HB 962

Public Health - Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients and Workgroup on Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Overstays

Sponsor: Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk (District 21)Committee: Health and Government OperationsSubject: Public HealthStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 479 (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Specifying that the scope of the Maryland Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Registry and Referral System includes private and State inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance use services; requiring the Maryland Department of Health and the Department of Human Services, under certain circumstances, to ensure pediatric hospital overstay patients are placed in the least restrictive setting when clinically indicated and when possible; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 20FavorableFWA 5Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 4Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Ye, Webster	DHS	Oral
FAV	Bartolomeo, Kathleen	GCAN, MCRT	Position only
FAV	Clark, Ashleylobbyist	Harris Jones & Malone, LLC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stockwell, David	Johns Hopkins Hospital	Oral
FAV	Huber, Michaellobbyist	Johns Hopkins University & Medicine	Written (PDF)
FAV	Manna, Maria	LifeBridge Health	Oral
FAV	Witten, Jenniferlobbyist	LifeBridge Health	Written (PDF)
FAV	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Position only
FAV	Nicklas, Andrewlobbyist	Maryland Hospital Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	LeMon, Erica	Maryland Legal Aid	Written (PDF)
FAV	Routson, Kimberlylobbyist	MedStar Health	Written (PDF)
FAV	Geddes, Annlobbyist	Mental Health Association of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Collopy, Margaret	Public Health Law Clinic	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Etheridge, Carrie	Sheppard Pratt	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Pearlman, Megan	University of Maryland Medical Center	Oral
FAV	Tilburg, Will	University of Maryland Medical System	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Pena-Melnyk, Delegate Pena-Melnyklegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Dorr, Jennifer	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kauffman, Dannalobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	LeClair, Danielle	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Mauer, William	Individual	Position only
FWA	Philip, Diana	Coalition to Protect Maryland's Children	Written (PDF)
FWA	Government Affairs, Rachel Sledge	Department of Human Services	Written (PDF)
FWA	Schwartz, Tanya	MDH Bevavioral Health Administration	Oral
FWA	Lynch, Meghan	Maryland Department of Health	Written (PDF)
FWA	Mirviss, Mitchell	Venable LLP	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
INFO	Case-Herron, Sarahlobbyist	Maryland Department of Health	Written (PDF)
INFO	Gyauch, William	Maryland Office of the Public Defender	Oral
INFO	Hilliard, Elizabeth	Office of the Public Defender	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Coalition to Protect Maryland's ChildrenFWA 1

Department of Human ServicesFWA 1

DHSFAV 1

Disability Rights MarylandINFO 1

GCAN, MCRTFAV 1

Harris Jones & Malone, LLCFAV 1

Johns Hopkins HospitalFAV 1

Johns Hopkins University & MedicineFAV 1

LifeBridge HealthFAV 2

Maryland Department of HealthFWA 1INFO 1

Maryland Hospital AssociationFAV 1

Maryland Legal AidFAV 1

Maryland Office of the Public DefenderINFO 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)FAV 1

MDH Bevavioral Health AdministrationFWA 1

MedStar HealthFAV 1

Mental Health Association of MarylandFAV 1

Office of the Public DefenderINFO 1

Public Health Law ClinicFAV 1

Sheppard PrattFAV 1

University of Maryland Medical CenterFAV 1

University of Maryland Medical SystemFAV 1

Venable LLPFWA 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVClark, AshleyHarris Jones & Malone, LLCRegistered for: Beltway Fine Wine; Chesapeake Employers' Insurance Company; Community Associations Institute/Maryland Legislative Action Committee; Employ Prince George's, Inc.; Frederick Community College; Greater Baltimore Committee…

FAVHuber, MichaelJohns Hopkins University & MedicineRegistered for: Johns Hopkins

FAVWitten, JenniferLifeBridge HealthRegistered for: Lifebridge Health, Inc.

FAVNicklas, AndrewMaryland Hospital AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Hospital Association; Adventist HealthCare, Inc.

FAVRoutson, KimberlyMedStar HealthRegistered for: MedStar Health

FAVGeddes, AnnMental Health Association of MarylandRegistered for: Mental Health Association of Maryland; Maryland Coalition of Families

FAVKauffman, DannaRegistered for: Amazon.com Services, LLC; American Association of Dental Boards c/o Commission on Dental Competency Assessments; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; Behavioral Health System Baltimore; City of Rockville; Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland…

INFOMargolis, LeslieDisability Rights MarylandRegistered for: Disability Rights Maryland

INFOCase-Herron, SarahMaryland Department of HealthRegistered for: 38 Degrees North; Advanced Energy United; Alliance of Maryland Dental Plans; Allstate Insurance Company; America's Health Insurance Plans; American Council of Life Insurers…