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I am in the dreaded MD home study process. I have sent out my application to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and hope to make my appointment with them soon.
Has anyone here already completed that portion? If so, what will they be looking for?
I just want to prepare. I had some idea of what the fire department was going to check and I still had to make some changes there. I've looked all over their website and elsewhere online and I haven't a clue what they will be looking for!
They will be looking for chemicals (keep them out of reach; for us this included dish soap!), firearms (keep them locked and out of reach if applicable), hot water heater temp (turn it down if too high), making sure home is not a hoarders house, they will also ask about pets and rabis shots, whether you have a pool/spa, etc. it's not bad; I was nervous at first but it was pretty easy if your house is relatively clean and safe for a child. You do need a fire extinguisher, working smoke alarms on all levels, and carbon monoxide detector for the fire marshal inspection. Depending on the age of the child, they may ask about knives and whether they should be out of reach.
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They will be looking for chemicals (keep them out of reach; for us this included dish soap!), firearms (keep them locked and out of reach if applicable), hot water heater temp (turn it down if too high), making sure home is not a hoarders house, they will also ask about pets and rabis shots, whether you have a pool/spa, etc. it's not bad; I was nervous at first but it was pretty easy if your house is relatively clean and safe for a child. You do need a fire extinguisher, working smoke alarms on all levels, and carbon monoxide detector for the fire marshal inspection. Depending on the age of the child, they may ask about knives and whether they should be out of reach.
Thank you so much for the reply. I wish my visit had been that easy. It has already taken place and the result was devastating. I live in an old house, I think it is more than safe and adequate for raising children. The health department did not agree. I have thousands of dollars worth of projects. I have to rip out and repair ceilings, scrape and repaint several rooms, re-tile our outdoor landing, scrape and repaint outdoor railings and outdoor window panes, water proof our basement and more. They did nothing with regards to safety like medication storage and kitchen knives. Its adding months and high costs to our home study. We are heartbroken... Slowly but surely we are working on the list.