Title 10. Department of Aging — Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Hum. Servs. § 10-701 (2026)
Title 10. Department of Aging
Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
§ 10–701LinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)
“Adult dependent” means an individual who is:
(1)
at least 18 years old;
(2)
an individual with long–term care needs; and
(3)
the spouse, parent, stepparent, grandparent, child, stepchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, son–in–law, daughter–in–law, mother–in–law, or father–in–law of a family caregiver.
(c)
“Family caregiver” means an individual who cares for an adult dependent.
(d)
“Individual with long–term care needs” means an individual who:
(1)
is unable to perform at least three activities of daily living without substantial assistance from another individual; or
(2)
(i)
is unable to perform at least one activity of daily living without substantial assistance from another individual; and
(ii)
requires substantial supervision to protect the individual from threats to the individual’s health and safety due to severe cognitive impairment.
(e)
“Program” means the Family Caregiver Assistance Program.
Md. Code Ann., Hum. Servs. § 10-702 (2026)
Title 10. Department of Aging
Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
§ 10–702LinkCopy Citation
(a)
There is a Family Caregiver Assistance Program in the Department.
(b)
The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to eligible family caregivers to supplement the unmet expenses of caring for an adult dependent.
Md. Code Ann., Hum. Servs. § 10-703 (2026)
Title 10. Department of Aging
Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
§ 10–703LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Funding for the Program shall be as provided in the State budget.
(b)
The Secretary may accept money provided by other public and private sources, including federal funds, to provide grants under the Program.
Md. Code Ann., Hum. Servs. § 10-704 (2026)
Title 10. Department of Aging
Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
§ 10–704LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A family caregiver is eligible for a grant from the Program if:
(1)
the family caregiver resides with an adult dependent;
(2)
the adult dependent has been certified by a licensed physician in the State as an individual with long–term care needs for at least 180 consecutive days during the year; and
(3)
the family caregiver’s household income is 200% or less of the State median income, as adjusted for family size, in accordance with regulations adopted by the Secretary.
(b)
The Program may provide eligible family caregivers with a grant of up to $500 per household per year.
(c)
A grant may be used to fund goods and services required to provide care for an adult dependent including:
(1)
durable medical equipment;
(2)
medical bills;
(3)
medical supplies;
(4)
prescription or over–the–counter medications;
(5)
repairs or modifications to the home; and
(6)
respite care for the family caregiver.
Md. Code Ann., Hum. Servs. § 10-705 (2026)
Title 10. Department of Aging
Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
§ 10–705LinkCopy Citation
The Secretary shall:
(1)
adopt regulations to implement the Program;
(2)
work in cooperation with the Department of Disabilities, the Maryland Department of Health, and the Maryland Commission on Caregiving to promote the Program to family caregivers throughout the State; and
(3)
report annually to the Governor and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on:
(i)
the number of grant requests received;
(ii)
the value of grants provided to family caregivers;
(iii)
the purposes for which the grants were provided; and
(iv)
the number of grant requests that the Program was unable to fund and the reason why those requests were not funded.
Md. Code Ann., Hum. Servs. § 10-706 (2026)
Title 10. Department of Aging
Subtitle 7. Family Caregiver Assistance Program
§ 10–706LinkCopy Citation
The regulations required to be adopted under § 10–705 of this subtitle shall:
(1)
ensure that the total amount of funding available for grants under the Program is allocated among all counties based on each county’s proportion of the total State adult population; and
(2)
provide that if a county is unable to use its allocation, any unspent funds shall revert to the Program and be redistributed among all counties.