Healthcare (Mental Health)

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 684: Health Insurance - Material Changes to Provider Networks - Notification and Special Enrollment Period

HB 684 requires health insurance companies to notify members 60 days in advance if a provider (including primary care or behavioral health providers) is removed from their network, unless termination relates to fraud, abuse, or licensure issues. It mandates that members affected by such changes receive a 90-day special enrollment period to continue seeing those providers, along with clear contact information for filing complaints. Insurance companies must also notify the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about network changes at least 60 days before termination and update their access plans within 5 business days of the change. This bill directly affects health insurance members who lose provider access and requires insurers to follow specific transparency and transition procedures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to notify members 60 days before provider removal and provides 90-day special enrollment period, protecting patient access to care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medical Licensing Mental Health

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 632: Certificate of Need - Psychiatric Health Care Facilities and Psychiatric and Mental Health Services - Exemption

HB 632 removes psychiatry and all subcategories of psychiatric services from the definition of "medical service" requiring a Certificate of Need (CON) in Maryland. This exempts psychiatric health care facilities and providers of psychiatric or mental health services from needing state approval before establishing or operating these services. The bill amends Maryland law by deleting "psychiatry" from the list of medical services subject to CON requirements, which currently includes services like surgery, pediatrics, and rehabilitation. This change directly affects psychiatric hospitals, clinics, and mental health programs seeking to expand or open without prior state review. The policy shift simplifies regulatory requirements for mental health service providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves Certificate of Need requirement for psychiatric services, reducing regulatory barriers and improving access to mental health care in Maryland.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 348: Hospitals and Freestanding Birthing Centers - High-Risk Pregnancies - Communication After Discharge

SB 348 requires hospitals and freestanding birthing centers in Maryland to provide specific postpartum support to individuals who have experienced high-risk pregnancies. It mandates that facilities complete referral forms for local health departments, provide resources about postpartum complications (including cardiovascular conditions, chronic disease, substance misuse, and mental health), and call birthing parents 24 to 72 hours after discharge to assess their status. The bill also requires annual reports from health departments detailing referrals made through this process. These provisions apply to all facilities delivering newborns following high-risk pregnancies and take effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates postpartum support, mental health resources, and follow-up calls for high-risk pregnancies - expands patient access and protection in healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Women's Health

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 444: Certificate of Need - Intermediate Health Care Facilities

SB 444 repeals an exemption that previously allowed intermediate care facilities offering substance use disorder treatment to change bed capacity without a certificate of need. It creates a new exemption for facilities providing *medically managed residential substance use disorder treatment services*, removing the requirement for a certificate of need if they submit 45 days' written notice to the Commission and the Commission determines the change aligns with the state health plan, improves service efficiency, and serves the public interest. This bill directly affects intermediate care facilities focused on substance use disorder treatment by reducing regulatory barriers for expanding bed capacity or establishing new facilities. The key mechanism is replacing a certificate of need with a streamlined notice-and-review process administered by the Commission. (SB 444, "Certificate of Need - Intermediate Health Care Facilities," 2026)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves CON requirement for substance use disorder treatment facilities, improving access to mental health services by streamlining expansion processes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Substance Abuse

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 679: Health Occupations - Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy for Minors

HB 679 prohibits licensed healthcare providers in Maryland from prescribing, dispensing, or administering cross-sex hormone treatments (including estrogen, testosterone, or blockers) for the purpose of treating gender-related mental health conditions like gender dysphoria in minors. The bill directly affects minors under 18 seeking such treatment and healthcare practitioners who would provide it. Violating this law is classified as a felony, punishable by up to life imprisonment. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and defines "cross-sex hormone therapy" as treatment to develop secondary sex characteristics for gender transition.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProhibits hormone therapy for minors with gender dysphoria, restricting access to medical treatment for gender-related care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 546: Primary and Secondary Education - Educator Professional Development - Course on Well-Being and Flourishing

