Current through Register Vol. 52, No. 6, March 21, 2025
A.
Application for License.
(1) To obtain and
maintain a license, an applicant shall meet all of the requirements of:
(b) Other applicable federal, State, and
local laws and regulations.
(2) An applicant shall submit:
(a) An application on a written or electronic
form developed by the Department;
(b) Verification that the applicant or
corporate representative is 21 years old or older;
(c) Documentation of any prior denial,
suspension, or revocation of a license or certification to provide care to
third parties;
(d) Identification
of any individual or corporate owner of a 25 percent or more interest in the
agency;
(e) Ownership information
as specified on an addendum to the application;
(f) Information concerning any license or
certification held by the applicant under Health Occupations Article or
Health-General Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, including prior or current
operation of a similar health care program by the applicant;
(g) Disclosure of any criminal charges or
convictions, and disclosure of any findings of violation of:
(i) Medicare and Medicaid laws and
regulations;
(ii) Health-General
Article, Annotated Code of Maryland; or
(iii) Health Occupations Article, Annotated
Code of Maryland;
(h)
Information demonstrating the financial or administrative ability to operate an
agency in compliance with this chapter, which shall include at a minimum a
business plan that contains a:
(i) 1-year
operating budget;
(ii) Marketing
plan that identifies the populations to be served; and
(iii) Detailed and specific description of
agency services;
(i)
Copies of the agency's policies and procedures as specified in Regulation .08B
of this chapter;
(j) Proof of
Workers' Compensation for all employees as required by the Maryland Workers'
Compensation Commission; and
(k) A
nonrefundable license fee of $1,000 made payable to the Department for a 3-year
licensing fee.
B. Additional Requirements for Initial
Licensure.
(1) If the applicant, owner, or
person identified in §A(2)(d) of this regulation has had their license
suspended or revoked by the Department that person may not own, operate, or
manage another agency for 10 years without good cause shown. After 10 years,
the applicant shall submit evidence to the Department that the applicant is
capable of owning, managing, or operating an agency within the laws and
regulations.
(2) If an applicant,
owner, or person identified in §A(2)(d) of this regulation operates or
manages an agency, that applicant, owner, or individual may not apply to open
additional agencies, if the agency:
(a) Has
had sanctions imposed within the last 2 years; and
(b) Has not achieved compliance with the
regulations at the time of application for licensure.
(3) The Department reserves the right to deny
licensure for a residential service agency to an applicant, an owner, or an
individual identified in §A(2)(d) of this regulation, based on that
person's prior:
(a) History of violations of
residential service agency regulations; or
(b) Criminal history that the Department
determines may be potentially harmful to clients.
C. The Department shall review all
applications for licensure to determine whether the applicant:
(1) Can provide appropriate services to sick
or disabled individuals who require care in the individuals' residence;
and
(2) Meets the regulatory
requirements of this chapter.
D. In addition to any other rights of
inspection, before approving or denying an application for licensure, the
Department may conduct an announced or unannounced on-site inspection of the
agency.
E. Based on information
provided to the Department by the applicant, the Secretary shall:
(1) Approve the application
unconditionally;
(2) Approve the
application conditionally, which may include, among other conditions,
requiring:
(a) The applicant to use the
services of a management firm approved by the Secretary; or
(b) A licensure term of less than 1 year;
or
(3) Deny the
application.
F. The
Secretary may not require the use of a management firm for a period in excess
of 24 months.
G. A person aggrieved
by a decision of the Secretary under this regulation to deny a license
application may appeal the Secretary's action by filing a request for a hearing
consistent with Regulation .28 of this chapter.
H. Duration of License. A license is valid
for 3 years from the date of issuance, unless:
(1) Surrendered, suspended, or revoked;
or
(2) It is a provisional license
as described in §J of this regulation.
I. License Renewal. A licensee shall submit
to the Department:
(1) An application for
license renewal on a -written or electronic form developed by the
Department;
(2) A nonrefundable
license renewal fee of $1,000 made payable to the Department for a 3-year
licensing fee;
(3) Copies of any
policies and procedures that have changed substantively since they were
previously reviewed by the Department, including those relevant to:
(a) Handling of complaints made to the
agency; and
(b) Evaluation and
assessment of clients;
(4) Valid professional licenses and
certificates for all current employees; and
(5) An annual data collection survey in the
form and manner prescribed by the Secretary with each application for license
renewal.
J. Licenses for
Less than 1 Year.
(1) The Department may issue
a provisional license if:
(a) The agency
intends to provide services limited to skilled nursing and home health aid
services; or
(b) The residential
service agency is not in full compliance with this chapter, but, in the opinion
of the Department, the:
(i) Noncompliance does
not constitute a safety or health hazard; and
(ii) Applicant or licensee has submitted a
plan of correction that is acceptable to the Department which satisfactorily
addresses the correction of each deficiency within a timeframe acceptable to
the Department.
(2) A provisional license may not be extended
beyond its expiration date.
K. If an agency fails to comply with the
regulations of this chapter and the Department needs to conduct more than one
on-site prelicensure visit, the Department may:
(1) Charge $250 per additional on-site visit;
or