{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-7-102","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Health - General § 7–102","heading":"","body":"To advance the public interest, it is the policy of this State:\n(1) To promote, protect, and preserve the human dignity, constitutional rights and liberties, social well-being, and general welfare of individuals with developmental disability in this State;\n(2) To encourage the full development of the ability and potential of each individual with developmental disability in this State, no matter how severe the individual’s disability;\n(3) To promote the economic security, standard of living, and meaningful employment of individuals with developmental disability;\n(4) To foster the integration of individuals with developmental disability into the ordinary life of the communities where these individuals live;\n(5) To support and provide resources to operate community services to sustain individuals with developmental disability in the community, rather than in institutions;\n(6) To require the Administration to designate sufficient resources to foster and strengthen a permanent comprehensive system of community programming for individuals with developmental disability as an alternative to institutional care;\n(7) To recognize the right of those individuals with developmental disability who need residential services to live in surroundings as normal as possible and to provide adequate facilities for this purpose;\n(8) To provide appropriate social and protective services for those individuals with developmental disability who are unable to manage their own affairs with ordinary prudence;\n(9) To protect the rights of parents and to help parents and guardians in planning for and assisting those individuals with developmental disability who are unable to manage their own affairs;\n(10) To promote and provide for the development, maintenance, and coordination of all programs for individuals with developmental disability;\n(11) To advance research and professional training related to developmental disability; and\n(12) To promote public understanding of these policies and programs provided in this title.","path":["Article - Health - General"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghg\u0026section=7-102","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:58:48Z","sha256":"78ee207a0282f88c37a41cf48050be0469519ed2fa33e18df74e61b33ac130ee","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-7-101","next":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-7-103"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}