Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients - Placement

This bill prohibits placing children in unlicensed settings (such as hotels, motels, or nonresidential offices) under Maryland's out-of-home placement program for foster care, with limited exceptions for kinship caregivers or parental placements. It creates a new Child and Youth Placement Review Panel within the Governor’s Office to oversee placements and requires the Placement Manager to convene a Rapid Response Team for urgent cases. The bill also establishes an Advisory Council to improve Maryland’s system of care for children and families and modifies hospital overstay protocols for pediatric patients. These changes directly affect children in foster care, hospitals, and the agencies managing their care, aiming to ensure safer, licensed placements.