CHILDREN'S CABINET

[photo, 301 West Preston St., Baltimore, Maryland]

Chair: Rosemary King Johnston, Executive Director, Governor's Office for Children

Ex officio: T. Eloise Foster, Secretary of Budget & Management; Catherine A. Raggio, Secretary of Disabilities; Nancy S. Grasmick, Ph.D., State Superintendent of Schools; John M. Colmers, Secretary of Health & Mental Hygiene; Brenda Donald, Secretary of Human Resources; Donald W. DeVore, Secretary of Juvenile Services.

301 West Preston St., Baltimore, Maryland, March 2004. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

c/o Governor's Office for Children
301 West Preston St., Suite 1502, Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 767-4160; 1-877-MD YOUTH (639-6884) (toll free); fax: (410) 333-5248; tty: (410) 333-3098
web: www.ocyf.state.md.us

In 1987, Children's Cabinet was created by the Governor as the Subcabinet for Children and Youth. It became the Subcabinet for Children, Youth, and Families in 1990. Established by statute in 1993, the Subcabinet worked to improve the structure and organization of State services to children, youth, and families (Chapter 556, Acts of 1993). Authorization for the Subcabinet expired June 30, 2005, and in its place, the Governor authorized the Children's Cabinet in June 2005 (Executive Order 01.01.2005.34).

Seven ex officio members serve on the Children's Cabinet. The Executive Director of the Governor's Office for Children chairs the Cabinet. The Governor's Office for Children staffs the Cabinet (Executive Order 01.01.2005.34).

ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE CHILDREN'S CABINET
Staff: Christopher K. Marshburn (410) 767-6211; e-mail:

cmarshburn@goc.state.md.us

Chair: Rosemary King Johnston, Executive Director, Governor's Office for Children

Appointed by Governor: Hathaway C. Ferebee, 2006; James P. McComb, 2006; Sheryl D. Menendez, 2007; Robert A. Pitcher, 2007; Celia Serkin, 2007; C. Bennett Connelly, 2008; Jane M. Dawson, 2008; Pastor Leon Frison, 2008.

Appointed by Secretary of Human Resources: Timothy W. Griffith

Appointed by Chair, Maryland Youth Council: one vacancy

Ex officio: Catherine A. Raggio, Secretary of Disabilities; Brenda Donald, Secretary of Human Resources; Donald W. DeVore, Secretary of Juvenile Services; Nancy J. King, Senate Chair, & Anne R. Kaiser, House Chair, Joint Committee on Children, Youth, & Families.

The Advisory Council to the Children's Cabinet first was authorized in June 2005 as the Advisory Council for Children (Executive Order 01.01.2005.34; Executive Order 01.01.2006.03). The Advisory Council recommends to the Children's Cabinet ways for the State to meet the policy and program goals of its own programs for children and families, and how those programs can be coordinated with programs operated by local governments, local management boards, and private agencies.

In July 2006, the Advisory Council was established by statute under its present name and was further mandated to recommend how to create more capacity to serve youths in their communities; reduce reliance on institutions as a primary intervention for at-risk youth offenders; promote positive outcomes for youth; fund best practices to deter juvenile crime and delinquency; and reduce the disproportionate confinement of minorities (Chapter 445, Acts of 2006; Code Human Services Article, secs. 8-201 through 8-202).

MARYLAND YOUTH COUNCIL
Staff: Gregory D. Shupe (410) 767-6211; e-mail: gshupe@goc.state.md.us

Appointed by Executive Director, Governor's Office for Children, with Governor's approval:
Vacancy, Chair (chosen by Executive Director, Governor's Office for Children, with Governor's approval)
Azam Ansari; Peter Bachman; Christopher Bohle; Jaquit Byrd; Jaron Byrd; Andy Coates; LaToya Coverdale; Nikki Duong; Sara Fisher; Brittany Goings-Davis; Sache Jones; Jalecia King; Dominique Kunciw; Shakeara Lynch; Lindsay McAndrew; Tommy Murray; Stephen Nytrai; Sarah Porter; Meladeh Rabie; Krystal Ray; Sophia Morgan Reaves; Matthew Redmond; Richard Robinson; Shalita Robinson; John Scott; Thomas Senecal; Abby Sherwood; Christopher Tomlinson; Jackie Wengel.

The Maryland Youth Council was authorized in October 2006 (Executive Order 01.01.2006.10). The Council meets four times annually to discuss youth issues and formulate its recommendations to the Governor on Maryland's Three-Year Children's Plan.

With the Governor's approval, the Executive Director appoints up to 24 youth (ages 13 to 19) to two-year terms.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT & LICENSING COMMITTEE
Staff: Shelley L. Tinney (410) 767-2547; e-mail: stinney@goc.state.md.us

Appointed by Children's Cabinet Results Team:
Vacancy, Co-Chair (chosen by Subcabinet)
Albert A. Zachik, M.D., Co-Chair (chosen by Subcabinet)
Marcia Andersen; Linda F. Bluth, Ed.D.; Nancy Boone; Deborah Cooper; William H. Dorrill; Arla Ely; Juanita Hoyle; William Lee; James McComb; Steven D. Sorin; Ertha Sterling; Shelley L. Tinney; William Towey; Beverly Ursic; Gwen Winston.

The Resource Development and Licensing Committee began as two separate entities, the Licensing Policy Board and the Resource Development Committee, both created by the Subcabinet for Children, Youth, and Families in 1991. They consolidated under their current name in 1998. The Committee's goal is to provide a complete system of services for children that ensures their safety and assists their families, preferably without removing them from their homes. The Committee focuses on the coordination of the licensing and monitoring process for group homes licensed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Human Resources, and the Department of Juvenile Services.

When children have been committed to the care of a local department of social services or through the courts, to the Department of Juvenile Justice, they require a variety of services. Children placed in residential programs also have special social, educational, developmental or medical needs. The Committee identifies what services children might require and determines how the State can best provide those services. Assistance may include prenatal care, parenting education, medical care, family and individual counseling, mentoring, tutoring, dropout intervention, and recreation and enrichment. It also may address problems of substance abuse, domestic violence, and poverty.

STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION & CARE
Staff: Patricia A. Foerster (410) 974-2597; e-mail: pfoerster@gov.state.md.us

Vacancy, Chair (chosen by Governor)

Appointed by Governor to 4-year terms: not yet appointed

Ex officio: Nancy S. Grasmick, Ph.D., State Superintendent of Schools; Rosemary King Johnston, Executive Director, Governor's Office for Children; Linda C. Zang, Director, Head Start Collaboration, State Department of Education.

To conform with federal law, the Early Care and Education Committee was restructured as the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care in July 2008 (Executive Order 01.01.2008.09). The Advisory Council coordinates Maryland's programs for early childhood care and education; conducts needs assessments for those programs; and develops a statewide strategic report.

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance