Introductory*

                     City of Baltimore

                     Council Bill          

Introduced by: Councilmember Cohen                                                                                              

                     A Bill Entitled

An Ordinance concerning

title

The Baltimore City Trauma-Responsive Care Act

For the purpose of establishing the Trauma-Informed Care Task Force and its members; setting forth certain duties of the Task Force; requiring certain agencies to designate certain individuals to undergo formal training in trauma-informed care and to perform certain other duties related to ensuring that certain agencies are delivering services in a manner consistent with best practices in trauma-informed care; requiring certain agencies to submit periodic progress reports to the Task Force; requiring the Task Force to submit an annual report to the Mayor and City Council regarding the re-orientation of certain city services to focus on trauma-informed care; re-constituting the current Office of Children, Youth, and Families to be the Office of Children and Family Success; making a primary duty of the Office of Children and Family Success to lead a citywide initiative to prioritize the trauma-responsive and trauma-informed delivery of services; defining certain terms; correcting and conforming related provisions; and generally relating to providing trauma-informed services to the citizens of Baltimore.

body

By repealing and re-ordaining, with amendments

Article 1 - Mayor, Council, and Agencies

Sections 22-1 and 22-11

Baltimore City Code

(Edition 2000)

By adding

Article 1 - Mayor, Council, and Agencies

Sections 22-15 to 22-22

Baltimore City Code

(Edition 2000)

Section 1.  Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:

Baltimore City Code

                     Article 1.  Mayor, Council, and Agencies

                     Subtitle 22.  Children, Youth, and Families

Part I.  Definitions.

§ 22-1. Definitions.

(a)  In general.

In this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

(b)  Children.

“Children” means individuals under the age of 14 years.

(c)  Commission.

“Commission” means the Baltimore City Youth Commission.

(d)  Office.

“Office” means the Office of Children[, Youth,] and [Families] Family Success.

(e)  Task Force.

“Task Force” means the Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force.

(f)  [(e)]  Youth.

“Youth” means an individual between the ages of 14 and 25, inclusive

Part III.  Office of Children [, Youth,] and [Families] Family Success

§ 22-11.  Director - powers and duties.

The Director shall:

(1)  identify the needs of children and youth according to age, location, and special services required;

(2)  identify public and private services available to children, youth, and families;

(3)  identify changes in public policy, service delivery, and funding necessary to improve the services available to children, youth, and families;

(4)  serve as a community voice for children and youth;

(5)  develop and implement programs to benefit children and youth;

(6)  provide staff and serve as advisor to the Commission;

(7)  serve as ex-officio member and advisor to the Task Force;

(8)  [(7)]  generally promote the well-being of all children and youth of Baltimore City;

(9)  [(8)]      be represented on any other special committee or task force [established in the Mayor’s Office which] that considers matters relating to children and youth, and work with the various boards, commissions, and municipal agencies [which] that interact with the [office] Office as deemed appropriate;

(10)  [(9)]  perform such other duties as required by the Mayor; and

(11)  [(10)]  review proposed legislation referred to the Office by the City Council,                           assessing its probable effect on the physical, social, emotional, and                                 intellectual welfare of the children of this City.                     

§§ 22-13 to 22-14. {Reserved}

Part IV.  Trauma-Informed Care and Trauma-Responsiveness .

§ 22-15.  Trauma-informed care initiative.

In addition to any other duties set forth in this subtitle, it is the duty of the Office to coordinate a citywide initiative to prioritize the trauma-responsive and trauma-informed delivery of city services impacting children, youth, and families.

§ 22-16.  Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force - Establishment.

There is a Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force.

§ 22-17.  Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force - Composition.                     

(a)  In general.

The Task Force comprises 20 members, 16 of whom are appointed by the Mayor under Article IV, § 6 of the City Charter and 4 of whom are ex-officio members.

(b)  Appointed members.

Of the 16 members appointed by the Mayor:

(i)   2 shall be youth representatives from a youth-led advocacy group in Baltimore City;

(ii)  2 shall be individuals with at least one child enrolled in the Baltimore City Public School System;

(iii)  1 shall be a licensed clinician with an expertise in trauma;

(iv)  1 shall be a member of the research community with an expertise in trauma;

(v)  3 shall be representatives from community organizations, nonprofit organizations, or youth organizations that have an expertise in trauma; and

(vi)  7 shall be recommended by the City Council President as follows:

(A)  2 City Councilmembers;

(B)  1 youth representative from a youth-led advocacy group in Baltimore City;

(C)  1 licensed clinician with an expertise in trauma; and

(D)  3 representatives from community organizations, nonprofit organizations, or youth-led or youth-oriented organizations that have an expertise in trauma.

