EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G 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.
*hb1083*
HOUSE BILL 1083
J1 5lr3061
CF SB 790
By: Delegates Woods, Alston, Bagnall, Bhandari, Boafo, Crutchfield, Fair, Fennell,
Harrison, Kaiser, Kaufman, J. Lewis, J. Long, Martinez, Patterson,
Roberson, Roberts, Simmons, Taylor, Turner, Valderrama, Wilkins, and
Williams Williams, Pena–Melnyk, Cullison, Guzzone, Hill, S. Johnson, Kerr,
Lopez, Rosenberg, Taveras, Woorman, and Ross
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Department of Health – Workgroup Behavioral Health Advisory 2
Council and the Commission on Behavioral Health Care Treatment and Access – 3
Plan to Implement Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment 4
Requirements 5
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Health to convene a Behavioral 6
Health Advisory Council and the Commission on Behavioral Health Care Treatment 7
and Access, through its workgroup on youth behavioral health, individuals with 8
developmental disabilities, and individuals with complex behavioral health needs, to 9
provide recommendations to implement Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, 10
and Treatment requirements; and generally relating to a workgroup plan to 11
implement Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment requirements. 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That: 14
(a) The Maryland Department of Health shall convene a workgroup to implement 15
Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment requirements. 16
(b) The workgroup shall include the following members: 17
2 HOUSE BILL 1083
(1) behavioral health professionals who work with children and families; 1
(2) childhood mental health specialists; 2
(3) clinicians who work with children and families; 3
(4) children with behavioral health issues; 4
(5) behavioral health advocates; 5
(6) parents and caregivers with experience navigating the behavioral 6
health system on behalf of children; and 7
(7) other interested stakeholders. 8
(c) (a) The Behavioral Health Advisory Council and the Commission on Behavioral 9
Health Care Treatment and Access, through its workgroup on youth behavioral health, 10
individuals with developmental disabilities, and individuals with complex behavioral 11
health needs, shall create a plan provide recommendations to implement the 12
recommendations in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services State Health Official 13
letter #24–005: Best Practices for Adhering to Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, 14
and Treatment (EPSDT) Requirements for children, including: 15
(1) screening and assessment of behavioral health conditions; 16
(2) the feasibility of implementing the DC:0–5 Diagnostic Classification of 17
Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood as a 18
diagnostic tool for patients under the age of 5 years; 19
(3) community–based services to correct and ameliorate a wide range of 20
behavioral health conditions; and 21
(4) services to: 22
(i) ensure children’s behavioral health; 23
(ii) address early symptoms of concern, with or without a diagnosis; 24
and 25
(iii) address urgent and crisis needs. 26
(b) In performing the duties described in subsection (a) of this section, the Council 27
and Commission, through its workgroup, shall consult with: 28
(1) behavioral health professionals who work with children and families; 29
(2) early childhood mental health specialists; 30 HOUSE BILL 1083 3
(3) clinicians who work with children and families; 1
(4) children with behavioral health issues; 2
(5) behavioral health advocates; 3
(6) parents and caregivers with experience navigating the behavioral 4
health system on behalf of children; and 5
(7) other interested stakeholders. 6
(d) (c) On or before December 1, 2025 January 1, 2026, the Maryland Department of 7
Health shall submit a report of the its findings and recommendations of the workgroup to 8
the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, Th at this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2026, this 11
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 12
further force and effect. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.