In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Administration” means the Behavioral Health Administration. “Core service agency” has the meaning stated in § 7.5–101 of this article. “Crisis Response System” means the Maryland Behavioral Health Crisis Response System. “Family support services” has the meaning stated in § 7.5–101 of this article. “Local behavioral health authority” has the meaning stated in § 7.5–101 of this article. “Mobile crisis team” means a team established by the local behavioral health authority that: Operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to provide assessments, crisis intervention, stabilization, follow–up, and referral to urgent care and to arrange appointments for individuals to obtain behavioral health services; Incorporates nationally recognized standards and best practices; and Prioritizes: Providing connection to services and coordinating patient follow–up, including peer support and family support services after stabilization; Serving all members of the immediate community with cultural competency and appropriate language access; and Limiting the interaction of law enforcement with individuals in crisis.

There is a Maryland Behavioral Health Crisis Response System in the Behavioral Health Administration. The Crisis Response System shall: Operate a statewide network utilizing existing resources and coordinating interjurisdictional services to develop efficient and effective crisis response systems to serve all individuals in the State, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week; Provide skilled clinical intervention to help prevent suicides, homicides, unnecessary hospitalizations, and arrests or detention, and to reduce dangerous or threatening situations involving individuals in need of behavioral health services; and Respond quickly and effectively to community crisis situations. The Administration shall consult with consumers of behavioral health services, family members, and behavioral health advocates in the development of the Crisis Response System.

The Crisis Response System shall include: A State 9–8–8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in each jurisdiction or region to: Provide a single point of entry to the Crisis Response System; Coordinate with the national 9–8–8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to provide the full range of services provided by the national 9–8–8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, including: Supportive counseling; Suicide prevention; Crisis intervention; Referrals to additional resources; and Direct dispatch or warm hand–offs to mobile crisis response and stabilization services and other immediate services as needed; Coordinate with the local core service agency or local behavioral health authority, police, 3–1–1, 2–1–1, or other local mental health hotlines, emergency medical service personnel, and behavioral health providers; and Provide other programs that may include: A clinical crisis telephone line for suicide prevention and crisis intervention; A hotline for behavioral health information, referral, and assistance; Clinical crisis walk–in services, including: Triage for initial assessment; Crisis stabilization until additional services are available; Linkage to treatment services and family and peer support groups; and Linkage to other health and human services programs; Critical incident stress management teams, providing disaster behavioral health services, critical incident stress management, and an on–call system for these services; Crisis residential beds to serve as an alternative to hospitalization; A community crisis bed and hospital bed registry, including a daily tally of empty beds; Transportation coordination, ensuring transportation of patients to urgent appointments or to emergency psychiatric facilities; Mobile crisis teams; 23–hour holding beds; Emergency psychiatric services; Urgent care capacity; Expanded capacity for assertive community treatment; Crisis intervention teams with capacity to respond in each jurisdiction 24 hours a day and 7 days a week; and Individualized family intervention teams; Community awareness promotion and training programs; and An evaluation of outcomes of services: In each jurisdiction or region, including an evaluation of: 9–8–8 call, text, and chat volume; 9–8–8 local answer rate; 9–8–8 call, text, and chat resolution data, including: The proportion of crises resolved by phone; The proportion of crises resolved through mobile crisis team dispatch; and The proportion of crises resolved by transfer to 9–1–1; Mobile crisis team dispatch volume; Mobile crisis team response time; Mobile crisis team dispatch resolution data, including: The proportion of crises resolved safely in the community; and The proportion of crises resolved through transfer to a higher level of care; Crisis stabilization center usage; and Crisis stabilization center discharge data, including: The proportion of crises resolved through a discharge to home; and The proportion of crises resolved through a discharge to a higher level of care; Through data obtained from consumers and family members who have received services from the Crisis Response System collected through ongoing data collection from 9–8–8 call, text, and chat providers and other crisis providers that is reported annually; and Through annual crisis services data collection on the involvement of law enforcement, involuntary status of clients, and diversion from higher levels of care, including hospitals. The data derived from the evaluation of outcomes of services required under subsection (a)(3) of this section shall be: Collected, analyzed, and publicly reported on or before December 1 each year, beginning in 2026; Disaggregated by race, gender, age, and zip code; and Used to formulate policy recommendations with the goal of decreasing criminal detention and improving crisis diversion programs and linkages to effective community health services. The Crisis Response System services shall be implemented as determined by the Administration in collaboration with the core service agency or local behavioral health authority serving each jurisdiction and community members of each jurisdiction. An advance directive for mental health services under § 5–602.1 of this article shall apply to the delivery of services under this subtitle. This subtitle may not be construed to affect petitions for emergency evaluations under § 10–622 of this title.

The Administration shall implement the Crisis Response System, in collaboration with core service agencies or local behavioral health authorities, on a regional or jurisdictional basis as federal funding or funding from other sources becomes available.

The Crisis Response System providers shall contract with service providers who employ individuals who use or have used behavioral health services.