1. A. Agency Emergencies.

   1. (1) The agency shall maintain and make available to OLM a written plan detailing employee responsibilities for all emergencies that may affect the:

      1. (a) Agency operation; or
      2. (b) Health, safety, and well-being of children in its care or receiving adoption services.

   2. (2) The agency shall immediately notify the Administration and OLM by phone and email of the following emergencies:

      1. (a) Death of a child in it’s care or receiving adoption services;
      2. (b) Accident, assault, illness, or psychiatric episode of a child in its care or receiving adoption services that requires hospitalization or emergency medical care;
      3. (c) Suspected incident of child abuse or neglect involving a child in its care or receiving adoption services;
      4. (d) Illegal activity leading to the incarceration of a child, parent, foster parent, guardian, or adoptive parent; or
      5. (e) Other occurrences which may affect the health, safety, or well-being of children in care or receiving adoption services.

2. B. Administrative File. The agency shall maintain and, when requested, furnish to OLM the following information and documents appropriate for the type of license issued:

   1. (1) The charter, articles of incorporation, and bylaws;
   2. (2) Structure and composition of the governing board with names, addresses, phone numbers, terms of membership, and names and terms of officers;
   3. (3) Organizational chart of the agency showing functions and names of the current employees;
   4. (4) Names and positions of individuals authorized to sign agreements and to submit official documentation to the Administration and OLM;
   5. (5) Verification of the agency's insurance coverage;
   6. (6) Procedures for notifying appropriate parties of changes in the agency's policy, programs, chief administrator, or other factors affecting services or licensure;
   7. (7) Statement of compliance with nondiscrimination according to COMAR 07.01.03;
   8. (8) Operating budget for the current fiscal year and the independent certified audit or audit review report of the preceding year;
   9. (9) List of employees with position, titles, and qualifications;
   10. (10) Personnel policies and procedures, including definitions of jobs, qualifications, salaries, work hours, vacation and sick leave, and termination and grievance procedures;
   11. (11) Verification of compliance with unemployment and workers' compensation laws;
   12. (12) Written policy describing internal grievance procedures for service applicants, adoptees, adoptive parents, and foster parents;
   13. (13) Child management and discipline plan;
   14. (14) Current copies of agency publicity and brochures;
   15. (15) Child abuse and neglect policy and documentation of the required criminal background checks and child abuse clearances as required in Regulation .09 of this chapter;
   16. (16) Plans for recruitment of foster and adoptive parents as required in COMAR 07.05.02.04 and 07.05.03.08;
   17. (17) Plans for employee orientation and continuing training as required in Regulation .16 of this chapter;
   18. (18) Agency's plan for emergencies as required in §A of this regulation;
   19. (19) Foster parent data as required in COMAR 07.05.02.18G;
   20. (20) Adoption data as required in COMAR 07.05.03.20C;

   21. (21) Agency’s annual written self-evaluation, which includes:

       1. (a) An analysis of program effectiveness in relation to stated purposes and goals of the program;
       2. (b) Staffing patterns, average caseload size, and the agency's evaluation of them,
       3. (c) Staff turnover rate; and
       4. (d) Plans for remedying identified weaknesses in the program; and
   22. (22) Additional items that may be required by the Administration.

Authority: Human Services Article, §2-209 Annotated Code of Maryland
Agency Note: Federal Regulatory Reference: 42 U.S.C. §621 et seq.; 45 CFR 1355—1357

Effective date: January 12, 2001 (27:26 Md. R. 2357)

Regulation .14C amended as an emergency action effective July 1, 2023 (50:15 Md. R. 679); emergency status expired December 28, 2023

Chapter revised effective April 14, 2025 (52:7 Md. R. 321)

Regulation .02B amended effective February 2, 2026 (53:2 Md. R. 61)

Regulation .09 amended effective February 2, 2026 (53:2 Md. R. 61)

Regulation .14A amended effective February 2, 2026 (53:2 Md. R. 61)

Regulation .17 amended effective February 2, 2026 (53:2 Md. R. 61)