(a) (1) (i) The Department shall develop plans to reduce the waitlists for the following waiver programs by 50%, beginning in fiscal year 2024: 1. The Community Pathways Waiver; 2. The Community Supports Waiver; 3. The Family Supports Waiver; 4. The Brain Injury Waiver; 5. The Home- and Community-Based Options Waiver; 6. The Medical Day Care Services Waiver; and 7. The Model Waiver for Medically Fragile Children. (ii) The Department shall develop a plan to reduce the registry for the Autism Waiver that includes conducting eligibility determinations of individuals on the registry and, beginning in fiscal year 2024, providing services to at least 50% of individuals determined eligible. (2) The plans required under this subsection shall include: (i) An assessment of whether each waiver program needs to recruit and retain new providers; (ii) Measures to recruit and retain providers for each waiver program to expand the capacity of the programs; (iii) Any changes in reimbursement rates needed to ensure provider capacity to provide services under the waiver programs; (iv) The expected time frame for conducting eligibility determinations for the Autism Waiver; (v) The expected time frame for reducing the waitlist or registry for each waiver program by 50%; and (vi) The projected cost of the measures to be implemented under the plans. (3) Provisions of the plans relating to the Autism Waiver shall be developed in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Education. (b) On or before January 1, 2023, the Department shall submit the plans to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the chairs of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the House Health and Government Operations Committee. (c) (1) Beginning in fiscal year 2024, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill sufficient funds to carry out this section. (2) Funding included in the annual budget bill under paragraph (1) of this subsection may be allocated to programs identified under subsection (a) of this section for the purpose of hiring and retaining providers.
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