HB 546 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to provide a free, mandatory professional development course on educator well-being and flourishing to all school personnel and administrators by July 1, 2027. The course must cover eight key areas of well-being identified by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, including social connections, physical health, emotional resilience, and financial literacy. Schools may use synchronous or asynchronous instruction, and the department can develop the course itself or adapt existing third-party materials. The bill ensures this course is offered at the same rate as other required professional development courses for licensed educators.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandatory free professional development for educators on well-being directly supports teacher welfare and school staff effectiveness per bill requirements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates course covering SAMHSA well-being areas including mental health, emotional resilience, and physical health, directly supporting mental health services for educators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Teachers Mental Health Substance Abuse

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 10, 2026

HB 178: Public Health - Sickle Cell Disease - Specialized Clinics and Scholarship Program for Medical Residents

HB 178 establishes three specialized sickle cell disease clinics in Montgomery County, Harford County, and an Eastern Shore county, operating under a hub-and-spoke model to provide comprehensive care including pain management, mental health services, genetic counseling, and social support. It allocates $6.1 million for fiscal year 2028 to fund clinic operations, staff, training, and community partnerships, with priority for addressing social barriers like transportation and housing. The bill also creates a scholarship program for medical residents specializing in sickle cell disease hematology, requiring recipients to practice in Maryland after training. These provisions directly affect Maryland residents living with sickle cell disease, particularly in underserved communities, by expanding access to coordinated care and increasing specialist availability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $6.1M for clinic operations and services, directly increasing state budget spending on public health programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $6.1M for specialized sickle cell clinics with comprehensive care including mental health services, pain management, and social support, directly advancing healthcare access and funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Primary Care Public Health

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 412: Maryland Department of Health - Forensic Review Boards and Community Forensic Aftercare Program

SB 412 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Maryland Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals committed to the health department due to being "not criminally responsible" (often called "not guilty by reason of insanity" cases), and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key mechanisms include creating a community monitoring board to decide on conditional release and out-of-state travel, and requiring licensed social workers ("Program Monitors") to track compliance with court orders and make health recommendations. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Procedure and Health codes to implement this program, focusing on safety and structured oversight for these individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes community monitoring program for mental health cases to improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes mental health aftercare program under health department, supporting community monitoring for mental illness cases per bill's focus on forensic mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Mental Health

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 17, 2026

HB 715: Algorithmic Addiction Fund – Establishment

HB 715 establishes the Algorithmic Addiction Fund as a special, nonlapsing state fund to address harms linked to social media algorithms affecting children. The fund is financed by civil penalties from settlements/judgments about social media-related harm to youth, state budget appropriations, and interest earnings. It mandates the Maryland Department of Health to use these resources exclusively for evidence-based prevention, intervention, and treatment services - including school education programs on digital literacy, mental health support for issues like depression and anxiety, and research - prioritizing youth mental health outcomes. The fund cannot replace existing state funding for these services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill uses state budget appropriations to fund youth services, aligning with funding essential public programs through fiscal management.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes fund explicitly for school education programs addressing social media harm, directly funding educational services within schools.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes fund for mental health services (prevention, intervention, treatment) addressing social media-related harm to children, directly supporting mental health initiatives.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEstablishes fund to address social media algorithm harms to children via penalties on tech companies, aligning with regulating tech for consumer protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Mental Health Substance Abuse Social Media

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 205: Health Insurance - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders - Codification of Federal Requirements

SB 205 codifies federal mental health parity requirements into Maryland law, requiring health insurance carriers to comply with the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity Act. It mandates carriers to collect and report data on access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits, explain differences in care access, and undergo comparative analyses of nonquantitative treatment limitations. The Maryland Insurance Commissioner gains authority to review carrier reports and address noncompliance. This bill directly affects all health insurance carriers operating in Maryland, ensuring their coverage aligns with federal parity standards for mental health and substance use disorder benefits. It clarifies enforcement mechanisms without creating new benefit requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates equal insurance coverage for mental health/substance use disorders per federal law, requiring data reporting and Commissioner oversight to prevent discrimination in benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Substance Abuse