In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Eligible individual” means an individual who: Is a resident of the State; Is identified by an otolaryngologist or a licensed audiologist as having a hearing loss; and Is under the age of 21 years; and Has not graduated from high school. “Licensed audiologist” means an individual who is licensed to practice audiology under Title 2 of the Health Occupations Article. “Loan Bank” means the Hearing Aid and Language and Communication Video Loan Bank. “Otolaryngologist” means an individual who: Is licensed to practice medicine under Title 14 of the Health Occupations Article; and Specializes in otolaryngology. “Program” means the Hearing Aid and Language and Communication Video Loan Bank Program.

There is a Hearing Aid and Language and Communication Video Loan Bank Program in the Department. The Program is established for the purpose of lending or providing: Hearing aids on a temporary basis to a parent or legal guardian of an eligible individual who has no immediate access to a hearing aid to ensure that eligible individuals will have maximum auditory input throughout childhood, adolescence, and into young adulthood; and Language and communication videos on a temporary basis and resources that may be downloaded from a website to a parent or legal guardian of an eligible individual to ensure that parents or legal guardians of eligible individuals have: Access to resources that provide them with unbiased information about language and communication options to use with their deaf or hard of hearing child; and Resources to teach them the language or other means of communication that they choose to use with their deaf or hard of hearing child. The Program shall employ an otolaryngologist or a licensed audiologist.

There is a permanent Hearing Aid and Language and Communication Video Loan Bank in the Department. The Program shall provide and maintain: A pool of hearing aids in the Loan Bank to lend to a parent or legal guardian of an eligible individual who has no immediate access to a hearing aid; Testing and programming equipment for hearing aids in the Loan Bank; Supplies for repair and reconditioning of hearing aids in the Loan Bank; and Language and communication videos to be loaned to a parent or legal guardian of an eligible individual and resources that may be downloaded from a website that provide: Unbiased information about language and communication options to use with a deaf or hard of hearing child; and Instruction on learning the language or communication options in item (i) of this item. The Governor shall include in the State budget an appropriation to the Program of: $5,000 in fiscal year 2021; and $300 in fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal year thereafter. The appropriation in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be used to satisfy the requirement in subsection (b)(4) of this section.

The Program shall lend a suitable hearing aid to a parent or legal guardian of an eligible individual who has no immediate access to a hearing aid on receipt of: A prescription from an otolaryngologist or a licensed audiologist; and Any documents required by the Program to prove that the individual is an eligible individual who has no immediate access to a hearing aid. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the loan period shall be for not more than 1 year. The Program may extend the original loan period for the loan of a hearing aid for an additional 1–year period if, prior to each extension, the Program determines that: The individual does not have immediate access to another hearing aid under Medicaid, the Maryland Children’s Health Program, or private health insurance; The individual’s parent or legal guardian currently does not have the financial means to obtain immediate access to another hearing aid; and The individual’s parent or legal guardian is making reasonable efforts to obtain access to another hearing aid. A parent or legal guardian who borrows a hearing aid from the Loan Bank for an eligible individual shall: Be the custodian of the hearing aid; Return the hearing aid immediately to the Loan Bank on the expiration of the loan period or receipt of a suitable permanent hearing aid, whichever occurs first; Be responsible for the proper care and use of the hearing aid; Be responsible for any damage to or loss of the hearing aid; and Sign a written agreement provided by the State Superintendent that states the term and conditions of the loan. If the parent or legal guardian of an eligible individual receives a hearing aid on loan from the Loan Bank, the Program shall ensure that the eligible individual’s otolaryngologist or licensed audiologist instructs the parent or legal guardian about the proper care and use of a hearing aid provided under the Program.

The State Board shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this subtitle, including regulations that: For the purpose of implementing § 8–604(a) of this subtitle, identify the types of documents that the Program may require a parent or legal guardian to submit to prove that an individual is an eligible individual who has no immediate access to a hearing aid; and For the purpose of implementing § 8–604(b)(2) of this subtitle, establish factors that the Program shall consider when evaluating whether a parent or legal guardian: Has the financial means to obtain immediate access to another hearing aid; or Is making reasonable efforts to obtain immediate access to another hearing aid.

Beginning in 2011, no later than December 31 each year, the State Superintendent shall submit a report to the Governor and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly regarding the implementation of this subtitle. The annual report shall include the following information: The number and ages of individuals who received hearing aids through the Program that year; The number of individuals who received hearing aids through the Program that year and subsequently received hearing aids through Medicaid, the Maryland Children’s Health Program, or private insurance; The length of each original loan of a hearing aid; The number of times that each original loan of a hearing aid was extended and the length of each extension; The number of times that hearing aids were not properly returned to the Loan Bank; and Any other information that the State Superintendent believes is relevant to evaluating the costs and benefits of the Program.