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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1629*
HOUSE BILL 1629
J1 6lr3656
HB 1289/25 – HGO
By: Delegates Howard, Alston, Arentz, Behler, Boafo , Buckel, Ciliberti,
Hornberger, Hutchinson, Jacobs, Kaufman, Kerr, Kipke, McComas, Miller,
M. Morgan, T. Morgan, Nkongolo, Pena –Melnyk, Reilly, Rose, Schmidt,
Szeliga, Tomlinson, Wivell, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 25, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs – Discharge of Patients and Referral 2
Services – Standards 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish by 4
regulation standards relating to the discharge of patients from drug and alcohol 5
treatment programs and certain referral services offered to patients by certain drug 6
and alcohol treatment programs; and generally relating to the Maryland Department 7
of Health and standards applicable to drug and alcohol treatment programs in the 8
State. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 7.5–402.1 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Health – General 17
7.5–402.1. 18
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 19
INDICATED. 20
(2) “ASAM LEVEL 3.1 SERVICES” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 21
2 HOUSE BILL 1629
7.5–601 OF THIS TITLE. 1
(3) “TREATMENT PROGRAM” MEANS AN ENTITY THAT: 2
(I) PROVIDES TREATMENT , CARE, OR REHABILITATION FO R 3
PATIENTS WHO SHOW THE EFFECTS OF DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE; 4
(II) REPRESENTS OR ADVERTI SES ITSELF AS AN ALC OHOL OR 5
OTHER DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM; AND 6
(III) IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATION FROM THE 7
ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT SERVICES IN THE 8
STATE. 9
(B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH BY REGULATION 10
STANDARDS FOR THE DISCHARGE OF PATIENTS FROM TREATMENT PROGRAMS. 11
(2) THE STANDARDS ESTABLI SHED IN REGULATION U NDER 12
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL: 13
(I) REQUIRE THAT A DISCHA RGE FROM A TREATMENT 14
PROGRAM BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE PATIENT ’S MENTAL HEALTH OR S UBSTANCE 15
USE DISORDER DIAGNOSIS; 16
(II) 1. PROHIBIT A TREATMENT PROGRAM FROM 17
DISCHARGING THE PATIENT IF THE PATIENT: 18
A. WILL BE HOMELESS OR R ESIDE IN A HOMELESS 19
SHELTER ON DISCHARGE; AND 20
B. NEEDS TO RECEIVE CARE IN A RESIDENTIAL 21
PROGRAM BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED OR UNDE R THE TREATMENT 22
PLAN PREPARED FOR THE PATIENT; AND 23
2. REQUIRE A TREATMENT P ROGRAM TO REFER THE 24
PATIENT WHO MEETS THE CRITERIA UNDER ITEM 1 OF THIS ITEM TO RECEIVE CARE 25
IN A HALFWAY HOUSE T HAT PROVIDES ASAM LEVEL 3.1 SERVICES OR AN 26
APPROPRIATE RECOVERY RESIDENCE IF THE PATIENT IS WILLING TO RECEIVE THIS 27
LEVEL OF CARE; 28
(III) BEFORE OR AT THE TIME OF DISCHARGE , REQUIRE A 29
TREATMENT PROGRAM TO REFER AND FACILITATE ENTRY OF A PATIENT I NTO A 30
PROGRAM OR SERVICE I DENTIFIED AS A NEED FOR THE PATIENT UNDE R TH E 31
HOUSE BILL 1629 3
ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED OR UNDER THE TREATME NT PLAN PREPARED FOR THE 1
PATIENT, INCLUDING PROGRAMS OR SERVICES TO: 2
1. ADDRESS NEEDS RELATING TO: 3
A. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH; 4
B. EMPLOYMENT OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT; 5
C. DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREA TMENT AT THE ASAM 6
