![[photo, Dept. of Social Services, 299 Commerce St., Snow Hill, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/36loc/wo/images/i005534b.jpg)
Four senior centers are operated by the Commission at Berlin, Ocean City, Pocomoke, and Snow Hill. The oldest of these opened in Snow Hill in 1972, followed by the Pocomoke Center, and in 1982 by the center at Berlin, and in 1991 the Ocean City center.
The Commission also is responsible for the Maintaining Active Citizens (MAC) Program, and Adult Medical Day Services. In July 1990, the Commission with the County Health Department jointly established the Brick Haven Adult Medical Day Center in Snow Hill.
Funds for local programs to serve the elderly are provided by the federal Older Americans Act (Title III), the federal Food and Agriculture Act (sec. 700), and State general funds. The Commission also receives local funds, private donations, and contributions from program participants.
Department of Social Services, 299 Commerce St., Snow Hill, Maryland, August 2000. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
With the approval of the Secretary of Human Services and the advice of the Worcester County Social Services Board, the Board of County Commissioners appoints the Director (Code Human Services Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-303).
On a regular schedule, the Board reviews each guardianship that a public agency holds, and makes recommendations on whether to continue, modify, or end the guardianship.
The Board's eleven members are appointed to three-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners (Code Family Law Article, secs. 14-401 through 14-404).
CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD FOR CHILDREN
The Citizen Review Board for Children reviews cases of children in foster care to evaluate what progress has been made towards their permanent placement. Cases are reviewed in accordance with priorities established by the Worcester County Department of Social Services and the State Citizens Review Board for Children and contained in a memorandum of agreement. For each child reviewed, a recommendation is sent to the County Department of Social Services and the local juvenile court. With concurrence of the Social Services Administration, the State Board may establish categories of foster children for whom a satisfactory permanent arrangement has been made and who may be exempt from local review.
Each local review board has seven members. They are appointed by the Governor to four-year terms (Code Family Law Article, secs. 5-540 through 5-547)
SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD
Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Board's nine-members serve three-year terms (Code Human Services Article, secs. 3-501 through 3-503).
In 1978, the Citizen Review Board for Children originated as the Foster Care Review Board (Chapter 980, Acts of 1978). The Board reformed under its present name in 1999 (Chapter 355, Acts of 1999).
Until the Great Depression, public assistance and welfare functions of the Social Services Board were administered by the Board of County Commissioners. Under the Board of State Aid and Charities, the Welfare Board assumed those duties in 1933 and became the local agency to direct public relief (Chapter 222, Acts of 1933). The Board also began to certify eligible persons for employment in the federal Works Progress Administration, the Public Works Administration, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (Chapter 586, Acts of 1935). When the State Department of Public Welfare replaced the Board of State Aid and Charities in 1939, the Welfare Board was overseen by the State Department (Chapter 99, Acts of 1939). The Board reformed in 1967 with many of its administrative duties transferred to the County Department of Public Welfare (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967). In 1968, the Board was renamed as the Social Services Board under the Worcester County Department of Social Services (Chapter 148, Acts of 1967; Chapter 702, Acts of 1968).
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