reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-611 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 6 - Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children|Section 5-611 - Liberal Construction; Severability

    The provisions of this compact shall be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes thereof. The provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party state or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any state party thereto, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-702 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-702 - Legislative Policy

    The purpose of this subtitle is to protect children who have been the subject of abuse or neglect by:         (1)    mandating the reporting of any suspected abuse or neglect;        (2)    giving immunity to any individual who reports, in good faith, a suspected incident of abuse or neglect;        (3)    requiring prompt investigation of each reported suspected incident of abuse or neglect;        (4)    causing immediate, cooperative efforts by the responsible agencies on behalf of children who have been the subject of reports of abuse or neglect; and        (5)    requiring each local department to give the appropriate service in the best interest of the abused or neglected child.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-703 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-703 - Scope and Applicability of Subtitle

    (a)    The provisions of this subtitle are in addition to and not in substitution for the provisions of Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the Courts Article.    (b)    Except as otherwise provided in § 5–705.1 of this subtitle, the provisions of this subtitle apply only to:        (1)    suspected abuse or neglect that is alleged to have occurred in this State; and        (2)    suspected abuse or neglect of a child who lives in this State, regardless of where the suspected abuse or neglect is alleged to have occurred.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-704 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-704 - Reporting of Abuse or Neglect -- by Health Practitioner, Police Officer, Educator, or Human Service Worker

    (a)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including any law on privileged communications, each health practitioner, police officer, educator, or human service worker, acting in a professional capacity in this State:        (1)    who has reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect, shall notify the local department or the appropriate law enforcement agency; and        (2)    if acting as a staff member of a hospital, public health agency, child care institution, juvenile detention center, school, or similar institution, shall immediately notify and give all information required by this section to the head of the institution or the designee of the head.    (b)    (1)    An individual who notifies the appropriate authorities under subsection (a) of this section shall make:            (i)    an oral report, by telephone or direct communication, as soon as possible to the local department or appropriate law enforcement agency; and            (ii)    a written report:                1.    to the local department not later than 48 hours after the contact, examination, attention, or treatment that caused the individual to believe that the child had been subjected to abuse or neglect; and                2.    with a copy to the local State’s Attorney.        (2)    (i)    An agency to which an oral report of suspected abuse or neglect is made under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall immediately notify the other agency.            (ii)    This paragraph does not prohibit a local department and an appropriate law enforcement agency from agreeing to cooperative arrangements.    (c)    Insofar as is reasonably possible, an individual who makes a report under this section shall include in the report the following information:        (1)    the name, age, and home address of the child;        (2)    the name and home address of the child’s parent or other person who is responsible for the child’s care;        (3)    the whereabouts of the child;        (4)    the nature and extent of the abuse or neglect of the child, including any evidence or information available to the reporter concerning possible previous instances of abuse or neglect; and        (5)    any other information that would help to determine:            (i)    the cause of the suspected abuse or neglect; and            (ii)    the identity of any individual responsible for the abuse or neglect.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-704.1 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-704.1 - Reporting of Children Living With or in Regular Presence of Registered Child Sex Offender

    (a)    An individual may notify the local department or the appropriate law enforcement agency if the individual has reason to believe that a parent, guardian, or caregiver of a child allows the child to reside with or be in the regular presence of an individual, other than the child’s parent or guardian, who:        (1)    is registered under Title 11, Subtitle 7 of the Criminal Procedure Article based on the commission of an offense against a child; and        (2)    based on additional information, poses a substantial risk of sexual abuse to the child.    (b)    (1)    A report under subsection (a) of this section may be oral or in writing.        (2)    If acting as a staff member of a hospital, public health agency, child care institution, juvenile detention center, school, or similar institution, an individual who notifies the appropriate authorities under subsection (a) of this section immediately shall notify and give all of the information required by this section to the head of the institution or the designee of the head of the institution.    (c)    To the extent reasonably possible, an individual who makes a report under this section shall include in the report the following information:        (1)    the name, age, and home address of the child;        (2)    the name and home address of the child’s parent or other person who is responsible for the child’s care;        (3)    the whereabouts of the child;        (4)    the nature and extent of the substantial risk of sexual abuse of the child, including any evidence or information available to the reporter concerning possible previous instances of sexual abuse; and        (5)    any other information that would help to determine:            (i)    the cause of the substantial risk of sexual abuse; and            (ii)    the identity of any individual responsible for the substantial risk of sexual abuse.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-704.3 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-704.3 - Referral of Child Who Is a Suspected Victim of Sex Trafficking

    A local department that receives a report of suspected abuse or neglect under this subtitle involving a child who is a suspected victim of sex trafficking shall refer the child to any appropriate regional navigator, as defined in § 5–704.4 of this subtitle, for the jurisdiction where the trafficking occurred or where the child is a resident for services.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-705 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-705 - Reporting of Abuse or Neglect -- by Other Persons

