# Health - General (GHG)

## Title 19. Health Care Facilities

### Subtitle 3. Hospitals and Related Institutions

#### Section 19-390

(a) The Department and the Department of Human Services shall establish a pediatric hospital overstay coordinator within each department.

(b) The coordinators shall act in the best interest of a pediatric overstay patient by coordinating between hospitals, relevant State agencies and programs, and providers of mental health and substance use disorder services.

(c) The coordinators shall:

  (1) Advocate on behalf of pediatric hospital overstay patients while maintaining appropriate patient confidentiality;

  (2) Review policies and procedures of relevant State agencies and make recommendations for necessary changes to the policies and procedures to better serve pediatric hospital overstay patients;

  (3) Maintain data on each pediatric hospital overstay patient, including:

    (i) Patient's length of stay;

    (ii) The responsible State agency, if applicable;

    (iii) Services needed;

    (iv) Placement options being sought by the patient;

    (v) Information regarding previous hospital admissions for a behavioral health diagnosis;

    (vi) Information regarding whether the admission was based on an emergency petition and, if so, whether the emergency petition was executed in a school; and

    (vii) Any other relevant data; and

  (4) Provide monthly reports on the data collected under this subsection to the Secretary, the Secretary of Human Services, and the Child and Youth Placement Review Panel in the Governor's Office for Children.

  (5) A hospital immediately shall notify the coordinators, through a system designated by the Department, about a pediatric hospital overstay patient.

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Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)
