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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1092*
HOUSE BILL 1092
J1, J3 6lr3181
CF SB 870
By: Delegates Martinez, Healey, and Williams
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Health
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Department of Health – Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Beds – 2
Capacity in Prince George’s County and Report 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Health to ensure the 4
establishment and ongoing operation of a minimum number of licensed adolescent 5
psychiatric inpatient beds in Prince George’s County; requiring, under certain 6
circumstances, the De partment to issue a request for proposals to establish 7
adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds in the county and to administer a certain grant 8
program; requiring the Department to report to the Governor and the General 9
Assembly on certain information related to adolescent psychiatric inpatient bed 10
capacity in the State; and generally relating to adolescent psychiatric inpatient bed 11
capacity. 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Health – General 14
Section 19–310.7 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
Preamble 18
WHEREAS, Maryland hospitals experience pediatric psychiatric overstay and 19
boarding pressures, and State law recognizes the occurrence of pediatric psychiatric 20
overstays and the need to transfer youth to appropriate treatment settings when clinically 21
indicated; and 22
WHEREAS, Prince George’s County has experienced reductions in adolescent 23
psychiatric inpatient service capacity, including the revocation of adolescent psychiatric 24
inpatient bed licenses; and 25
2 HOUSE BILL 1092
WHEREAS, The Maryland Department of Health maintains a statewide psychiatric 1
bed registry and referral system to identify available inpatient psychiatric beds and to 2
coordinate behavioral health placement; and 3
WHEREAS, State and local behavioral health planning documents id entify an 4
ongoing need to expand and strengthen the quality and availability of behavioral health 5
services for children and youth; now, therefore, 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8
Article – Health – General 9
19–310.7. 10
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 11
INDICATED. 12
(2) “ADOLESCENT” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL AT LEAST 12 YEARS OLD 13
AND UNDER THE AGE OF 17 YEARS. 14
(3) “ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT BED ” MEANS A UNIT OF 15
LICENSED INPATIENT P SYCHIATRIC CAPACITY THAT PROVIDES OVERNI GHT, 16
24–HOUR, FACILITY–BASED PSYCHIATRIC EV ALUATION, STABILIZATION, AND 17
TREATMENT FOR ADOLESCENTS. 18
(B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PRINCE 19
GEORGE’S COUNTY LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, SHALL ENSURE THE 20
ESTABLISHMENT AND ON GOING OPERATION OF A T LEAST 24 ADOLESCENT 21
PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT BEDS IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY BY: 22
(I) EXPANDING THE LICENSE D INPATIENT BED CAPA CITY AT 23
AN EXISTING INPATIENT FACILITY IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY; 24
(II) CONTRACTING WITH A PRIVATE OR NONPROFIT OPERATOR 25
THAT WILL ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A LICENS ED ADOLESCENT PSYCHI ATRIC 26
INPATIENT FACILITY; OR 27
(III) ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC –PRIVATE PARTNE RSHIP TO 28
FINANCE AND OPERATE ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT BEDS. 29
(2) IN CARRYING OUT PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 30
DEPARTMENT SHALL PRIORITIZE SOLUTIONS THAT: 31
HOUSE BILL 1092 3
(I) REDUCE PEDIATRIC PSYC HIATRIC EMERGENCY 1
DEPARTMENT BOARDING AND INPATIENT OVERSTAYS; 2
(II) ARE REFLECTED IN AND MEASURABLE THROUGH T HE 3
STATE’S INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC BED REGISTRY AND REFERRAL SYSTEM; AND 4
(III) ENSURE ACCESS REGARDL ESS OF PAYER SOURCE , 5
INCLUDING THE MARYLAND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 6
(3) (I) IF THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES THA T EXPANDING BED 7
CAPACITY UNDER PARAG RAPH (1)(I) OF THIS SUBSECTION W ILL NOT MEET THE 8
DEADLINE ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (4) OF THIS SUBSECTION , ON OR 9
BEFORE JUNE 30, 2027, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSU E A REQUEST FOR 10
PROPOSALS TO ESTABLISH THE ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT BEDS. 11
(II) A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL S ISSUED UNDER 12
SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH SH ALL BE DISTRIBUTED T O, AT A 13
MINIMUM, PRIVATE OR NONPROFIT OPERATORS WITH DEMON STRATED 14
EXPERIENCE IN ESTABL ISHING ADOLESCENT PS YCHIATRIC INPATIENT B ED 15
CAPACITY IN THE STATE. 16
(4) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2028, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 17
ENSURE THAT THE ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT BEDS REQUIRED UNDER 18
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION A RE FULLY OPERATIONAL AND AVAILABLE 19
FOR PATIENT ADMISSION. 20
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMI NISTER A COMPETITIVE GRANT 21
PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH THE ADOLESCENT PSYCH IATRIC INPATIENT BED S 22
REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 23
(2) (I) GRANT FUNDS AWARDED U NDER A PROGRAM 24
ADMINISTERED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY BE DISBURSED 25
ONLY TO: 26
1. HOSPITALS; 27
2. PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES; 28
3. NONPROFIT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; OR 29
4. PUBLIC–PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. 30
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(II) GRANT FUNDS AWARDED U NDER A PROGRAM 1
ADMINISTERED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY BE USED ONLY 2
FOR THE FOLLOWING CA PITAL COSTS ASSOCIAT ED WITH OPERATING TH E 3
ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT BEDS: 4
1. RENOVATION; 5
2. CONSTRUCTION; 6
3. SAFETY OR LIGATURE UPGRADES; OR 7
4. WORKFORCE START–UP EXPENSES. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 9
(a) On or before October 1, 2027, and annually thereafter until 2030, the 10
Maryland Department of Health shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 11
2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on: 12
(1) the number and location of licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient 13
beds by county; 14
(2) metrics for pediatric psychiatric emergency department boarding and 15
overstay; 16
(3) any barriers to staffing licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds, 17
including licensure barriers; and 18
(4) recommendations for rate or regulatory changes needed to maintain 19
sufficient capacity of licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds. 20
(b) The Department shall use available data systems, including the State 21
inpatient psychiatric registry and referral system, to generate data for the report required 22
under subsection (a) of this section. 23
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 24
1, 2026. 25