These terms of use apply to the entire group of Web sites owned, operated, licensed, or controlled by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (sometimes hereinafter referred to as "DHMH"). Please read these terms and conditions carefully before using this Web site. By using this Web site or any other site owned, operated, licensed, or controlled by DHMH, you signify your assent to these terms of use. If you do not agree to these terms of use, you may not access or otherwise use the site. DHMH reserves the right, at its discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of these terms at any time. Please check these terms periodically for changes. Your continued use of this site or any other DHMH Web site following the posting of changes to these terms will mean you accept those changes.

DHMH Copyright and Privacy Notice
Copyright Status: Most information at this site is in the public domain. Unless otherwise stated, these documents may be freely distributed without modification and used for non-commercial, scientific, educational or personal purposes. However, you may encounter documents or portions of documents contributed by private companies or organizations. Other parties may retain all rights to publish or reproduce these documents. Commercial use of the documents on this site may be protected under U.S. and foreign copyright laws. In no event shall materials from this Web site be stored in any information storage and retrieval system without prior written permission from DHMH.

Intellectual Property
This Web site is protected by copyright as a collective work and/or compilation, pursuant to U.S. copyright laws, international conventions and other laws. Unless otherwise indicated, the Content, including, but not limited to, graphic images, buttons, layout, trademarks, logos, text, and other materials contained in this Web site and in the other sites of DHMH are the exclusive property of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and/or its related, affiliated and subsidiary organizational units, or its third party licensors.

Software Quality
DHMH and/or its related, affiliated and subsidiary organizational units do not warrant that any information, software or other material accessible through one of their Web pages is free of defects, viruses, worms, trojan horses or other harmful components.

Objectionable Information and Materials
When accessing or making use of any service provided on the Web pages of DHMH you may not:

• post or transmit any unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, profane, or otherwise objectionable information of any kind, including without limitation, any transmissions constituting or encouraging conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any local, national or international law, including without limitation, the U.S. export control laws and regulations;

• post or transmit any information or software which contains a virus, worm, trojan horse or other harmful component; restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Web site; post, publish, transmit, reproduce, distribute or in any way exploit any information, software or other material obtained through our Web pages for commercial purposes (other than expressly permitted by the provider of such information, software or other material); or

• upload, post, publish, transmit, reproduce or distribute in any way, information, software or other material obtained through our Web pages which is protected by copyright, or other proprietary right, or derivative works with respect thereto, without obtaining permission of the copyright owner or rightholder, or upload, post, publish, reproduce, transmit or distribute in any way any component of our Web pages themselves or derivative works with respect thereto, except where expressly permitted in writing.

Disclaimer of Liability
For documents available from this site, the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed.

Disclaimer of Endorsement
-- General --
DHMH does not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or services. The views and opinions of authors expressed on DHMH Websites do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, and they may not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

-- External Links --
Some DHMH sites may provide links to other Internet sites only for the convenience of World Wide Web users. DHMH is not responsible for the availability or content of these external sites, nor does DHMH endorse, warrant or guarantee the products, services or information described or offered at these other Internet sites.

Medical Information: It is not the intention of DHMH to provide specific medical advice, but rather to provide users with access to general information to facilitate a better understanding of public health issues. Specific medical advice will not be provided, and DHMH urges you to consult with an appropriate, qualified medical provider for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.

Privacy Notice:
This Web site is provided as a public service by the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

• Of the information we learn about you from your visit to "http://www.dhmh.state.md.us," we may store the following: the domain name from which you access the Internet, the date and time, the Internet address of the web site from which you linked directly to our site, the name of the file or the words you searched, and the browser used to access our site. This information is used to measure the number of visitors to the various sections of our site and identify system performance or problem areas. We also use this information to help us expand the coverage of the site to assist users in finding health information. We do not use "cookies" on our web site, unless specifically stated otherwise.

• If we request personal information from you we are obligated under state law to provide you with the following information:

(I) the purpose for which the personal information is collected

(II) Any specific consequences to the person for refusal to provide the personal information

(III) Your right to inspect, amend, or correct personal records, if any;

(IV) Whether the personal information is generally available for public inspection; and

(V) Whether the personal information is made available or transferred to or shared with any entity other than the official custodian.

• We do not give, share, sell or transfer any personal information collected on this site to a third party, unless otherwise specified.

• You are not required to provide information to us. If we request information and you refuse to provide it to us, your refusal will not be held against you or prejudice our relationship with you.

• When inquiries are e-mailed to us, we store the question and the e-mail address information so that we can respond electronically. Unless otherwise required by statute, we do not identify publicly who sends questions or comments to our web site. We will not obtain information that will allow us to personally identify you when you visit our site, unless you chose to provide such information to us.

• Information that you consider confidential should not be sent to us over the internet