EXECUTIVE ORDER 01.01.2024.05
(Rescinds Executive Order 01.01.2020.01)
Establishing the Governor’s Office for Children and the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy
A. In this Executive Order, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(1) “Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.
(2) “Fund” means the Children’s Cabinet Interagency Fund.
(3) “Plan” means the three-year plan prepared and annually updated by the Children’s Cabinet.
(4) “Special Secretary” means the Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children.
B. Governor’s Office for Children
(1) The Governor's Office for Children is hereby established as a separate unit within the Executive Department to provide a coordinated, comprehensive, interagency approach to promoting the well-being of children and families through a network of supports, programs and services that is family and child-oriented and reducing the number of children living in poverty.
(2) Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children.
(a) The Governor’s Office for Children shall be managed by the Special Secretary who:
(i) Is responsible for the daily operation and administration of the Governor’s Office for Children;
(ii) Chairs the Children's Cabinet, leading interagency processes to develop and implement coordinated State policies and programs designed to improve the well-being of children and families; and
(iii) Is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
(b) The Special Secretary shall:
(i) Advise the Governor on policies related to the well-being of children and families, including economic mobility;
(ii) Represent the Governor on boards, commissions, and councils as directed by the Governor or as required by law;
(iii) Promote values, policies and practices that continually advance the well-being of Maryland's children and families; and
(iv) Leverage federal initiatives and programs to support Maryland’s children and families.
(3) Staffing. The Governor's Office for Children shall be composed of professional staff appointed by the Special Secretary and by professional staff liaisons from State agencies.
(4) Duties. The Office shall:
(a) Inform and support the work of the Children’s Cabinet;
(b) Promote values, policies and practices that continually advance the well-being of Maryland’s children and families;
(c) Partner with local management boards to plan, coordinate, and monitor the delivery of integrated services along the full continuum of care and oversee the use of Children’s Cabinet Interagency funds in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Children’s Cabinet; and
(d) Assist the Children’s Cabinet in the allocation of any funds assigned to the Children’s Cabinet for distribution as grants to any State agency, local government or organization, local management board or private organization.
(5) All State departments, agencies, commissions, and boards are authorized and directed to cooperate with the Governor’s Office for Children in implementing the provisions of this Executive Order.
C. There is a Children’s Cabinet administered by the Governor’s Office for Children.
(1) Membership and Procedures.
(a) The Children’s Cabinet shall consist of:
(i) The Secretary of Budget and Management;
(ii) The Secretary of Disabilities;
(iii) The Secretary of Health;
(iv) The Secretary of Human Services;
(v) The Secretary of Juvenile Services;
(vi) The State Superintendent of Schools;
(vii) The Secretary of Higher Education;
(viii) The Secretary of Labor;
(ix) The Secretary of Housing and Community Development;
(x) The Secretary of Service and Civic Innovation; and
(xi) The Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children.
(b) The Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children shall serve as Chairperson and be responsible for the administration and operation of the Children’s Cabinet.
(c) The Children’s Cabinet shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, no less than six times per year.
(d) The Governor’s Office for Children shall staff the Children’s Cabinet as necessary.
(2) Duties and Responsibilities. The Children’s Cabinet shall:
(a) Promote the vision of the State for a stable, safe, and healthy environment for children and families, including by:
(i)
Coordinating policies and programs targeting child poverty, including place-based strategies designed to provide
“cradle to career” access to high quality education and care; connect workers to high quality jobs; enable family-sustaining income and access to affordable high quality housing, child care and health care, including reproductive, maternal, behavioral and mental health care; and increase community health and safety;
(ii) Developing a cross-agency strategy to increase access to and improve the delivery of services through federal and State programs designed to support children and families, including income supports, nutrition, housing, child care and health care programs, including mental, maternal, and infant health, and substance use programs;
(iii) Working with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Accountability and Implementation Board to ensure successful implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future;
(iv) Developing a cross-agency strategy for educator preparation programs to recruit, train, and support high quality educators;
(v) Developing a cross-agency strategy to increase access to and improve early care and education;
(vi) Developing a cross-agency strategy to increase access to and completion of high quality education and training programs that lead to good jobs;
(vii) Working with the Departments of Disabilities, Juvenile Services, Human Services, State Department of Education, and the Higher Education Commission to ensure aligned support for students with disabilities, and justice and welfare system-involved youth; and
(viii) Working with the Departments of Health and Human Services to expand access to high quality maternal, infant, and child health care.
(b) Provide a regular forum for State agencies responsible for implementing the vision of the State to meet and develop coordinated policy recommendations for the Governor; and
(c) Prepare and annually update a three-year Plan that:
(i) Establishes priorities and strategies for the coordinated delivery of State interagency services to children and families;
(ii) Includes best practices for implementation of systems of care that are child centered and family focused, based on individual strengths and needs; and
(iii) Is coordinated with any other approved State plans relating to services for children and families.
(3) Reports. The Children’s Cabinet shall submit the three-year Plan to the Governor on or before December 1, 2024.
D. The Children’s Cabinet Interagency Fund
(1) The Children’s Cabinet may accept federal grants or allocations for the benefit of and to be appropriated, transferred, credited, or paid into the Fund.
(2) The Children’s Cabinet shall review and approve applications for grants from the Fund.
