Sec. 24-52. Duties and staff.

   (a)   Duties. The Board may advise the County Executive, County Council, and Department on any matter relating to the goal of ensuring a steady and measurable improvement in accessibility of low-income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents accessing high quality health care services, including:

      (1)   Eligibility criteria for participating health care providers;

      (2)   Eligibility criteria for individuals served by the Program;

      (3)   The method for allocating Program funds;

      (4)   The method of distributing funds to participating health care providers;

      (5)   The Program budget;

      (6)   Growth targets and resources needed to meet those targets;

      (7)   Assistance to eligible individuals to obtain State and federal health care coverage;

      (8)   Policies and practices to maximize the use of County funds for direct services to clients;

      (9)   Evaluation of policies and programs to improve access to health care and related services for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents;

      (10)   Strategic planning in support of the Health Care for the Uninsured programs administered by the Department, including:

         (A)   Montgomery Cares;

         (B)   Care for Kids;

         (C)   Maternity Partnership;

         (D)   the Department’s Dental Services; and

         (E)   Health Care for the Homeless; and

      (11)   Health care services provided to low income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents, including primary care, specialty care, dental care, behavioral health, and ancillary services.

   (b)   Report. The Board must submit an annual report to the County Executive, County Council, and Department on its activities, findings, and recommendations.

   (c)   Consideration of findings and recommendations. The County Executive, County Council, and Department must give serious consideration to the findings and recommendations of the Board.

   (d)   Staff. The Department must provide appropriate staff for the Board. (2006 L.M.C., ch. 2, § 1; 2008 L.M.C., ch. 33, § 1; 2015 L.M.C., ch. 45, § 1; 2021 L.M.C., ch. 35, §1.)

Sec. 24-53. Reserved.

Former Sec. 24-53, Termination, which was derived from 2006 L.M.C., ch. 2, §1; 2008 L.M.C., ch. 33, §1; 2014 L.M.C., ch. 39, §1; 2015 L.M.C., ch. 45, §1; was repealed by 2021 L.M.C., ch. 35, §1.

ARTICLE VII. VICTIM SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD.

Sec. 24-54. “Board” defined.

   In this article, “Board” means the Victim Services Advisory Board. (1986 L.M.C., ch. 61, § 1; 2005 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1.)

Sec. 24-55. Established.

   Under Part III of Title 8 of the Health General Article of the Maryland Code, this Article establishes the board. (1986 L.M.C., ch. 61, § 1; 2005 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1.)

Sec. 24-56. Membership.

   (a)   The Board is appointed by the County executive, subject to confirmation by the County Council.

   (b)   The Board consists of:

      (1)   Nineteen voting members who are residents of Montgomery County, of whom:

         (A)   Five are from among the mental health, legal, medical, dental, and nursing professions;

         (B)   Ten may be members of the listed professions but represent the community as a whole; and

         (C)   One should be a member of the clergy; and

      (2)   Four nonvoting ex officio members, of whom:

         (A)   One is the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services;

         (B)   One is a representative of the State’s Attorney;

         (C)   One is a representative of the Public Defender; and

         (D)   One is a representative of the Police Department.

   (c)   The Board must elect a chairman from among its members:

      (1)   Whose term is one year; and

      (2)   Who may be reelected.

   (d)   (1)   The term of an appointed member is 3 years.

      (2)   A member ordinarily serves no more than 2 terms.

      (3)   The terms of appointed members are staggered.

      (4)   At the end of a term, an appointed member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

      (5)   A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

   (e)   If a vacancy occurs, the County Executive must appoint a successor, subject to confirmation by the County Council, within 60 days of the vacancy. (1986 L.M.C., ch. 61, § 1; 1987 L.M.C., ch. 10, § 1; CY 1991 L.M.C., ch. 40, § 1; 1995 L.M.C., ch. 13, § 1; 2005 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1.)

   Editor’s note—1995 L.M.C., ch. 13, § 5, reads as follows: “Sec. 5. A regulation that implements a function assigned to the Department of Health and Human Services by 1995 L.M.C., ch. 13, continues in effect but is amended to the extent necessary to provide that the regulation is administered by the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services.”

Sec. 24-57. Meetings.

   (a)   The Board must meet at least quarterly. Once a year, the chairman must set a meeting schedule for the coming year with the consent of the Board.

   (b)   A meeting of the Board may also be convened at the request of two-thirds of the members of the Board.

   (c)   A majority of the members of the Board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

   (d)   A majority vote of those present is sufficient for any action taken by the Board. (1986 L.M.C., ch. 61, § 1.)