Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024
A. To obtain and maintain a license, an
applicant shall, at a minimum:
(1) Except for
local health departments, be properly organized as a Maryland corporation, a
forensic residential center (FRC), or a State residential center (SRC), or, if
operating as a foreign corporation, be properly registered to do business in
Maryland;
(2) Have a governing body
that is legally responsible for overseeing the management and operation of all
programs conducted by the licensee;
(3) Have a governing body that is legally
responsible for ensuring that each aspect of the licensee's program operates in
compliance with all of the requirements of this chapter and all other
applicable laws and regulations; and
(4) Except for currently licensed providers,
demonstrate the capability to provide or arrange for the provision of all
applicable services required by this chapter by submitting, at a minimum, the
following documents to the Department:
(a) A
business plan that clearly demonstrates the ability of the applicant to provide
services in accordance with this chapter;
(b) A summary of the applicant's demonstrated
experience in the field of developmental disabilities;
(c) Prior licensing reports issued within the
previous 10 years from any in-State or out-of-State entity associated with the
applicant, including deficiency reports and compliance records; and
(d) A written quality assurance plan approved
by the Administration in accordance with Regulation .14 of this chapter;
and
(5) If currently
licensed, produce, upon written request from the Administration, the document
required under §A(4) of this regulation.
B. An applicant shall file an application for
a license or license renewal on a written or electronic form provided by the
Administration. An existing licensee shall file an application for renewal at
least 60 days before expiration of its existing license. The license does not
expire until the Director takes an action under §D of this regulation and
the time for seeking judicial review or any judicial stay of the final action
expires.
C. The administrative head
of the corporation or two of its officers, local health officer, or SRC
director, shall submit the application.
D. When an application for initial licensure
or renewal is submitted, the Director may:
(1) Approve the application unconditionally
and issue a license;
(2) Approve
the application with conditions and issue a license;
(3) Deny the application for any reason
including if an applicant has had a:
(a)
License revoked by the Department within the previous 10 years; or
(b) Corporate officer who has served as a
corporate officer for a licensee that has had a license revoked by the
Department within the previous 10 years; or
(4) Require additional information before a
licensure decision is made.
E. Hearing Request.
(1) If the Director proposes to deny a
license under this section, the Director shall notify the applicant in writing
of the proposed decision and inform the applicant of the reason for the
proposed denial and the right to a hearing.
(2) A request for a hearing, including a copy
of the Director's action, shall be filed with the Office of Administrative
Hearings with a copy to the Administration not later than 30 days after
receiving notice of the Director's proposed action.
(3) A hearing requested under this chapter
shall be conducted in accordance with State Government Article, Title 10,
Subtitle 2, Annotated Code of Maryland, and COMAR 28.02.01 and
10.01.03.
(4) The burden of proof
is as set forth in COMAR
10.01.03.28B.
(5) Unless otherwise stated in
this chapter, the Office of Administrative Hearings shall issue a proposed
decision within the time frames set forth in COMAR 28.02.01.
(6) The aggrieved person may file exceptions
as set forth in COMAR
10.01.03.35B.
(7) A final decision by the
Secretary shall be issued in accordance with COMAR
10.01.03.35B.
F. Voluntary Surrender
of License.
(1) If a licensee intends to
voluntarily surrender its license, the licensee shall submit a closure schedule
which the Director shall approve before the surrender becomes
effective.
(2) The licensee shall
submit a schedule for closure to the Director, in writing, at least 90 days
before surrendering its license.
(3) The Director may grant the requested
closure schedule as submitted, or require the licensee to continue to operate
for an additional 90 days to allow the Administration time to plan for the
continued provision of services to the individuals served by the
licensee.
(4) The Administration
shall notify appropriate individuals and proponents of the licensee's intent to
surrender its license and of the Director's approved closure
schedule.
G. The
licensee may terminate services to an individual for good cause only with the
written approval of the Director. The licensee shall:
(1) Notify the Director in writing 90 days
before the date it proposes to terminate services to an individual;
(2) Notify the individual, and proponent,
when appropriate, in writing, of its intent to terminate services and the
individual's right to a hearing under COMAR 10.22.16, within the same time
frame set forth in §G(1) of this regulation, and provide copies of that
notice at that time to the appropriate regional office and members of the
individual's team; and
(3) Consider
the service terminated, if an individual is absent from a service for 60
consecutive days, unless otherwise determined by the Director.