LEVEL APPROPRIATE FOR THE PATIENT; 7
D. LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ASSISTANCE; 8
E. FAMILY AND SOCIAL MATTERS; AND 9
F. EDUCATION; AND 10
2. PROVIDE APPROPRIATE I NDIVIDUALIZED 11
INTERVENTIONS FOR THE PATIENT, INCLUDING: 12
A. SHORT– AND LONG–RANGE TREATMENT; 13
B. CLINICAL SERVICES , INCLUDING INDIVIDUAL , 14
GROUP, AND FAMILY COUNSELING; 15
C. SELF–HELP GROUPS; AND 16
D. OTHER ANCILLARY SERVI CES SPECIFIED IN THE 17
TREATMENT PLAN; 18
(IV) IF THE PATIENT IS TRA NSITIONING FROM ONE 19
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PR OGRAM TO ANOTHER RES IDENTIAL TREATMENT 20
PROGRAM, REQUIRE THAT THE REFERRAL FOR ANY OUTPATIENT SERVICES LISTED 21
UNDER ITEM (III) OF THIS PARAGRAPH AN D NOT PROVIDED BY TH E RECEIVING 22
TREATMENT PROGRAM BE IN PLACE BEFORE THE TRANSFER OF THE P ATIENT TO 23
THE RECEIVING TREATMENT PROGRAM; AND 24
(V) IF THE PATIENT IS TRA NSITIONING TO A HOME LESS 25
SHELTER, REQUIRE THAT THE REF ERRAL FOR ANY OUTPAT IENT SERVICES LISTED 26
UNDER ITEM (III) OF THIS PARAGRAPH AN D NOT PROVIDED BY TH E HOMELESS 27
SHELTER BE IN PLACE BEFORE THE TRANSFER OF THE PATIENT TO THE HOMELESS 28
SHELTER. 29
4 HOUSE BILL 1629
(C) (1) THIS SUBSECTION APPLIES TO: 1
(I) AN ASAM LEVEL 3.3 CLINICALLY MANAGED 2
MEDIUM–INTENSITY TREATMENT PROGRAM; AND 3
(II) AN ASAM LEVEL 3.5 CLINICALLY MANAGED 4
HIGH–INTENSITY RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM. 5
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH BY REGULATION 6
STANDARDS FOR REFERR AL SERVICES OFFERED TO PATIENTS BY TREAT MENT 7
PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO THIS SUBSECTION. 8
(3) THE STANDARDS ESTABLI SHED BY REGULATION U NDER 9
PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL: 10
(I) 1. REQUIRE A TREATMENT PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT AN 11
AGREEMENT REFERRING A PATIENT TO RECEIVE SERVICES WITHIN 3 WORKING 12
DAYS AFTER SIGNING A N INDIVIDUALIZED TRE ATMENT PLAN WHEN THE PLAN 13
INCLUDES REFERRAL SERVICES FOR: 14
A. MEDICAL CARE; 15
B. SERVICES THROUGH THE MARYLAND DIVISION OF 16
REHABILITATION SERVICES; 17
C. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES; 18
D. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT; 19
E. LEGAL REPRESENTATION OR ASSISTANCE; 20
F. FAMILY SERVICES; OR 21
G. SOCIAL SERVICES; AND 22
2. REQUIRE THE INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN TO 23
INCLUDE A PLAN FOR HOW THE PATIENT WILL ACCESS THE SERVICES LISTED UNDER 24
ITEM 1 OF THIS ITEM; AND 25
(II) REQUIRE THAT TREATMEN T PROGRAM REFERRAL 26
AGREEMENTS REMAIN VA LID IN THE EVENT OF A PATIENT’S DISCHARGE FR OM A 27
TREATMENT PROGRAM TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF RECEIPT OF THE REFERRAL 28
HOUSE BILL 1629 5
SERVICES BY THE PATIENT. 1
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before December 1, 2
2026, the Maryland Department of Health shall submit a report to the Governor and, in 3
accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly that 4
includes: 5
(1) the status of the adoption and revision of regulations to implement the 6
requirements of this Act and Chapter 580 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2017; and 7
(2) a plan for the enforcement of the statutory and regulatory requirements 8
under this Act and Chapter 580 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2017. 9
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 10
1, 2026. 11