(a) (1) The Secretary of Human Resources shall establish a program of crisis
shelter homes for homeless women.
(2) At least 1 crisis shelter home shall be located in a major population
center of this State in order to facilitate the use of the shelter by
those clients living in the region surrounding the shelter.
(b) The purpose of the crisis shelter homes shall be to provide shelter,
meals, and counseling to clients.
(c) Clients shall have cooperative responsibility for housekeeping duties
in the shelter.
(d) The shelter homes shall be designed and staffed as follows:
(1) The shelter shall provide clients with a temporary residence of not
more than 12 continuous weeks and necessary counseling to link clients
to appropriate community services in order to stabilize the clients'
living conditions.
(2) (i) The Department of Human Resources shall establish standards of care and
admission policies.
(ii) The Department shall monitor the operation of the shelter homes and
annually evaluate their effectiveness.
(3) The shelter homes are subject to rules and regulations promulgated by
the Department of Human Resources and shall conform to applicable State
and local fire codes, health codes, and all local zoning ordinances.
(4) The homes shall accept, from the police and other referral sources in
the community, clients for temporary shelter.
(e) The Department of Human Resources may contract with private nonprofit
organizations to operate the program.
(f) The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shall give priority access,
as appropriate, to women evaluated by the shelter homes to institutions
under its supervision and shall supply appropriate mental health
services.
(g) The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shall not use shelter
homes as part of its discharge service plan.
(h) Housing may not be provided under this subtitle to applicants for
housing who are not residents of Maryland at the time application for
housing is made.
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