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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland expands telehealth and in-person coverage for community violence prevention services under Medicaid
Last action · February 9, 2026: Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.Sponsor: Charles Sydnor
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What This Bill Would Do
Senate Bill 561 requires the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to cover and reimburse prevention services delivered via telehealth and in person, regardless of the recipient's or provider's location. The measure also expands the minimum number of state-approved training programs for violence prevention professionals from one to three and prohibits requiring employing entities to maintain hospital affiliations.
Medicaid recipients at elevated risk of violence gain access to covered counseling and support services delivered remotely or at any location, while provider entities are freed from hospital-affiliation mandates.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Maryland Medical Assistance Program recipients
Recipients who have been exposed to community violence or face an elevated risk of violent injury become eligible for covered community violence prevention services delivered via telehealth or in person regardless of location.
Certified violence prevention professionals
Professionals providing community violence prevention services are subject to updated training approval standards and can deliver billable services via telehealth.
Entities employing or contracting with certified violence prevention professionals
Employing entities are freed from any requirement to maintain an affiliation with a hospital or trauma center while maintaining documentation and compliance standards.
Key Facts
- The Maryland Medical Assistance Program must reimburse community violence prevention services provided in person regardless of the location where services are delivered.
- The Program must provide and reimburse appropriate community violence prevention services delivered via telehealth, including synchronous, asynchronous, and audio-only telephone conversations.
- Telehealth services for community violence prevention may not be excluded from coverage solely because they are not conducted in person.
- Approved training programs must include at least 35 hours of initial training addressing trauma-informed care, conflict mediation, case management, and privacy laws.
Show all 7 facts
- Certified violence prevention professionals must complete at least 6 hours of continuing education every 2 years.
- Entities employing or contracting with certified violence prevention professionals are explicitly prohibited from being required to maintain an affiliation with a hospital or trauma center.
- The Act takes effect on October 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of telehealth services are covered for community violence prevention?
Are employing entities required to partner with a hospital?
What training is required for a certified violence prevention professional?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 9, 2026SenateHearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 4, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Finance
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Telehealth and Training Requirements
The legislation broadens Medicaid coverage to include remote audio and video delivery of violence prevention services while tripling the minimum number of approved training programs.
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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