1. A. All agency employees shall meet the qualifications pursuant to this regulation and Regulations .09 and .13 of this chapter.
2. B. Specific Position Qualifications. The agency shall employ a chief administrator and a sufficient number of qualified employees to perform administrative, supervisory, placement, supportive, and professional services to meet the needs of the agency.

3. C. Qualifications of Specific Positions.

   1. (1) The Chief Administrator.

      1. (a) The chief administrator shall be a:

         1. (i) Maryland-licensed certified social worker;
         2. (ii) Maryland-licensed psychologist or physician practicing as a psychiatrist; or
         3. (iii) Member of the Maryland Bar if the agency provides only adoption services in compliance with COMAR 07.05.03 and this chapter.

      2. (b) The chief administrator shall:

         1. (i) Have 4 years direct experience in child welfare; and
         2. (ii) Be a full-time employee of the agency.

   2. (2) The director of child placement services shall:

      1. (a) Have a master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work;
      2. (b) Have at least 2 years experience in child placement; and
      3. (c) Be a Maryland-licensed social worker.

   3. (3) A child placement supervisor shall:

      1. (a) Have a master's degree from an accredited school of social work; and
      2. (b) Be a Maryland-licensed social worker.

   4. (4) A child placement worker employed by an agency with a license to provide treatment foster care placements or private adoptions shall:

      1. (a) Have a master’s degree from an accredited school of social work or a master's degree in counseling from an accredited school; or
      2. (b) Have a Bachelor’s of Social Work or Bachelor's of Family Science from an accredited school and be supervised by a Maryland-licensed master’s level social worker.

   5. (5) A child placement worker employed by an agency with a license to provide private foster care placements or independent living program placements shall:

      1. (a) Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school in an appropriate behavioral science, such as child development, sociology, psychology, counseling, nursing, criminology, juvenile justice, human growth and development, human services, mental health, or human resources management, that includes at least 30 credit hours in human services or human development; and
      2. (b) Be supervised by a Maryland-licensed master’s level social worker.

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)