Overview
- López cited health reasons for stepping down and said he remains committed to the agency’s mission.
- Deputy Secretary Gloria Brown Burnett will serve as interim secretary until April 1, when Stacy Rodgers becomes acting secretary during the search for a permanent replacement.
- The leadership change comes after the death of 16-year-old Kanaiyah Ward, found in a Baltimore hotel while in foster care; the Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide.
- DHS revised policy to bar placements in hotels, offices, and other unlicensed settings, with hospitals slated to be added to the prohibited list.
- State leaders are pursuing reforms, including a proposal dubbed Kanaiyah’s Law to codify the hotel ban and address problems flagged in the audit.