(c)  Ex-officio (or designate) members.

The 4 ex-officio members of the Task Force are:

(1)  the Director of the Office;

(2)  the Commissioner of the Baltimore City Department of Health or the Commissioner’s designee;

(3)  the City Council President; and

(4)  the Youth Commission Chair.

§ 22-18.  Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force - Terms, organization, etc.

(a)  Terms.

Appointed members serve for a term of 4 years concurrent with the term of the Mayor’s term of office.

(b)  Compensation.

Members serve on the Task Force without compensation.

(c)  Vacancies.

(1)  At the end of a term, an appointed member serves until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

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

(d)  Meetings; quorum.

(1)  The Task Force shall meet on the call of the Task Force Chair or the Director of the Office as frequently as required to perform its duties, but not less than 6 times a year.

(2)  A majority of the members of the Task Force constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and an affirmative vote by the majority of a quorum is sufficient for any official action.

(e)  Chair.

The Mayor shall designate a Chair from among the Task Force’s appointed members.

§ 22-19.  Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force - Staff.                                          

The Office shall provide adequate staff for the Task Force to carry out its duties.

§ 22-20.  Baltimore City Trauma-Informed Care Task Force - Duties.

The Task Force shall:

(1)  assist in the identification of all City programs and services that impact children and youth;

(2)                     assist in the development of a citywide strategy toward an organizational culture shift into a trauma-responsive City government;

(3)  establish metrics, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Department of Health, to evaluate and assess the progress of the citywide trauma-informed care initiative;

(4)  coordinate and develop with the Baltimore City Department of Health any formal or informal trauma-informed care training;

(5)  disseminate information within City government regarding best practices for preventing and mitigating the impact of trauma on children, youth, and families;

(6)  advise and assist the Mayor and City Council in providing oversight and accountability in implementing the requirements of this part;

(7)  perform any other duties as required by the Mayor.

§ 22-21.  Trauma-informed care training; Agency duties.

(a)  Definitions.

(1)  In general.

In this section, the following terms have the meanings indicated.  

(2)  Agency.

“Agency” means:

(i) the Baltimore City Fire Department;

(ii) the Baltimore City Parking Authority;

(iii)  the Department of Finance;

(iv)  the Department of Law;

(v)  the Department of Housing and Community Development;

(vi)  the Department of Planning;

(vii)  the Department of Public Works;

(viii)  the Department of Recreation and Parks;

(ix)  the Department of Transportation;

(x)  the Enoch Pratt Free Library of Baltimore City;

(xi)  the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice;

(xii)  the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development;

(xiii) the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services; and

(xiv) the Mayor’s Office of Human Services.   

(3) Formal training.

“Formal training” means a didactic course or curriculum in trauma-informed care that is:

(i)  developed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Maryland Department of Health, or the Baltimore City Department of Health; and

(ii)  provided by the Baltimore City Department of Health or its designee in collaboration with the Task Force.

(b)  Task Force members.

Each Task Force member shall participate in at least 1 formal training each year.

(c)  Agency staff designation.  

(1)  Each agency head shall designate 2 agency staff members to:

(i)  participate in at least 1 formal training each year;

(ii)  collaborate with other agency designees in periodic worksessions and other informal trainings as organized by the Baltimore City Department of Health from time to time;

(iii)  serve as the principal advisors to the agency head and agency staff in trauma-responsiveness and trauma-informed care;

(iv)  assess the agency for training and technical assistance needs related to trauma-responsiveness and trauma-informed care; and

(v)  review and make appropriate recommendations to the agency head to align agency policies and practices with a trauma-intensive approach.

(2)  In the event of a vacancy of one or both of the staff members, the agency head shall, within 30 days of the vacancy, designate another staff member to carry out the duties of this subsection.

(d)  Health Department cooperation.

The Baltimore City Department of Health shall provide any technical advisory support to designated agency staff in order for those individuals to carry out their duties under subsection (c)(1) of this section.

(e)  Progress report to Task Force.

On or before March 31 of each year, each agency head shall submit to the Task Force a progress report detailing its agency’s progress and compliance with subsection (c) of this section.

§ 22-22.  Annual report.

On or before June 30 of each year, utilizing its established evaluation and assessment metrics and its expertise, the Task Force shall submit a report to the Mayor and City Council containing:

(1)  an assessment of the implementation of trauma-informed care within each agency as defined in § 22-21(a)(2) of this subtitle;

(2)  an assessment of the trauma-responsiveness of each agency as defined in § 22-21(a)(2) of this subtitle; and

(3)  any recommendations regarding improvements to existing laws relating to children, youth, and families in Baltimore City.

Section 2.  And be it further ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.

Section 3.  And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30^th day after the date it is enacted.