Maryland Awarded Five-Year $650 Million Federal Demonstration Project to Improve Child Safety, Prevent Abuse and Reduce Need for Foster Care

BALTIMORE, MD — Governor Martin O’Malley and Lieutenant Governor Brown today announced Maryland is the first state this year authorized by the federal government to conduct a 5-year, $650 million demonstration project that allows Maryland more flexibility in using federal foster care funds to achieve improved safety, permanency and well-being of vulnerable children. The project includes an extensive planning process and can begin as early as July 1, 2015.

“Every child deserves a home. Maryland’s Child Welfare Demonstration project will help us keep more children safe and help keep more families whole,” said Governor O’Malley. “We would like to thank our federal partners for selecting Maryland to take part in this innovative initiative and for the additional flexibility the waiver allows to invest resources in what works best for strengthening families, protecting children and supporting thriving communities.”

Under federal law, federal foster care grant awards made to states under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act can only be used to provide services to children in out-of-home care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) can approve up to ten states per year to conduct demonstration projects that instead allocate IV-E funds as a block grant and that allow states to more flexibly spend these funds on services that keep children safe at home.

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