Md. Code, Human Services § 9-238.1

§9–238.1.

(a) The Department shall serve children in the juvenile services system with programming that:

(1) ensures the safety of the community and the children served;

(2) holds delinquent children accountable to victims and communities;

(3) assists children to develop competencies to become successful members of society;

(4) delivers services on a regional basis through at least four operational regions;

(5) (i) ensures that each committed facility owned by the Department serves no more than 48 children at one time; and

(ii) ensures that each committed facility licensed by the Department serves no more than 48 children at one time, unless the Secretary finds good cause for a committed facility licensed by the Department to serve more than 48 children at one time;

(6) uses detention and committed facilities that are operationally separate from each other and that do not share common program space, including dining halls and educational or recreational facilities; and

(7) provides females with a range and quality of services and programs to meet their specific needs, including:

(i) diversion programs;

(ii) community detention services and programs; and

(iii) reentry services and programs.

(b) A region shall:

(1) include at least one secure facility used solely for children pending court disposition and children awaiting placement after disposition;

(2) except for specialized services as provided in subsection (c) of this section, include a number of committed facilities estimated to be necessary to diagnose, care for, train, educate, and properly rehabilitate every child from the region in the custody of the Department; and

(3) include a nonpublic facility only if the Department determines that the facility:

(i) has provided or will efficiently and effectively provide adequate care for the children placed in the facility; and

(ii) has demonstrated or will demonstrate a record of success based on standards promulgated by the Department.

(c) The Department may place a child into a committed facility outside the child’s region if a determination is made by the Department that specialized services for the child require the placement in the best interests of the child.