    (a)    (1)    Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, notwithstanding any other provision of law, including a law on privileged communications, a person in this State other than a health practitioner, police officer, or educator or human service worker who has reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect shall notify the local department or the appropriate law enforcement agency.        (2)    A person is not required to provide notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection:            (i)    in violation of the privilege described under § 9–108 of the Courts Article;            (ii)    if the notice would disclose matter communicated in confidence by a client to the client’s attorney or other information relating to the representation of the client; or            (iii)    in violation of any constitutional right to assistance of counsel.        (3)    A minister of the gospel, clergyman, or priest of an established church of any denomination is not required to provide notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection if the notice would disclose matter in relation to any communication described in § 9–111 of the Courts Article and:            (i)    the communication was made to the minister, clergyman, or priest in a professional character in the course of discipline enjoined by the church to which the minister, clergyman, or priest belongs; and            (ii)    the minister, clergyman, or priest is bound to maintain the confidentiality of that communication under canon law, church doctrine, or practice.    (b)    (1)    An agency to which a report of suspected abuse or neglect is made under subsection (a) of this section shall immediately notify the other agency.        (2)    This subsection does not prohibit a local department and an appropriate law enforcement agency from agreeing to cooperative arrangements.    (c)    A report made under subsection (a) of this section may be oral or in writing.    (d)    (1)    To the extent possible, a report made under subsection (a) of this section shall include the information required by § 5–704(c) of this subtitle.        (2)    A report made under subsection (a) of this section shall be regarded as a report within the provisions of this subtitle, whether or not the report contains all of the information required by § 5–704(c) of this subtitle.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-705.1 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-705.1 - Reporting of Abuse or Neglect -- to Local Department of Social Services

      (a)      In this section, “local department” means a department of social services for a county in this State.      (b)      The following provisions of this subtitle shall apply to the reporting of suspected abuse or neglect under this section:          (1)      except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the definitions set forth in § 5-701 of this subtitle;          (2)      the provisions relating to the confidentiality of reports specified in § 5-707(a)(1) and (2) of this subtitle; and          (3)      the provisions relating to immunity from civil liability or criminal penalty specified in § 5-708 of this subtitle.      (c)      (1)      If suspected abuse or neglect is alleged to have occurred outside of this State and the victim is currently a child who lives outside of this State, a person who would be required to report suspected abuse or neglect under the provisions of § 5-704 or § 5-705 of this subtitle shall report the suspected abuse or neglect to any local department in accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection.          (2)      A person described in § 5-704 of this subtitle shall make:              (i)      an oral report, by telephone or direct communication, as soon as possible; and              (ii)      a written report not later than 48 hours after the contact, examination, attention, or treatment that caused the person to believe that the child had been subjected to abuse or neglect.          (3)      A person described in § 5-705 of this subtitle shall make an oral or a written report.          (4)      To the extent possible, a report under this subsection shall include the information specified in § 5-704(c) of this subtitle.      (d)      Promptly after receiving a report of suspected abuse or neglect under this section, the local department shall forward the report to the appropriate agency outside of this State that is authorized to receive and investigate reports of suspected abuse or neglect.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-705.2 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-705.2 - Preventing or Interfering With Report of Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect Prohibited

    (a)    An individual may not intentionally prevent or interfere with the making of a report of suspected abuse or neglect required by § 5–704 or § 5–705.1(c)(2) of this subtitle.    (b)    A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-705.3 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-705.3 - Notifications Where Report Concerns Family Child Care Home, Large Family Child Care Home, or Child Care Center

    In addition to any other provision of law relating to child abuse and neglect, a local department that receives a report of suspected child abuse under § 5–704 or § 5–705 of this subtitle shall notify the State Superintendent of Schools’ designee within 48 hours if the report concerns:        (1)    a family child care home or large family child care home; or        (2)    a child care center.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-705.4 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-705.4 - Failure to Report Suspected Abuse or Neglect

    If an agency participating in an investigation under § 5–706 of this subtitle has substantial grounds to believe that a person has knowingly failed to report suspected abuse or neglect as required by § 5–704 of this subtitle, the agency shall:        (1)    file a complaint with the appropriate licensing board in accordance with the provisions of the Health Occupations Article if the person is a health practitioner;        (2)    file a complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency if the person is a police officer; or        (3)    file a complaint with the county board of education or the appropriate agency, institution, or licensed facility at which the person is employed if the person is an educator or a human service worker.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-706.2 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-706.2 - Reporting That Child Is at Substantial Risk of Sexual Abuse

