Baltimore, MD —The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) applauds the Maryland General Assembly for removing barriers to behavioral health treatment with the passage of House Bill 498 and its companion Senate Bill 444. This legislation is designed to expand access to critical behavioral health services across the state.

The new law creates a more efficient pathway for increasing treatment capacity at certain facilities providing medically managed residential substance use disorder (SUD) services. It also maintains the Commission’s health planning and regulatory oversight role for these services, ensuring alignment with the State Health Plan and the broader public interest.

As Maryland continues to respond to the opioid crisis and growing demand for behavioral health services, MHCC supports targeted reforms that enable the health care system to meet Marylanders’ needs for high quality, safe, and accessible care.

With this legislative change, MHCC will balance access and accountability through:

• Expedited Certificate of Need (CON) Review: Establishes a 45-day notice of intent process for proposed changes in bed capacity, replacing the need for a full CON review in specified circumstances.
• Consistent Oversight: MHCC evaluates whether proposed expansions are aligned with the State Health Plan, support the public interest, and promote the efficient delivery of care.
• Focusing on Health Care Planning Needs: Applies to facilities providing higher-acuity services, including medically managed residential treatment consistent with ASAM Level 3.7. Additional capacity in these facilities will help address the behavioral health needs of Marylanders.

“Our priority is ensuring that Marylanders have timely access to life-saving treatment,” said Dr. Douglas Jacobs, Executive Director of MHCC. “This legislation modernizes the Certificate of Need process by creating a more efficient pathway for expanding capacity, while maintaining the safeguards necessary to ensure high-quality, well-coordinated care.”

About the Maryland Health Care Commission

The Maryland Health Care Commission is an independent regulatory agency whose mission is to plan for health system needs, promote informed decision-making, increase accountability, and improve access in a rapidly changing health care environment. The Commission provides timely and accurate information on the availability, cost, and quality of services to policymakers, purchasers, providers, and the public.