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.
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SENATE BILL 212
P1, O2 5lr0037
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 36
By: Chair, Finance Committee (By Request – Departmental – Aging)
Requested: September 28, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: January 29, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Aging – Aging Services – Program Repeal and Consolidation 2
FOR the purpose of repealing provisions of law requiring the Secretary of Aging to develop 3
certain congregate housing and assisted living programs for seniors; repealing the 4
Interagency Committee on Aging Services and transferring certain responsibilities 5
of the Committee to the Department of Aging; authorizing the Department to 6
perform certain duties to implement and coordinate services to older adults and to 7
collaborate with certain entities that establish local interagency committees; 8
requiring the Department to establish, coordinate, and supervise a program to 9
provide single points of entry within each planning and service area; authorizing 10
area agencies on aging to make agreements with certain entities and provide staff at 11
the single points of entry for certain purposes; requiring the Department to develop, 12
coordinate, and administer with area agencies on aging or other persons a certain 13
system to provide certain services to certain older adults; requiring the Department 14
to engage with key stakeholders to conduct certain transition planning and to 15
provide certain services to certain older adults; and generally relating to the 16
Department of Aging and aging services. 17
BY repealing 18
Article – Human Services 19
Section 10–209 through 10–211, 10–301 through 10–305, and 10–310 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 22
2 SENATE BILL 212
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – Human Services 2
Section 10–101; and 10–306 through 10–309 to be under the amended subtitle 3
“Subtitle 3. Aging Services” 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That Section(s) 10–209 through 10–211, 10–301 through 10–305, and 10–310 of 8
Article – Human Services of the Annotated Code of Maryland be repealed. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 10
as follows: 11
Article – Human Services 12
10–101. 13
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 14
(b) “Area agency ON AGING” means the local agency that the Department 15
designates in accordance with the Older Americans Act of 1965 to administer the delivery 16
of a comprehensive and coordinated plan of social and other services and activities for 17
[seniors] OLDER ADULTS in a planning and service area. 18
(c) “Community for a Lifetime” means a community certified under § 10–804 of 19
this title. 20
(d) [“Congregate housing services” means services provided in an apartment 21
building that promote independent living for an eligible individual. 22
(e)] “Department” means the Department of Aging. 23
[(f) “Interagency Committee” means the unit established in § 10–301 of this title 24
to oversee the coordination and consolidation of services for seniors in the State. 25
(g)] (E) “Planning and service area” means an area of the State that the 26
Department designates in accordance with the Older Americans Act of 1965 for the 27
planning and administration of social, health, and other services for [seniors] OLDER 28
ADULTS. 29
[(h)] (F) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Aging. 30
Subtitle 3. [Interagency Committee on] Aging Services. 31
[10–306.] 10–301. 32 SENATE BILL 212 3
(a) [(1) The Interagency Committee shall develop and update annually a plan 1
for providing coordinated health services, social services, transportation, housing, and 2
employment services to seniors in the State consistent with the priorities that the 3
Department establishes. 4
(2) If the members of the Interagency Committee cannot agree on a plan, 5
the chair shall refer the matter to the Governor for resolution. 6
(b)] The [Interagency Committee shall establish interagency] DEPARTMENT 7
MAY ENTER INTO agreements and CONTRACTS, adopt regulations, AND ADOPT 8
POLICIES AND PROCEDU RES to[: 9
(1)] implement and coordinate services to [seniors consistent with the plan 10
developed under subsection (a) of this section; 11
(2) maximize the sharing of resources among units of State government for 12
services to seniors; 13
(3) consolidate planning and evaluation efforts at the State and local levels; 14
and 15
(4) coordinate and expedite the delivery of services to seniors by providing 16
technical assistance to local agencies] OLDER ADULTS UNDER T HIS TITLE. 17
[(c) (1)] (B) The [Interagency Committee shall assist] DEPARTMENT MAY 18
COLLABORATE WITH county agencies [to], AREA AGENCIES ON AGI NG, NONPROFIT 19
ORGANIZATIONS , OR OTHER PERSONS THA T establish local interagency committees 20
[composed of: 21
(i) the directors of the local health department, local department of 22
social services, and area agency; and 23
(ii) officials from housing, transportation, mental health, 24
employment, and economic development agencies. 25
(2) Local interagency committees shall coordinate and expedite the 26
delivery of services to seniors at the local level]. 27
[10–307.] 10–302. 28
(a) [(1)] The [Interagency Committee] DEPARTMENT shall establish [and], 29
coordinate, AND SUPERVISE a program to provide single points of entry within each 30
planning and service area. 31
4 SENATE BILL 212
[(2) The Department shall supervise the program for the Interagency 1
Committee.] 2
(b) Each area agency ON AGING shall operate a single point of entry program to 3
assess the needs of [seniors] OLDER ADULTS and their caregivers and provide appropriate 4
services. 5
(c) The following services shall be provided through a single point of entry: 6
(1) providing current information on available programs, services, or 7
benefits; 8
(2) determining the service needs of each [senior] OLDER ADULT who 9
requests service; 10
(3) processing requests for service from [seniors] OLDER ADULTS ; 11
(4) through widely publicized local outreach facilities and communications 12
systems, providing access to available public and private programs and services for 13
[seniors] OLDER ADULTS , including: 14
(i) transportation services; 15
