Maryland Department of Human Services
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Contact Information
310 West Saratoga Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
United States
Online Contact Form
Baltimore, MD 21201
United States
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30 AM-5 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:30 AM-5 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:30 AM-5 PM |
| Thursday | 8:30 AM-5 PM |
| Friday | 8:30 AM-5 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
There are many Maryland children waiting to be part of a family. Some of the children have special educational, emotional, or medical needs; this information is confidential and does not appear in the children's descriptions. More detailed information about the children can be shared with adoptive parents as they are completing the adoption preparation process.
Foster Care is a temporary Service that provides short-term care and supportive services to children who are unable to live at home because of child abuse or neglect. Foster children live in family foster homes and group care settings.
All Maryland counties and Baltimore City operate foster care programs. Foster care caseworkers work with the birth and foster families to develop the most appropriate permanency plan for each child. Reunification with parents, placement with relatives, or adoption are examples of permanency plans. If for some reason a child cannot reunite with their family, the child, depending on their age, receive services that teach them to be independent young adults.
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
Requirements to become a foster parent
Understanding the licensing requirements is the first step, as they vary by state. In Maryland, potential foster parents must meet the following criteria:
- 21 years of age or older
- Live in a safe home, either a house or an apartment
- Undergo a criminal background check and fingerprinting
- Remain financially stable
- Able to support a child financially
- Undergo a medical examination
- Attend a medical reexamination every two years
- Provide three references
- Attend necessary parent training/education courses
- A minimum of two home visits by an approval worker
- Child support clearance
- No use of physical punishment allowed
- Receive a fire inspection and health clearance from local departments
The foster care agency you work with will help you to meet these qualifications. They answer your questions, provide parent education training, conduct home visits, and more. As such, they'll be your first point of contact as you prepare for your first placement.
Remember that it will take time to go through the approval process. The home study takes the longest, consisting of lots of paperwork, interviews, inspections, etc. However, you'll be a licensed foster parent in Maryland when it's over.
Ratings and Reviews
Average user rating
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Aug 14, 2023
This place will not assist you. They have very rude workers and the system its self is failing us. This place should be shut down immediately.
Aug 03, 2023
They never answer the phone, and benefits are being denied because they schedule interviews but don’t call, I’ve called multiples time. The last time I called the agent said they were gonna transfer me to a live agent but instead when I got transferred it says they have a high call volume and the call drops. Please fix these issues, I’ve sent emails as well
Jul 25, 2023
45+ mins on hold just to be talked to aggressively and disrespectfully. Nobody here should be employed.
Jul 21, 2023
The automated customer service system is terrible I called at 4:30 PM The system said stay on the line for the next available representative and at 5:20 PM It kept saying the same thing and the offices close at 5:00 PM
Jul 12, 2023
I have had a horrible experience with them regarding child support. They have had over $2,000 that he has paid for well over a month and now they’re telling me they don’t know when they can send me the check. Does anyone know who governs them or where I can call to go over the Supervisors. They claim they dont have a manager I could speak with nor a complaints department. There has to be someone I can speak with about this. This is ridiculous! My child support is court ordered and he’s paying but they aren’t releasing the funds, make it make sense!