1795) adopted permanently effective December 20, 1982 (9:25 Md. R. 2477)

Regulations .01 and .02 amended effective July 4, 1983 (10:13 Md. R. 1179)

Regulation .07B amended as an emergency provision effective October 1, 1981 (8:21 Md. R. 1703); emergency status extended at 8:24 Md. R. 1934, 8:25 Md. R. 1992, 9:2 Md. R. 110, and 9:6 Md. R. 611; adopted permanently effective March 1, 1982 (9:4 Md. R. 328)

Regulation .08B amended effective July 1, 1985 (12:13 Md. R. 1278)

Regulation .09-1 adopted effective April 22, 1985 (12:8 Md. R. 800)

Regulation .10B amended effective May 19, 1978 (5:10 Md. R. 777); March 23, 1979 (6:6 Md. R. 510); January 2, 1983 (9:26 Md. R. 2571)

Regulation .10C amended effective March 23, 1979 (6:6 Md. R. 510); October 5, 1979 (6:20 Md. R. 1628)

Regulation .10G amended effective July 27, 1979 (6:15 Md. R. 1270)

Regulation .10A—D amended effective July 1, 1985 (12:13 Md. R. 1278)

Regulation .11C amended effective July 1, 1985 (12:13 Md. R. 1278)

Regulation .13F amended effective July 1, 1985 (12:13 Md. R. 1278)

Regulation .18-1 adopted effective October 6, 1986 (13:20 Md. R. 2208)

Regulation .19 amended effective November 18, 1977 (4:24 Md. R. 1805); May 19, 1978 (5:10 Md. R. 777); June 2, 1978 (5:11 Md. R. 883); August 25, 1978 (5:17 Md. R. 1326); March 23, 1979 (6:6 Md. R. 510); July 27, 1979 (6:15 Md. R. 1270); October 5, 1979 (6:20 Md. R. 1628); September 5, 1980 (7:18 Md. R. 1739); May 24, 1982 (9:10 Md. R. 1018); January 2, 1983 (9:26 Md. R. 2571); February 13, 1984 (11:3 Md. R. 198); July 1, 1985 (12:13 Md. R. 1278); January 13, 1986 (13:1 Md. R. 15); December 15, 1986 (13:25 Md. R. 2657); May 30, 1988 (15:11 Md. R. 1330); February 6, 1989 (16:2 Md. R. 158)

Regulations .01—.19 repealed and new Regulations .01—.34 adopted as an emergency provision effective February 1, 1989 (16:4 Md. R. 487); emergency status extended at 16:12 Md. R. 1331, 16:21 Md. R. 2254, and 17:8 Md. R. 967; emergency status expired June 30, 1990

Regulations .01—.19 repealed and new Regulations .01—.34 adopted as an emergency provision effective July 17, 1990 (17:16 Md. R. 1984); adopted permanently effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2904)

Regulation .03B amended effective October 19, 1998 (25:21 Md. R. 1572)

Regulation .13A amended effective November 7, 1994 (21:22 Md. R. 1874)

Regulation .30-1 adopted effective October 19, 1998 (25:21 Md. R. 1572)

Regulation .32 amended effective August 24, 1998 (25:17 Md. R. 1359)

Regulation .34 amended effective February 3, 1992 (19:2 Md. R. 152)

Chapter revised effective February 7, 2000 (27:2 Md. R. 143)

Regulation .03B amended effective August 7, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1400)

Regulation .13A amended as an emergency provision effective April 1, 2000 (27:8 Md. R. 794); emergency status expired September 30, 2000

Regulation .13A amended effective August 7, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1400)

Regulation .21A amended effective August 7, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1400)

Regulation .21A amended as an emergency provision effective April 1, 2000 (27:8 Md. R. 794); emergency status expired September 30, 2000

Regulation .32A amended effective August 7, 2000 (27:15 Md. R. 1400)

Chapter revised effective November 30, 2009 (36:24 Md. R. 1856)

Regulation .02C amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .03B amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140); May 12, 2014 (41:9 Md. R. 519); August 17, 2015 (42:16 Md. R. 1054); May 22, 2017 (44:10 Md. R. 470)

Regulation .04 amended effective August 17, 2015 (42:16 Md. R. 1054)

Regulation .04B amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .05C amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140); August 17, 2015 (42:16 Md. R. 1054); May 22, 2017 (44:10 Md. R. 470)

Regulation .06 amended effective May 12, 2014 (41:9 Md. R. 519)

Regulation .06B amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .07F adopted effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .08I, Z amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .08K, P amended effective November 15, 2021 (48:23 Md. R. 979)

Regulation .11H amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .12 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1341); September 7, 2020 (47:18 Md. R. 824)

Regulation .12B amended effective August 17, 2015 (42:16 Md. R. 1054)

Regulation .12J, K amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .12K amended effective November 11, 2013 (40:22 Md. R. 1876)

Regulation .13 amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .15 amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .16 amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .16A, B amended effective May 22, 2017 (44:10 Md. R. 470)

Regulation .16-1 adopted effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .17 amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .21 amended effective May 12, 2014 (41:9 Md. R. 519)

Regulation .25G amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .29M amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .30 amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)

Regulation .39A amended effective February 6, 2012 (39:2 Md. R. 140)