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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="24-1204" title_number="24" title_name="Miscellaneous Provisions" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Health and Human Services Referral System">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Department shall, in consultation with 2–1–1 Maryland, as appropriate:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Maintain public information available from State agencies, programs, and departments that provide health and human services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Support projects and activities that further the development of 2–1–1 Maryland;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Examine and make recommendations to maximize the use of information technology in making 2–1–1 services available throughout the State; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Make recommendations to 2–1–1 Maryland regarding the establishment of an opt–in mental health services phone call program that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Requires a call center to call individuals who have opted in to the mental health services phone call program on a periodic basis, as determined by 2–1–1 Maryland; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Attempts to connect individuals to a provider of mental health services if the individual requests to speak to a mental health provider during a call with 2–1–1 Maryland.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation to the Department in an amount sufficient to carry out subsection (a)(4) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>On or before December 31, 2005, and every year thereafter, the Department, in consultation with 2–1–1 Maryland, shall report to the Governor and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly on the activities performed under subsection (a) of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