(3) Disbursements from the Fund shall:
(a) Be made to local subdivisions that have local management boards;
(b) Be made to organizations that support and enhance the work of the Children’s Cabinet; and
(c) Reflect the priorities set forth in the 3-year Plan.
(4) The Children’s Cabinet shall ensure that all programs funded by the Fund are implemented in accordance with the three-year Plan and policies and procedures adopted pursuant to this Executive Order.
E. Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy
(1) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy is hereby established as a separate unit within the Executive Department.
(2) Executive Director.
(a) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall be managed by an Executive Director who:
(i) Is responsible for the daily operation and administration of the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy; and
(ii) Is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
(b) The Executive Director shall:
(i) Advise the Governor on crime prevention and victim services;
(ii) Represent the Governor on boards, commissions, and councils as directed by the Governor or as required by law;
(iii) To promote public safety, crime prevention, and victim services within Maryland, coordinate interagency activities throughout the State and with:
1. Local and federal governments;
2. Local, regional, and federal counterpart organizations;
3. Private nonprofit organizations; and
4. The public;
(iv) Ensure that the State is a full and active partner in federal and State crime control and prevention and victim services grants and programs; and
(v) Leverage federal initiatives and innovations to support Maryland’s public safety, crime prevention and victim services policies.
(3) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall be composed of professional staff appointed by the Executive Director and as provided for in the State budget.
(4) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall:
(a) Direct and coordinate:
(i) Interagency and intergovernmental public safety, crime prevention, and victim services policies and programs within the State, paying special attention to key linkages between federal, State, regional, subdivision, and local activities; and
(ii) The application, allocation, and use of federal and State funds designated for services to law enforcement, victims and witnesses of crimes, and facilitate the delivery of such services;
(b) Advise and provide recommendations to the Governor:
(i) About policies, strategies, legislation, budgets, and measures to improve public safety, crime prevention, and victim services within the State; and
(ii) To streamline existing committees, commissions, agencies, or departments to prevent redundancy or enhance efficiency;
(c) With the cooperation and collaboration of appropriate State units, prepare a three-year Comprehensive State Crime Prevention Plan, which shall be:
(i) Submitted to the Governor by December 1, 2024; and
(ii) Annually updated;
(d) Serve as the State unit:
(i) Designated as the state administering agency for the United States Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services in the application for, and administration of, federal and State funds for public safety, crime prevention, and victim services programs; and
(ii) Administratively responsible for the preparation, management, and reporting functions with respect to the State plan required by the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act;
(e) Assign staff to Maryland’s Juvenile Grant Planning and Review Council as the designated juvenile justice specialist required by federal law and regulations to perform functions that ensure compliance with federal standards for detention of juveniles in secure detention facilities or correctional facilities;
(f) Provide technical assistance for the public safety and crime prevention activities and programs of State and local units of government, private nonprofit organizations, and local communities;
(g) Encourage coordinated local crime prevention plans; and
(h) Perform such additional duties as may be assigned by the Governor.
F. Maryland Statistical Analysis Center.
(1) There is a Maryland Statistical Analysis Center within the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.
(2) The Maryland Statistical Analysis Center shall:
(a) In regards to State and local data on public safety, crime control and prevention, and victim services:
(i) Coordinate its collection and analysis with State and local units of government;
(ii) Ensure its timeliness and accuracy;
(iii) Interpret and utilize such data; and
(iv) Provide and coordinate its sharing with the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics and other units of federal and state governments;
(b) Produce statistical reports on public safety, crime prevention, and victim services;
(c) Coordinate, and provide to State and local agencies:
(i) Research, technical assistance, and statistics about public safety, crime prevention, and victim services; and
(ii) Appropriate access to federal resources with statistical information about public safety, crime control and prevention, and victim services;
(d) Promote the development of systems that track statistics for public safety, crime prevention, and victim services in Maryland;
(e) Serve as an information center and repository for data and documents about public safety, crime prevention, and victim services programs;
(f) Provide support to the Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board; and
(g) Perform such additional duties as may be assigned by the Governor.
G. Except as otherwise provided by law or this Executive Order, all existing policies and procedures, contracts, property, and other duties and responsibilities associated with the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services established under Executive Order 01.01.2020.01, shall continue in effect under the renamed Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, the reestablished Governor’s Office for Children, and the Children’s Cabinet, respectively, unless completed, withdrawn, canceled, or modified or otherwise changed pursuant to law.
H. In any other Executive Order:
(1) “Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention” means the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy;
(2) “Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy;
(3) “Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victims Services” means the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy;
(4) “Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victims Services” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy; and
(5) “Executive Director of the Governor’s Office for Children” means the Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children;
I. All units of the State subject to the control and direction of the Governor are authorized and directed to cooperate with, and provide such data and other information as may be allowed by law, to the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy and the Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office for Children for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Executive Order.
J. This Executive Order may not be construed to alter the designation of, or grant authority to, any unit of State or local government for the purposes of federal law.
K. If any provision of this Executive Order or its application to any person, entity, or circumstance is held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, all other provisions or applications of the Executive Order shall remain in effect to the extent possible without the invalid provision or application. To achieve this purpose, the provisions of this Executive Order are severable.
Effective Date: January 18, 2024.
