EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LA W.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 367
J1 5lr1601
By: Senator Ellis
Introduced and read first time: January 17, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Supportive Housing and Health 2
Services 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide 4
supportive housing and health services to certain Program recipients; establishing 5
requirements for professionals seeking certification as a certified supportive housing 6
and health services professional and entities that employ or contract with supportive 7
housing and health services professionals; requiring the Maryland Department of 8
Health to establish a stakeholder advisory committee to advise the Department on 9
the development of certain regulations and procedures; requiring the Department to 10
apply for a waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide 11
supportive housing and health services under the Program; and generally relating 12
to the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and supportive housing and health 13
services. 14
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 15–103(a)(1) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 20
Article – Health – General 21
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxiii) and (xxiv) 22
Annotated Code of Maryland 23
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 24
BY adding to 25
Article – Health – General 26
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxv) and 15–141.6 27
Annotated Code of Maryland 28 2 SENATE BILL 367
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 1
Preamble 2
WHEREAS, All individuals need and deserve safe, decent, and stable housing; and 3
WHEREAS, Living without stable housing can drastically worsen an individual’s 4
health, exacerbate mental illness, make ending substance abuse difficult, and prevent 5
chronic physical health conditions from being addressed; and 6
WHEREAS, Although affordable housing is part of the solution, some individuals 7
may benefit from having housing coupled with supportive services; and 8
WHEREAS, A broad body of research shows that supportive housing and health 9
services help people with disabilities to maintain stable housing; and 10
WHEREAS, Providing supportive housing and health services through the Maryland 11
Medical Assistance Program may improve the lives of many individuals in the State; now, 12
therefore, 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Health – General 16
15–103. 17
(a) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Maryland Medical Assistance 18
Program. 19
(2) The Program: 20
(xxiii) Beginning on July 1, 2025, shall provide, subject to the 21
limitations of the State budget, and as permitted by federal law, coverage for biomarker 22
testing in accordance with § 15–859 of the Insurance Article; [and] 23
(xxiv) Beginning on January 1, 2025, shall provide coverage for 24
prostheses in accordance with § 15–844 of the Insurance Article; AND 25
(XXV) BEGINNING ON JULY 1, 2026, SHALL PROVIDE , SUBJECT TO 26
FEDERAL APPROVAL AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STATE BUDGET , SUPPORTIVE 27
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN ACCORDAN CE 28
WITH § 15–141.6 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 29
15–141.6. 30
SENATE BILL 367 3
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(2) “CERTIFIED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES 3
PROFESSIONAL ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MEETS THE REQUIR EMENTS OF 4
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 5
(3) “CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS ” MEANS LACKING A FIXED , REGULAR, 6
AND ADEQUATE NIGHTTI ME RESIDENCE FOR AT LEAST 1 YEAR OR MORE TH AN 7
TWICE IN A 1–YEAR PERIOD. 8
(4) “HOMELESSNESS” MEANS A CONDITION WH ERE AN INDIVIDUAL 9
OR FAMILY LACKS A FI XED, REGULAR, AND ADEQUATE NIGHTTI ME RESIDENCE . 10
(5) “HOUSING INSTABILITY ” MEANS CHALLENGES THA T MAKE IT 11
DIFFICULT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAM ILY TO PAY RENT, MAINTAIN HOUSING , OR 12
HAVE A STABLE HOME . 13
(6) “SUPPORTIVE HOUSING” MEANS LONG –TERM HOUSING WITH 14
INTEGRATED, INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPO RTIVE SERVICES DESIG NED TO ASSIST AN 15
INDIVIDUAL FACING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILI TY. 16
(7) (I) “SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES ” MEANS 17
HOUSING IN WHICH ASS ISTANCE, SUCH AS LONG–TERM LEASING OR RENTAL 18
ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE PROVIDE D TO 19
ASSIST INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS TO ACHIEVE HOUSING STABILITY . 20
(II) “SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES” 21
INCLUDES: 22
1. ASSISTANCE WITH COMMU NITY TRANSITION COST S; 23
2. HOME ACCESSIBILITY MO DIFICATIONS; 24
3. HOUSING AND TENANCY S UPPORTS; AND 25
4. WRAPAROUND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. 26
(8) “SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AN D HEALTH SERVICES PR OVIDER” 27
MEANS A FOR–PROFIT, NONPROFIT, PUBLIC, OR PRIVATE ENTITY THAT COMBINES 28
