Section 13-604 - Powers and duties of Secretary(a) The Secretary may contract with any qualified person to administer the Program.(b) The Secretary shall: (1) Develop a system to gather and maintain data;(2) Develop methods to: (i) Contact parents or guardians of newborns and their identified primary care providers regarding the results of the newborn hearing screening;(ii) Contact parents or guardians of newborns and infants who have, or are at risk for developing, a permanent hearing status that affects speech-language skills; and(iii) Ensure families are referred to appropriate services;(3) Establish a toll-free telephone line to communicate information about hearing status that affects speech-language skills and services for infants who have, or are at risk for developing, a permanent hearing status that affects speech-language skills;(4) Appoint an Advisory Council for the Program;(5) Meet annually with the Advisory Council; and(6) In consultation with the Advisory Council, adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the Program.Amended by 2014 Md. Laws, Ch. 30,Sec. 1, eff. 7/1/2014.