Ch. 102                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

Annotated Code of Maryland

(2000 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Health - General

19-1805.

(a) The Department shall:

(1)     Define different levels of assisted living according to the level of care
provided;

(2)     Require all assisted living programs to be licensed to operate
according to the level of the program;

(3)     Develop a waiver process for authorizing an assisted living program
to continue to care for an individual whose medical or functional condition has
changed since admission to the program to an extent that the level of care required by
the individual exceeds the level of care for which the program is licensed;

(4)     Promote affordable and accessible assisted living programs
throughout the State;

(5)     Establish and enforce quality standards for assisted living programs;

(6)     Require periodic inspections of assisted living program facilities,
including at least an annual unannounced on-site inspection;

(7)     Establish requirements for the qualifications or training or both of
assisted living program employees;

(8)     Establish a "resident bill of rights" for residents of assisted living
program facilities; [and]

(9)     Define which, if any, assisted living programs may be exempt from
the requirements of § 19-311 of this title; AND.

(10) ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE STANDARDS TO CERTIFY THIRD PARTY
ASSISTED LIVING ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS THAT:

(I) AUTHORIZE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE RESULTS OF A
CERTIFIED THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION SURVEY AS SUFFICIENT FOR
COMPLIANCE WITH ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAM LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS; AND

(II) REQUIRE THE CERTIFIED THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION
SURVEY ACCEPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.

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