Healthcare (Mental Health)

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 746: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance - Collaborative Care Model - Cost Sharing Prohibition and Coverage Requirements

HB 746 prohibits Maryland Medicaid (Medical Assistance Program) and private health insurers from charging copays, coinsurance, or deductibles for services delivered under the Collaborative Care Model. This model integrates mental/behavioral health services into primary care through coordinated care, regular outcome monitoring, and specialist consultations. The law applies to all Medicaid recipients and covers services under private health insurance plans (including nonprofit health plans and health maintenance organizations) issued in Maryland, with an exception for high-deductible health plans. It takes effect January 1, 2027, ensuring no cost-sharing for these integrated care services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits cost-sharing for integrated mental health services under Collaborative Care Model, improving access to behavioral health within primary care for Medicaid and private insurance holders.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid Mental Health

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 1485: Public Health - Crisis Response System - Resources for Family Members and Trauma-Informed Care Training (Tiarra's Law)

HB 1485, known as Tiarra's Law, requires Maryland's Department of Health to create a pamphlet listing state and national crisis support resources for families affected by overdose deaths. Healthcare providers and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner must provide this pamphlet to families during specific circumstances, such as after an overdose-related death. The bill also mandates the Department to review trauma-informed care training for first responders and behavioral health staff. These changes aim to improve support for grieving families and address gaps highlighted in cases like Tiarra Brown's 2020 overdose death, where families received no resources or guidance. The law amends existing health and public safety codes to integrate these requirements into Maryland's crisis response system.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates crisis resources pamphlet and trauma-informed care training for overdose-related deaths, enhancing mental health support services for families.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Public Health Substance Abuse

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 921: Juvenile Law - Confinement and Restrictive Housing - Limitations

HB 921 limits when minors in Maryland juvenile facilities can be placed in restrictive housing (isolation or special confinement). It prohibits using restrictive housing for discipline, punishment, or staff convenience, and requires facilities to use it only for immediate safety risks (like harm to self/others or facility security) for the shortest time possible (max 6 hours). Minors can request restrictive housing or withdraw that request at any time, and facilities must provide mental health screenings within 1 hour of placement. The bill also mandates that minors in restrictive housing receive the same access to phone calls, visits, medical care, education, and recreation as other minors, unless safety is at risk.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts punitive use of juvenile solitary confinement, mandates safety justification, limits duration, and prioritizes mental health - core criminal justice reform principles reducing unnecessary confinement.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health services during restrictive housing for minors, directly supporting mental health care access in juvenile facilities per bill's requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Mental Health

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 883: Consumer Protection - Artificial Intelligence - Behavioral Health Care Prohibitions

HB 883 prohibits AI developers from making or causing AI to make claims that the AI is a behavioral health provider or can deliver behavioral health care services. It requires AI sold to Maryland consumers to include clear notices stating users are interacting with AI (not a human) and to detect suicidal thoughts or self-harm, automatically referring users to crisis services. Violations carry civil penalties up to $1 million per offense, with funds directed to Maryland’s Behavioral Health Workgroup Investment Fund. The law directly affects AI developers and sellers operating in Maryland, focusing on preventing misleading AI interactions in mental health contexts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits AI from impersonating behavioral health providers, mandates crisis referrals for suicidal thoughts, and directs penalties to behavioral health programs, strengthening mental health protections.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRegulates AI developers to prevent deceptive claims and mandate safety features, protecting consumers from misuse of AI in behavioral health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Artificial Intelligence

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died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 3, 2026

HB 1157: Health Insurance - Plan Benefits and Coverage - Annual Reporting (Transparency, Reporting, Understanding, Timeliness, and Honesty (TRUTH) in Mental Health Coverage Act)

HB 1157 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to annually report detailed data on mental health and substance use coverage to the Insurance Commissioner using a standardized template. This data includes access to services by facility type (e.g., outpatient, inpatient), provider type (e.g., psychiatrists, psychologists), and demographics (e.g., youth vs. adult, in-person vs. telehealth), along with network accuracy and availability. The Commissioner must make this data publicly accessible via a website with interactive dashboards. The law directly affects all health insurance companies offering plans in Maryland, aiming to improve transparency about coverage gaps in mental health care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to report mental health coverage data publicly, enhancing transparency and access to services, directly supporting mental health coverage standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Telehealth

