Region 7 - Western Maryland (Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties)

In response to the Governor's recent mandate for state employees to telework, the Office of Child Care (OCC) will be open to the public by appointment only, beginning March 16, 2020 until further notice. 

Contact Information:

Office of Child Care Region 7 - Main Office (Washington County)
Maryland State Department of Education
1075C Sherman Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740

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Main office phone 301-791-4585
Office e-mail occ7wash.msde@maryland.gov

Allegany County Field Office
3 Pershing Street
Cumberland, MD 21502
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Garrett County Field Office
430 Weber Road, Suite B
Oakland, MD 21550
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Anyone who is interested in starting a child care business in a home or center is required to take the face-to-face orientation training. Please contact the Office of Child Care Regional Licensing Office to schedule the Orientation Training.  To prepare for your orientation session, you may wish to view the on-line orientation preview. This does not replace the face-to-face orientation session you are required to attend at your regional Office of Child Care. ​(Click here to go to the Orientation page)

The Office of Child Care, Region 7, would like to invite you to attend a "Listening Session" for Child Care providers.During this time, we would like to offer you the opportunity to share your questions and concerns with the Licensing team of OCC, Region 7. 

We have scheduled several dates for the months of July and August.  You may join as many as you wish. In an effort to answer as many as possible, please submit any questions that you have to your Licensing Specialist prior to the date of the session that you are attending.

Please use the appropriate links below to join us on the scheduled date via Google Hangouts, or use the phone number to dial in.

  • TBA

Family Child Care Orientations:

All Orientations are held through Google Meet from 9am to 12pm and will be held on the following dates.  Please contact the office by email at OCC7wash.msde@maryland.gov to register.

  • August 18, 2021
  • September 15, 2021
  • October 20, 2021
  • November 17, 2021

Orientations will be held for all counties.

Center orientations:

Will be held by Google Meet from 9 am to 12pm.  Please email Jennifer.campbell@maryland.gov to register

  • August 11, 2021
  • December 8, 2021

Large Family child care homes:
Scheduled  as needed

Director's Regulation review:

Will be held by Google Meet.  Please email Ruth.lafferty@maryland.gov to register.

  • April 28, 2021
  • August 25, 2021
  • December 1, 2021

To obtain required “local permits” for a child care center license or family child care registration - Click here 

For Provider Training (Pre-Service and Continuing) - please click here to find MSDE-approved training courses, trainers and training organizations.

NAME TITLE TELEPHONE
Harmon, Dolores
Dolores.Harmon@maryland.gov		 Regional Manager 301-791-4586
Myers, Dee
Dorothea.Myers@maryland.gov		 Secretary 301-791-4585
Campbell, Jennifer
Jennifer.Campbell@maryland.gov		 Licensing Supervisor 301-791-4069
Washington County (Main Office)
Fax 301-791-4629		    
Downey, Janice
Janice.Downey@maryland.gov		 Licensing Specialist 301-791-4592
Gaines, Audrey
Audrey.Gaines@maryland.gov		 Licensing Specialist 301-733-8567
Gipe, Dawn
Dawn.Gipe@maryland.gov		 Licensing Specialist 301-791-4589
Vacant Licensing Specialist 301-791-7190
Allegany County Field Office
Fax: 301-777-5870		    
Lafferty, Ruth
Ruth.Lafferty@maryland.gov		 Lead Licensing Specialist 301-777-2091
Garrett County Field Office (part-time only) 
Fax: 301-334-5476
430 Weber Rd, Suite B
Oakland. MD 21550		    
Rodeheaver, Dawna
Dawna.Rodeheaver@maryland.gov		 Licensing Specialist 301-334-3426

 

To Apply for a Criminal Background Check

Effective April 15, 2012, the FBI moved to an all-electronic criminal background check (CBC) application process and is no longer accepting hard-copy fingerprint cards.  Because the Maryland Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) follows FBI guidelines, the use of hard-copy CBC applications at the State level are also being phased out as of that date. Instead, all CBC applicants are being encouraged to submit their applications electronically. However, hard-copy applications are still being accepted by CJIS if electronic submission is not possible. Click here for a list of State-approved private electronic fingerprinting services and State-operated electronic fingerprinting locations. Electronic applications may also be submitted through many State and local police agencies. Child care programs that have their own State-certified electronic fingerprinting equipment and operators may continue to submit CBC applications.  When submitting your CBC request, you must include the appropriate OCC Regional Office authorization number. 

Online Licensing Inspection Results

Visit the Office of Child Care's online child care licensing inspection results site – www.CheckCCMD.org! The site offers detailed compliance findings from child care licensing inspections conducted since January 2011. The site may also be used to find licensed child care programs and providers, and to link to a wide variety of information about early care and education in Maryland.

To File a Complaint

If you believe a particular child care program is in violation of State child care licensing laws or regulations, you may file an official complaint against that program.  To file a complaint, contact the Regional Licensing Office covering the county where the program is located. Complaints may be filed in person, or by telephone, or in writing by e-mail, fax, or letter.  Anonymous complaints are accepted, so complainants do not need to identify themselves. Each complaint is investigated by the Regional Licensing Office.  Upon completion of the investigation, a report of findings is created. This report is available upon request if the investigation confirms that the violation occurred, or if it cannot be determined whether or not the violation occurred.

Medication Administration Training for Child Care Providers

The Medication Administration Training (MAT) is a pre-service training required for individuals seeking to acquire a Child Care Center License or a Family Child Care Registration in Maryland.  MAT is provided by licensed Maryland Registered Nurses who have completed Medication Administration Trainer training and are apporved by the Nurse Consultant in the Office of Child Care's Licensing Branch.  MAT is a six (6) hour training conducted in a classroom setting with theory and practice.  A certificate is awarded upon completetion of the course in addition to passing content and skill tests.  

Need to find a MAT trainer in your area?  Click here

Registered Nurses interested in becoming a MAT Trainer? Click here

For more information about the MAT course or training, contact the Nurse Consultant at 410-767-1853

The Family Child Care Provider Grant Program

The Family Child Care Provider Grant Program (FCCPGP) exists to help registered family child care providers offset some of the costs of opening their child care programs. For information about the FCCPGP, click here.

Click here to access the Maryland Sex Offenders Registry (SOCEM), which is maintained by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. In addition to providing detailed offender information, the site carries "amber alerts" for abducted children and an information/resource section for parents and educators on preventing and combating youth gangs.

Click here for the Maryland Judiciary Case Search service, which provides free public access to the Maryland District Court and Circuit Court Case Management System. District Court criminal, civil, and traffic case records and Circuit Court criminal and civil case records are available. The amount of historical data may vary by jurisdiction.