WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                            Ch. 558

Article - Health - General

SUBTITLE 17. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MEDICAL RESPONSE ACT

19-1701.

(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
MARYLAND HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION AND THE MEDICAL AND CHIRURIGICAL
FACULTY OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND IMPLEMENT A PILOT DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE PROTOCOL PROGRAM IN THREE BY SOLICITING APPLICATIONS FROM
HOSPITALS IN THE STATE.

(B) OF THE THREE HOSPITALS SELECTED FOR THE PILOT DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE PROTOCOL PROGRAM:

(B) OF THE HOSPITALS APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM, THE SECRETARY MAY
SELECT THREE HOSPITALS AND, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE:

(1)      ONE SHALL BE IN AN URBAN AREA;

(2)      ONE SHALL BE IN A RURAL AREA; AND

(3)      ONE SHALL BE IN A SUBURBAN AREA.
19-1702.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTOCOL PROGRAM IS TO:

(1)      DEVELOP STANDARDIZED PROTOCOLS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY ROOM RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS; AND

(2)      INITIATE A MEDICAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM FOR VICTIMS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

19-1703.

THE PILOT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTOCOL PROGRAM SHALL:

(1)      PRODUCE INTERDISCIPLINARY PROTOCOLS THAT INCORPORATE
THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL
WHO INTERACT WITH AND TREAT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE;

(2)      DEVELOP A COORDINATED SYSTEM TO PROVIDE ONSITE ON-SITE
SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE;

(3)      ORGANIZE, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENT AN INSERVICE IN-SERVICE
TRAINING PROGRAM FOR HOSPITAL PERSONNEL THAT PROVIDES:

(I) CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE; AND

(II) PROCEDURES FOR INTERACTING WITH AND TREATING
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE;

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