    (a)    (1)    A local department or a law enforcement agency may receive a report under § 5–704.1 of this subtitle that a child is at substantial risk of sexual abuse.        (2)    If a law enforcement agency receives the report, the law enforcement agency shall immediately refer the report to the local department.        (3)    The Secretary of Human Services shall adopt regulations governing:            (i)    how staff in a local department should elicit information when receiving a report under § 5–704.1 of this subtitle; and            (ii)    the definition of substantial risk of sexual abuse as used in this subtitle.    (b)    (1)    Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, after confirming that the allegations in the report regarding the individual’s history are accurate and that there is specific information that the child is at substantial risk of sexual abuse, the local department shall make a thorough investigation to protect the health, safety, and welfare of any child or children who may be at substantial risk of sexual abuse.        (2)    The local department shall conduct the investigation jointly with an appropriate law enforcement agency.        (3)    If a subsequent report is received regarding an individual with a history of sexual abuse that alleges substantially the same facts as a report that the local department has previously investigated, the local department may decline to make an investigation of the subsequent report.    (c)    Within 5 days after receiving the report, the local department and the appropriate law enforcement agency shall:        (1)    see the child in person;        (2)    attempt to have an on–site interview with the child’s caregiver and the individual identified in the report as an individual registered under Title 11, Subtitle 7 of the Criminal Procedure Article based on the commission of an offense against a child;        (3)    decide on the safety and level of risk to the child, wherever the child is, and of other children in the household; and        (4)    decide on the safety and level of risk of other children in the care or custody of the individual identified in the report as an individual registered under Title 11, Subtitle 7 of the Criminal Procedure Article based on the commission of an offense against a child.    (d)    To the extent possible, an investigation under this section shall be completed as soon as practicable but not later than 30 days after receipt of the report.    (e)    As part of the investigation, the local department shall:        (1)    determine whether the child is safe;        (2)    determine whether sexual abuse of the child has occurred;        (3)    if appropriate, offer services to the family; and        (4)    immediately decide whether to file a petition alleging that the child is in need of assistance.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-706.3 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-706.3 - Intervention

    (a)    The Department of Human Services, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Health, shall develop intervention systems in at least four counties designated by the Secretary of Human Services that:        (1)    include drug treatment for a mother of a child who is born drug exposed and supportive services for the family of the child; and        (2)    serve 300 families.    (b)    An intervention shall be initiated when:        (1)    a child is born drug exposed; and        (2)    medical personnel have determined that the child is at a high risk of abuse or neglect.    (c)    Subject to the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the local department of social services and the Maryland Department of Health shall assist the mother of a child who is born drug exposed in:        (1)    obtaining drug treatment; and        (2)    providing supportive services to maintain family unity.    (d)    A CINA petition shall be filed on behalf of a child who is born drug exposed, if:        (1)    the mother refuses the recommended level of drug treatment, or does not successfully complete the recommended level of drug treatment;        (2)    the mother is unable to provide adequate care for the child; and        (3)    the father is unable to provide adequate care for the child.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-707 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-707 - Reports and Records

    (a)    Subject to federal and State law, the Administration shall provide by regulation adopted in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the State Government Article:        (1)    procedures for protecting the confidentiality of reports and records made in accordance with this subtitle;        (2)    conditions under which information may be released;        (3)    conditions for determining in cases whether abuse, neglect, or sexual abuse is indicated, ruled out, or unsubstantiated; and        (4)    procedures for the appeal processes provided in this subtitle.    (b)    (1)    The local department shall expunge a report of suspected abuse or neglect and all assessments and investigative findings:            (i)    within 5 years after the date of referral if the investigation under § 5–706 of this subtitle concludes that the report is unsubstantiated, and no further reports of abuse or neglect are received during the 5 years; and            (ii)    subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, within 2 years after the date of referral if the report is ruled out, and no further reports of abuse or neglect are received during the 2 years.        (2)    If a report is ruled out, the local department may, on good cause shown, immediately expunge the report and all assessments and investigative findings.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-708 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-708 - Immunity of Person Making Report

    Any person who makes or participates in making a report of abuse or neglect under § 5–704, § 5–705, or § 5–705.1 of this subtitle or a report of substantial risk of sexual abuse under § 5–704.1 of this subtitle or participates in an investigation or a resulting judicial proceeding shall have the immunity described under § 5–620 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article from civil liability or criminal penalty.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  5-709 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 5 - Children|Subtitle 7 - Child Abuse and Neglect|Section 5-709 - Temporary Removal of Child From Home Without Court Approval

    (a)    If a representative of a local department is conducting an investigation under this subtitle, the representative may enter the household, if the representative:        (1)    previously has been denied the right of entry; and        (2)    has probable cause to believe that a child is in serious, immediate danger.    (b)    A police officer shall accompany the representative and may use reasonable force, if necessary, to enable the representative to gain entry.    (c)    The representative may remove the child temporarily, without prior approval by the juvenile court, if the representative believes that the child is in serious, immediate danger.    (d)    If a child is removed from a household under this section, the local department shall have the child thoroughly examined by a physician and a report of this examination shall be included in a report made under § 5–706(j) of this subtitle within the time specified.