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<section article="gcp" article_name="Criminal Procedure" number="11-1007" title_number="11" title_name="Victims and Witnesses" subtitle_number="10" subtitle_name="Treatment and Help">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Child” means any individual under the age of 18 years.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Initial assessment” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a psychological evaluation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a parental interview; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a medical evaluation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Peer–to–peer telehealth” means, as it relates to the performance of a forensic examination, the use of interactive audio, video, or other telecommunications or electronic technology by a forensic nurse examiner to assist in the performance of a forensic examination when the forensic nurse examiner is in one location and the patient is with a qualified health care provider in another location.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Peer–to–peer telehealth” does not include:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>an e–mail message between a health care provider and a patient; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a facsimile transmission between a health care provider and a patient.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Physician” means an individual who is authorized under the Maryland Medical Practice Act to practice medicine in the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>“Qualified health care provider” means an individual who is licensed by a health occupations board established under the Health Occupations Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Sexual abuse” means any act that involves sexual molestation or exploitation of a child whether or not the sexual molestation or exploitation of the child is by a parent or other individual who has permanent or temporary care, custody, or responsibility for supervision of a child, or by any household or family member.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Sexual abuse” includes incest, rape, or sexual offense in any degree.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>If a physician, a qualified health care provider, or a hospital provides a service described in subsection (c) of this section to a victim of an alleged rape or sexual offense or a victim of alleged child sexual abuse:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the services shall be provided without charge to the individual; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the physician, qualified health care provider, or hospital:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is entitled to be paid by the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy for the costs of providing the services;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>shall provide written or electronic verification signed by a physician or qualified health care provider to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy that services described in subsection (c) of this section were rendered to a victim of an alleged rape or sexual offense or a victim of alleged child sexual abuse; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>may not include in any request to obtain payment under this subsection a narrative describing the alleged offense of a victim or a photograph of the victim.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>This section applies to the following services:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a physical and sexual assault forensic examination to gather information and evidence as to an alleged crime when the examination is conducted within 15 days of the alleged crime or a longer period as provided by regulation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>emergency hospital treatment and follow–up medical testing for up to 90 days after the initial physical examination;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>for up to 5 hours of professional time to gather information and evidence of the alleged sexual abuse, an initial assessment of a victim of alleged child sexual abuse by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a physician;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>qualified hospital health care personnel;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a qualified health care provider;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a mental health professional; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>an interdisciplinary team expert in the field of child abuse; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a sexual assault forensic exam conducted through peer–to–peer telehealth.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A physician or a qualified health care provider who examines a victim of alleged child sexual abuse under the provisions of this section is immune from civil liability that may result from the failure of the physician or qualified health care provider to obtain consent from the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian for the examination or treatment of the child.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The immunity extends to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>any hospital with which the physician or qualified health care provider is affiliated or to which the child is brought; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any individual working under the control or supervision of the hospital.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
