Title 8. Substance Use Disorders Law — Subtitle 4
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 8-401 (2026)
Title 8. Substance Use Disorders Law
Subtitle 4
§ 8–401LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
The Administration shall:
(i)
Promote, develop, establish, conduct, certify, and monitor programs for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation related to the misuse of alcohol and drugs; and
(ii)
Promote and conduct training and research related to the misuse of alcohol and drugs.
(2)
(i)
In cooperation with the Motor Vehicle Administration, courts, police, and other agencies, the Administration shall approve appropriate programs of alcohol and drug abuse education or treatment for individuals who are convicted under § 21–902 of the Transportation Article.
(ii)
The programs under this paragraph shall be coordinated with and integrated into broad planning for comprehensive community health and welfare services.
(3)
The Administration shall:
(i)
Review and, in accordance with regulations that the Administration shall adopt, approve or disapprove each program that a public or private agency wants to offer under § 6–219(c) or § 6–220(e) of the Criminal Procedure Article;
(ii)
Promptly give the Administrative Office of the Courts notice of each program approved under this paragraph;
(iii)
Monitor and biennially review each program approved under this paragraph;
(iv)
Investigate each complaint made in connection with a program; and
(v)
Promptly give the Administrative Office of the Courts notice if the Department withdraws its approval of any program.
(b)
The Administration may:
(1)
Develop pilot programs;
(2)
For these purposes and notwithstanding any other law, establish, direct, and conduct any experimental pilot clinical program for the treatment of alcohol or drug abusers, including any program to administer, under medical supervision and control, maintenance dosages of prescribed drugs;
(3)
Either alone or with other public or private agencies, direct and conduct basic research in alcohol or drug abuse, including clinical epidemiological, social science, and statistical research;
(4)
In cooperation with the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services or any other appropriate correctional agency, establish and maintain, in any correctional institution in this State, programs for the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug abuse and for the rehabilitation of alcohol and drug abusers; and
(5)
Require a facility that provides treatment for substance use disorder to:
(i)
Provide beds and services for patients’ children; and
(ii)
Allow a patient’s child to be in the presence of the child’s parent for the duration of the child’s parent’s treatment.
Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 8-405 (2026)
Title 8. Substance Use Disorders Law
Subtitle 4
§ 8–405LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A halfway house shall be licensed in accordance with Title 7.5 of this article.
(b)
The Secretary shall adopt regulations for establishing, licensing, and operating halfway houses.
Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 8-406 (2026)
Title 8. Substance Use Disorders Law
Subtitle 4
§ 8–406LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A small halfway house:
(1)
Is deemed conclusively a single–family dwelling for purposes of zoning; and
(2)
Is permitted to locate in all residential zones.
(b)
A large halfway house is deemed conclusively a multifamily dwelling and is permitted to locate in zones of similar density.
(c)
A halfway house is not subject to any special exception, conditional use permit, or procedure that differs from that required for a single–family dwelling or a multifamily dwelling of similar density in the same zone.
(d)
A general zoning ordinance that conflicts with the provisions of this section is superseded by this section, to the extent of the conflict.
Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 8-407 (2026)
Title 8. Substance Use Disorders Law
Subtitle 4
§ 8–407LinkCopy Citation
(a)
The Department shall identify up–to–date, evidence–based, written information about opioid use disorder that:
(1)
Has been reviewed by medical experts and national and local organizations specializing in the treatment of opioid use disorder;
(2)
Is designed for use by health care providers and individuals with opioid use disorder and their families;
(3)
Is culturally and linguistically appropriate for potential recipients of the information; and
(4)
Includes information addressing:
(i)
The signs and symptoms of opioid use disorder;
(ii)
The risks associated with untreated opioid use disorder;
(iii)
Appropriate clinical treatment for opioid use disorder, including:
(1)
Counseling services; and
(2)
All medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
(iv)
Appropriate use of overdose reversal agents;
(v)
Appropriate support services, including:
(1)
Peer fellowship and support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous;
(2)
Community–based services; and
(3)
Residential or recovery housing services; and
(vi)
Appropriate treatments for pain that may be used to reduce or replace opioid medication treatments for chronic pain.
(b)
(1)
The Department shall provide the information identified by the Department under subsection (a) of this section to health care facilities and health care providers that provide treatment for opioid use disorder.
(2)
A health care facility or health care provider shall make the information available to each patient treated by the facility or provider for opioid use disorder.
Md. Code Ann., Health-Gen. § 8-408 (2026)
Title 8. Substance Use Disorders Law
Subtitle 4
§ 8–408LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Community services program” includes a homeless services program.
(3)
“Homeless services program” means a program operated by the Department of Housing and Community Development through a local administering agency or service provider for the purpose of providing shelter, food, and services to homeless family units in the State.
(4)
“Intensive outpatient program” means a treatment program that addresses substance use disorders or other disorders that do not require detoxification or inpatient supervision and are designated by the American Society of Addiction Medicine as a level 2.1 setting.
(5)
“Opioid treatment program” means a program approved by the Department to provide opioid maintenance therapy under regulations adopted by the Department.
(b)
On or before June 30, 2024, a community services program that provides services to individuals who have a substance use disorder or an opioid use disorder or are at risk of experiencing a drug overdose shall have a protocol to offer opioid overdose reversal drugs approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, free of charge, to those individuals who have an opioid use disorder or are at risk of experiencing a drug overdose when the individual receives services from the community services program.
(c)
On or before June 30, 2023, each opioid treatment program and each intensive outpatient treatment program shall have a protocol to offer an opioid overdose reversal drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, free of charge, when an individual receives services from the opioid treatment program or intensive outpatient treatment program.
(d)
On or before June 30, 2024:
(1)
State and local correctional facilities shall have a protocol to offer an opioid overdose reversal drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, free of charge, to sentenced individuals who have an opioid use disorder or who are at risk of experiencing a drug overdose before the individual’s release; and
(2)
The Division of Parole and Probation shall have a protocol to offer an opioid overdose reversal drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, free of charge, to individuals under supervision who have an opioid use disorder or are at risk of experiencing a drug overdose.
(e)
The Secretary may adopt regulations to carry out this section.