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signed · Maryland · Senate May 31, 2026

SB 898: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Behavior Technicians - Reimbursement

SB 898 requires Maryland’s Medical Assistance Program to reimburse applied behavior analysis (ABA) services provided by registered behavior technicians (RBTs) to Medicaid recipients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The bill prohibits the state health department from mandating a specific certification (e.g., from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board) as a condition for reimbursement, except for a 150-day transition period during which RBTs must obtain certification. This directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries with autism and RBTs who deliver ABA services under supervision of certified professionals, streamlining access to care without immediate certification barriers. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies prospectively only.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires Medicaid reimbursement for ABA therapy via RBTs, expanding autism treatment access without restrictive certification mandates.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Mental Health

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1118: Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations - Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions

HB 1118 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to provide a standing referral to a mental health care provider for pregnant individuals and for one year after childbirth, without needing a written treatment plan. It mandates that insurers cover screening for perinatal mental health conditions (like postpartum depression) during prenatal visits and other specified times. The bill also directs the Maryland Department of Health to establish a perinatal mental health screening program and requires health care professionals renewing licenses to complete continuing education on perinatal mental health conditions. These changes aim to improve access to mental health support during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer coverage of perinatal mental health screenings and standing referrals without barriers, expanding access to critical mental health services for pregnant/postpartum individuals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Public Health

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 1092: Maryland Department of Health - Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Beds - Capacity in Prince George's County and Report

HB 1092 requires Maryland’s Department of Health to ensure at least 24 licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds are operational in Prince George’s County by December 2028. The department must achieve this through expanding existing facilities, contracting with private/nonprofit operators, or creating public-private partnerships, prioritizing solutions that reduce emergency department boarding and ensure insurance-neutral access. It also mandates a competitive grant program for capital costs (like construction or safety upgrades) and annual reports to the Governor and legislature on bed capacity, staffing barriers, and recommendations for maintaining sufficient service. This bill directly affects adolescents aged 12-16 in Prince George’s County who need inpatient psychiatric care, aiming to address recent capacity reductions in the county.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates increased adolescent psychiatric bed capacity, prioritizes access/insurance neutrality, and creates grant programs to expand mental health services in healthcare infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 707: Mental Health Law - Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition (Right to Treatment)

SB 707 amends Maryland's Mental Health Law to clarify the definition of "danger to the life or safety of the individual or of others" for involuntary admission and emergency evaluations. It specifies that this danger includes four key scenarios: causing bodily harm, engaging in conduct likely to result in criminal justice involvement, inability to meet basic needs (food, shelter, medical care) creating serious risk, or substantial deterioration in judgment preventing informed treatment decisions. The bill directly affects individuals with mental disorders who may be assessed for involuntary care, as well as healthcare providers making those determinations under the law. This definition replaces the current standard in Maryland Code, Section 10-601, and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies mental health criteria to prevent unnecessary criminal justice involvement, aligning with reform goals of diversion from incarceration over arrest95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies involuntary admission criteria to ensure timely mental health treatment, protecting patient rights and improving access to care under Maryland's Mental Health Law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 568: Health Occupations - Licensed Psychologists - Prescriptive Authority

SB 568 would allow licensed psychologists in Maryland to prescribe certain medications under specific conditions, but only after obtaining certification from the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. The bill creates new requirements for certification, establishes a Prescriptive Authority Advisory Committee to oversee implementation, and adds new sections (18-3B-01 to 18-3B-09) to the health occupations code. It directly affects licensed psychologists who meet the new certification standards and complete required training, expanding their scope of practice beyond traditional psychological services. The policy change modifies existing licensing rules to include prescriptive authority as a defined part of "practice psychology" under specific board-certified conditions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables licensed psychologists to prescribe medications under certification, expanding mental health care access and provider scope per bill's core purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing Mental Health

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