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH COMPLEX HEALTH , 29
MENTAL HEALTH , OR SUBSTANCE USE ISS UES TO MAINTAIN STABLE HOUS ING AND 30
RECEIVE HEALTH CARE . 31 4 SENATE BILL 367
(9) “WRAPAROUND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES” MEANS 1
INDIVIDUAL–CENTERED SERVICES TH AT INCLUDE: 2
(I) CASE MANAGEMENT ; 3
(II) HEALTH CARE; 4
(III) BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT; 5
(IV) EMPLOYMENT SERVICES ; AND 6
(V) OTHER SERVICES NECESS ARY TO MAINTAIN HOUS ING AND 7
IMPROVE AN INDIVIDUA L’S HEALTH. 8
(B) THE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HEALTH 9
SERVICES TO PROGRAM RECIPIENTS WH O: 10
(1) ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELES SNESS OR CHRONIC 11
HOMELESSNESS ; 12
(2) REQUIRE INTENSIVE CAS E MANAGEMENT ; 13
(3) HAVE A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION OR ACUTE I LLNESS; AND 14
(4) REQUIRE ASSISTANCE WI TH OBTAINING AND MAI NTAINING 15
HOUSING AS A RESULT OF A DOCUMENTED MENT AL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE 16
DISORDER, OR DISABILITY, AS INDICATED BY A NE ED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH AT 17
LEAST ONE OF THE FOL LOWING: 18
(I) MOBILITY; 19
(II) DECISION MAKING; 20
(III) MANAGEMENT OF CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR S; OR 21
(IV) AT LEAST ONE BASIC NE ED SUCH AS SELF–CARE, BATHING, 22
OR CHANGING CLOTHES . 23
(C) AN INDIVIDUAL SEEKING CERTIFICATIO N AS A CERTIFIED SUP PORTIVE 24
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES PROFESSIONAL SHALL : 25
SENATE BILL 367 5
(1) COMPLETE AN ACCREDITE D TRAINING AND CERTI FICATION 1
PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTI VE HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES PROFESSIONA LS, 2
APPROVED IN ACCORDAN CE WITH SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION; AND 3
(2) MAINTAIN THE CERTIFIC ATION COMPLETED UNDE R ITEM (1) OF 4
THIS SUBSECTION . 5
(D) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2026, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL APPR OVE 6
AT LEAST ONE ACCREDI TED TRAINING AND CER TIFICATION PROGRAM F OR 7
CERTIFIED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES PROFESSIONA LS THAT 8
INCLUDES: 9
(1) AT LEAST 35 HOURS OF INITIAL TRAI NING; AND 10
(2) AT LEAST 6 HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION EVERY 2 YEARS. 11
(E) AN ENTITY, INCLUDING A SUPPORTI VE HOUSING AND HEALT H SERVICES 12
PROVIDER, THAT EMPLOYS OR CONT RACTS WITH A CERTIFI ED SUPPORTIVE 13
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES PRO FESSIONAL TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE 14
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES SHALL : 15
(1) MAINTAIN DOCUMENTATIO N THAT THE CERTIFIED SUPPORTIVE 16
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES PROFESSIONA L HAS MET THE REQUIR EMENTS OF 17
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION; AND 18
(2) ENSURE THAT THE C ERTIFIED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND 19
HEALTH SERVICES PROFESSIONAL IS PROV IDING SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND 20
HEALTH SERVICES IN COMPLIANCE WITH A NY APPLICABLE STANDA RD OF CARE, 21
RULE, REGULATION , AND FEDERAL OR STATE LAW. 22
(F) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO ALTER THE SCOPE OF 23
PRACTICE FOR ANY HEA LTH CARE PROFESSIONA L. 24
(G) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH A STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY 25
COMMITTEE TO ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT ON THE DEV ELOPMENT OF 26
REGULATIONS AND P ROCEDURES TO CARRY OUT THIS SE CTION. 27
(2) THE STAKEHOL DER ADVISORY COMMITT EE SHALL CONSIST OF : 28
(I) THREE REPRESENTATIVES OF ORGANIZATIONS WIT H 29
EXPERIENCE PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE HOUSING A ND HEALTH SERVICES I N THE 30
STATE; 31
6 SENATE BILL 367
(II) ONE HOMELESS SERVICES PR OVIDER; AND 1
(III) ANY OTHER MEMBER AS D ETERMINED NECESSARY BY THE 2
DEPARTMENT . 3
(H) (1) THE SECRETARY SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT 4
THIS SECTION. 5
(2) THE SECRETARY SHALL CONSI DER THE RECOMMENDATI ONS OF 6
THE STAKEHOLDER ADVI SORY COMMITTEE WHEN DEVELOPING THE REGULATIONS 7
REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That , on or before October 1, 2025, 9
the Maryland Department of Health shall apply to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 10
Services for a waiver to provide supportive housing and health services under the Maryland 11
Medical Assistance Program. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1 of this Act shall take 13
effect on the date that the waiver applied for in accordance with Section 2 of this Act is 14
approved. If the waiver is not approved, Section 1 of this Act shall be null and void without 15
the necessity of further action by the General Assembly. The Maryland Department of 16
Health, within 5 days after receiving approval or denial of the waiver, shall forward a copy 17
of the notice to the Department of Legislative Services. 18
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, subject to Section 3 of this 19
Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 20