(ii) health and nutrition services; 16
(iii) financial assistance; 17
(iv) social services; 18
(v) educational services; 19
(vi) services available through volunteer organizations or private 20
agencies; 21
(vii) appropriate housing arrangements; 22
(viii) health insurance counseling; 23
(ix) employment and volunteer opportunities; 24
(x) respite care services; and 25
(xi) other programs, information, counseling, or benefits for [seniors] 26
OLDER ADULTS ; 27
(5) monitoring the outcome of requests for service or information; and 28 SENATE BILL 212 5
(6) arranging with other agencies for individual assessment to determine 1
the service needs of [a frail or health–impaired senior] OLDER ADULTS IN NEED OF 2
LONG–TERM SERVICES AND SU PPORTS. 3
(d) To the extent possible, each single point of entry shall be: 4
(1) located in a senior citizen center; and 5
(2) available for access at least 5 days a week. 6
(e) [Local interagency committees on services to seniors] AREA AGENCIES ON 7
AGING shall make agreements [among themselves] WITH NONPROFIT ORGAN IZATIONS 8
OR OTHER PERSONS AS NEEDED and [with other agencies to] provide staff on a regular 9
basis at the single points of entry to: 10
(1) provide information and services to [seniors] OLDER ADULTS ; and 11
(2) administer agency programs. 12
[10–308.] 10–303. 13
Each planning and service area shall have a telephone information and referral 14
service that is available on a 24–hour basis. 15
[10–309.] 10–304. 16
(a) [(1)] The [Interagency Committee] DEPARTMENT shall[: 17
(i)] develop, COORDINATE , AND ADMINISTER WITH AREA 18
AGENCIES ON AGING OR OTHER PERSONS a system to provide services to [frail or 19
health–impaired seniors at risk of institutionalization; and 20
(ii) coordinate the system among the agencies represented on the 21
Interagency Committee. 22
(2) The Department shall administer the system for the Interagency 23
Committee] OLDER ADULTS IN NEED OF LONG–TERM SERVICES AND SU PPORTS TO 24
ALLOW OLDER ADULTS T O AGE IN A LOCATION SELECTED BY THE OLDE R ADULT 25
WITH APPROP RIATE SERVICES, SUPPORTS, AND HOUSING OPPORTUN ITIES. 26
(b) The services [shall] MAY include: 27
(1) integrated screening and evaluation; 28
(2) development of an individual plan of care; 29 6 SENATE BILL 212
(3) in–home services such as [minor] home repair OR OTHER HOME 1
MODIFICATIONS , shopping assistance, homemaking, CHORE SERVICES , personal care, 2
meal delivery or preparation, TRANSPORTATION SERVI CES, HEALTH SERVICES , AND 3
OTHER supportive services [to group or shared living arrangements, transportation 4
services, and health services; and]; 5
(4) [community] COMMUNITY –BASED services such as day care, 6
[congregate meals] FOOD AND OTHER MEAL COORDINATION , and other [programs] 7
EFFORTS to assist [seniors] OLDER ADULTS or adult caregivers [in providing care for 8
seniors]; 9
(5) A SUBSIDY FOR THE COST S OF AN ASSISTED LIV ING PROGRAM AS 10
DEFINED IN § 19–1801 OF THE HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE; 11
(6) ANY OTHER SERVICE TH AT MAY MITIGATE THE RISK OF IMPACT 12
TO, OR IMPROVE RESILIENC E OF, HOUSING OR SERVICES OF OLDER ADULTS BY 13
NATURAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, OR HUMAN–MADE THREATS AND HAZ ARDS, INCLUDING 14
CLIMATE CHANGE ; AND 15
(7) ANY OTHER SERVICE AU THORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 16
(c) To be eligible to participate in the system, a county, [or counties] AREA 17
AGENCY ON AGING , NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON, OR ANY OTHER PERSON shall 18
[establish a community–based plan that: 19
(1) is developed by a local or regional committee composed of: 20
(i) the directors of the local health department, local department of 21
social services, and area agency; and 22
(ii) officials of other relevant agencies, such as local housing, 23
transportation, employment, and economic development officials; 24
(2) is consistent with the plan developed under § 10–306(a) of this subtitle; 25
(3) specifies administrative arrangements to evaluate and develop care 26
plans for frail or health–impaired seniors; 27
(4) encourages further coordination of service delivery; 28
(5) fosters individual contributions for services provided; 29
(6) fosters the development of innovative service delivery; 30
SENATE BILL 212 7
(7) fosters the development of services in conjunction with the private 1
sector; and 2
(8) fosters community involvement through the use of volunteers ] 3
COMPLY WITH DEPARTMENT STANDARDS . 4
[(d) The Interagency Committee, through the Department, shall work with local 5
health departments, local departments of social services, area agencies, and local housing, 6
transportation, economic development, and employment development officials to: 7
(1) a system to designate case managers to secure and manage necessary 8
services for each frail or health–impaired senior in need; and 9
(2) guidelines, to establish local or regional committees to coordinate the 10
services system to implement this section.] 11
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, beginning in June 2025, the 12
Department of Aging shall engage with key stakeholders, including area agencies on aging, 13
to: 14
(1) conduct program transition planning and to co–design the new, 15
consolidated program required under Section 1 of this Act; and 16
(2) provide that individuals enrolled in the Senior Care, Senior Assisted 17
Living Subsidy, and Congregate Housing Services Programs at the time of the transition 18
required under Section 1 of this Act will receive a person–centered assessment, performed 19
by the appropriate area agency on aging for that jurisdiction, to determine an individual 20
transition plan that may include continued service delivery, or an alternative to ensure 21
appropriate care is maintained. 22
SECTION 3. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be construed 23
to apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 24
application to any cause of action arising before the effective date of this Act. 25
SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED, That Section 3 of this Act shall take 26
effect June 1, 2025. 27
SECTION 4. 6. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That , except as provided in 28
Section 5 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 29