(a) The Department shall establish and operate a toll-free Health Crisis Hotline 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. (b) The Health Crisis Hotline shall assist callers by: (1) Conducting a comprehensive evidence-based screening for mental health and substance use needs, cognitive or intellectual functioning, infectious disease, and acute somatic conditions; (2) Conducting a risk assessment for callers experiencing an overdose or potentially committing suicide or a homicide; (3) Connecting callers to an emergency response system when indicated; (4) Referring callers for ongoing care; and (5) Following up with callers to determine if the needs of callers were met. (c) The Department shall collect and maintain the following information to provide to callers on the Health Crisis Hotline: (1) The names, telephone numbers, and addresses of: (i) Residential, inpatient, and outpatient substance use disorder and mental health programs, including information on private programs and programs administered by local health departments and other public entities; and (ii) Hospitals, including hospital emergency rooms, and other facilities that provide detoxification services; (2) The levels of care provided by the programs, hospitals, and facilities identified under item (1) of this subsection; and (3) Whether the programs, hospitals, and facilities identified under item (1) of this subsection: (i) Accept payment for services from a third-party payor, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance; and (ii) Provide services: 1. That are specific to pregnant women; 2. That are gender specific; 3. For individuals with co-occurring disorders; 4. To support parents of children with substance use and mental health disorders; and 5. For grief support. (d) (1) The Department shall provide training for Health Crisis Hotline staff who assist callers on the Health Crisis Hotline to ensure that staff are able to provide sufficient information and respond appropriately to callers who may be in a crisis. (2) To the extent practicable, the Department shall ensure that information provided to callers on the Health Crisis Hotline is up to date and accurate. (e) The Department shall disseminate information about the Health Crisis Hotline to the public, both directly and through public and private organizations that serve the public. §7.5-5A-01. IN EFFECT (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) "Commercial mobile radio service" or "CMRS" means mobile telecommunications service that is: (1) Provided for profit with the intent of receiving compensation or monetary gain; (2) An interconnected, two-way voice service; and (3) Available to the public. (c) "Commercial mobile radio service provider" or "CMRS provider" means a person authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide CMRS in the State. (d) "Consumer" means a person that purchases prepaid wireless telecommunications service in a retail transaction. (e) "Fund" means the 9-8-8 Trust Fund. (f) "Lifeline program" means the federal Lifeline program established by the Federal Communications Commission. (g) "Prepaid wireless telecommunications service" means a commercial mobile radio service that: (1) Allows a consumer to dial 9-8-8 to access the 9-8-8 system; (2) Must be paid for in advance; and (3) Is sold in predetermined units that decline with use in a known amount. (h) "Retail transaction" means the purchase of prepaid wireless telecommunications service from a seller for any purpose other than resale. (i) "Telephone company" has the meaning stated in § 1-101 of the Public Utilities Article. §7.5-5A-01. ** TAKES EFFECT JULY 1, 2027 PER CHAPTERS 780 AND 781 OF 2024 ** (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) "Commercial mobile radio service" or "CMRS" means mobile telecommunications service that is: (1) Provided for profit with the intent of receiving compensation or monetary gain; (2) An interconnected, two-way voice service; and (3) Available to the public. (c) "Commercial mobile radio service provider" or "CMRS provider" means a person authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide CMRS in the State. (d) "Consumer" means a person that purchases prepaid wireless telecommunications service in a retail transaction. (e) "Fund" means the 9-8-8 Trust Fund. (f) "Lifeline program" means the federal Lifeline program established by the Federal Communications Commission. (g) "Prepaid wireless telecommunications service" means a commercial mobile radio service that: (1) Allows a consumer to dial 9-8-8 to access the 9-8-8 system; (2) Must be paid for in advance; and (3) Is sold in predetermined units that decline with use in a known amount. (h) "Retail transaction" means the purchase of prepaid wireless telecommunications service from a seller for any purpose other than resale. (i) "Seller" means a person that sells prepaid wireless telecommunications service to another person. (j) "Telephone company" has the meaning stated in § 1-101 of the Public Utilities Article. §7.5-5A-02. IN EFFECT (a) There is a 9-8-8 Trust Fund. (b) The purpose of the Fund is to provide reimbursement for costs associated with: (1) Designating and maintaining 9-8-8 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline in accordance with the federal National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020; and (2) Developing and implementing a statewide initiative for the coordination and delivery of the continuum of behavioral health crisis response services in the State, including: (i) Crisis call centers; (ii) Mobile crisis team services; (iii) Crisis stabilization centers; and (iv) Other acute behavioral health care services. (c) The Department shall administer the Fund. (d) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7- 302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. (2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund. (e) The Fund consists of: (1) Money from the 9-8-8 fee collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5-5A-03.1 of this subtitle; (2) Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; (3) Interest earnings of the Fund; and (4) Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund. (f) The Fund may be used only for: (1) Carrying out the purpose of the Fund; and (2) Any related administrative expenses of the Comptroller. (g) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested. (2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. (h) Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget. (i) Money expended from the Fund for carrying out the purpose of the Fund is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated for carrying out the purpose of the Fund. (j) No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to: (1) The General Fund of the State; or (2) Any other special fund of the State. (k) The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided in § 2-1220 of the State Government Article. (l) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Comptroller shall distribute to an administrative cost account the amount necessary to administer the fees and to cover the expenses of conducting audits under this section from the 9-8- 8 fee revenue collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5-5A-03.1 of this subtitle. (2) The amount distributed to the administrative cost account may not exceed: (i) For each of fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027, 6% of the fees collected by the Comptroller; and (ii) For fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter, 3% of the fees collected by the Comptroller. (m) After making the distribution required by subsection (l) of this section, the Comptroller shall deposit the 9-8-8 fee revenue in the Fund. §7.5-5A-02. ** TAKES EFFECT JULY 1, 2027 PER CHAPTERS 780 AND 781 OF 2024 ** (a) There is a 9-8-8 Trust Fund. (b) The purpose of the Fund is to provide reimbursement for costs associated with: (1) Designating and maintaining 9-8-8 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline in accordance with the federal National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020; and (2) Developing and implementing a statewide initiative for the coordination and delivery of the continuum of behavioral health crisis response services in the State, including: (i) Crisis call centers; (ii) Mobile crisis team services; (iii) Crisis stabilization centers; and (iv) Other acute behavioral health care services. (c) The Department shall administer the Fund. (d) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7- 302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. (2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund. (e) The Fund consists of: (1) Money from the 9-8-8 fee collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5-5A-03.1 of this subtitle; (2) Money from the prepaid wireless 9-8-8 fee collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5-5A-03.2 of this subtitle; (3) Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; (4) Interest earnings of the Fund; and (5) Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund. (f) The Fund may be used only for: (1) Carrying out the purpose of the Fund; and (2) Any related administrative expenses of the Comptroller. (g) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested. (2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. (h) Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget. (i) Money expended from the Fund for carrying out the purpose of the Fund is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated for carrying out the purpose of the Fund. (j) No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to: (1) The General Fund of the State; or (2) Any other special fund of the State. (k) The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided in § 2-1220 of the State Government Article. (l) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Comptroller shall distribute to an administrative cost account the amount necessary to administer the fees and to cover the expenses of conducting audits under this section from the 9-8- 8 fee revenue collected and remitted to the Comptroller under §§ 7.5-5A-03.1 and 7.5-5A-03.2 of this subtitle. (2) The amount distributed to the administrative cost account may not exceed: (i) For each of fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027, 6% of the fees collected by the Comptroller; and (ii) For fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter, 3% of the fees collected by the Comptroller. (m) After making the distribution required by subsection (l) of this section, the Comptroller shall deposit the 9-8-8 fee revenue in the Fund.
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