Behavioral Health Administration - Behavioral Health Program Relocation - Regulations

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0922*

HOUSE BILL 922
J3, J1 6lr2578
CF SB 702
By: Delegates Hutchinson and Adams
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Behavioral Health Administration – Behavioral Health Program Relocation – 2
Regulations 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Behavioral Health Administration to adopt certain 4
regulations authorizing an existing behavioral health program to move to relocate to 5
a new site; and generally relating to the relocation of behavioral health programs. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Health – General 8
Section 7.5–402(a) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Health – General 14

7.5–402. 15

(a) Regulations adopted under this subtitle shall include: 16

(1) The requirements for licensure of a behavioral health program, 17
including a requirement that the behavioral health program: 18

2 HOUSE BILL 922

(i) 1. Establish and implement a safety plan for the safety of the 1
individuals served by the behavioral health program; or 2

2. Implement a safety or emergency plan established for the 3
program for another purpose; and 4

(ii) Revise the safety plan not less than every 5 years; 5

(2) The process for a behavioral health program to apply for a license; 6

(3) A description of the behavioral health programs that are required to be 7
licensed; 8

(4) Any requirements for the governance of a behavioral health program, 9
including: 10

(i) A provision prohibiting a conflict of interest between the 11
interests of the provider and those of the individual receiving services; 12

(ii) A provision authorizing a behavioral health program licensed as 13
an outpatient mental health center to satisfy any regulatory requirement that the medical 14
director be on site through the use of telehealth by the director; and 15

(iii) A provision authorizing a psychiatric nurse practitioner to serve 16
as a medical director of an outpatient mental health center a ccredited in accordance with 17
COMAR 10.63.03.05, including through telehealth; 18

(5) Provisions for inspections of a behavioral health program, including 19
inspection and copying of the records of a behavioral health program in accordance with 20
State and federal law; [and] 21

(6) Provisions for denials, sanctions, suspensions, and revocations of 22
licenses, including imposition of civil monetary penalties, and notice and an opportunity to 23
be heard; AND 24

(7) PROVISIONS AUTHORIZING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM TO 25
RELOCATE TO ANOTHER SITE, INCLUDING: 26

(I) A PROVISION PROVIDING AN EXPEDITED APPROVAL 27
PROCESS FOR THE RELOCATION OF AN EXISTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM 28
THAT IS SEPARATE FRO M THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR A NEW BEHAVIORAL 29
HEALTH PROGRAM; 30

(II) A PROVISION AUTHORIZING A RELOCATING BEHAVIO RAL 31
HEALTH PROGRAM TO USE DOCUMENTATION PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO THE 32
HOUSE BILL 922 3

ADMINISTRATION IF THE INFORMATION IN THE DOCUMENTATION IS UNCHANGED 1
OR NOT RELEVANT TO THE PROCESS OF RELOCATING TO A NEW SITE; 2

(III) A PROVISION AUTHORIZING TEMPORARY APPROVAL FOR A 3
RELOCATING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM TO BEGIN PRA CTICING AT THE NEW 4
SITE ON A DETERMINATION OF T HE ADMINISTRATION THAT T HE NEW LOCATION 5
MEETS LIFE SAFETY STANDARDS; 6

(IV) A PROVISION AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATION TO 7
CONSIDER THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM’S REGULATORY RECORD AS A BASIS 8
FOR STREAMLINING THE RELOCATION REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS; AND 9

(V) A PROVISION REQUIRING THE ADMINISTRATION TO 10
PROVIDE CLEAR TIMELI NES AND STANDARDS FOR THE RELOCATION REVIEW AND 11
APPROVAL PROCESS. 12

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2026. 14

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.