Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Maryland General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the chaptered version. The official bill page.
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 242
Chapter 242
(House Bill 1483)
AN ACT concerning
Clinical Professional Counseling and Social Work – Out–of–State Providers –
Use of Telehealth for Continuity of Care
FOR the purpose of repealing the authority of the State Board of Professional Counselors
and Therapists to issue a temporary telehealth license; exempting certain State
licensure requirements for certain individuals who are licensed in another state and
who provide counseling or social work through telehealth to clients in the State; and
generally relating to clinical professional counseling or social work and telehealth.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Health Occupations
Section 17–101(a) and 19–301(a), (c), and (d)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Health Occupations
Section 17–101(l) and 17–301, 17–301, and 19–301(b) and 17–301
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing
Article – Health Occupations
Section 17–101(cc) and 17–304.2
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Health Occupations
17–101.
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(l) [(1)] “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a license issued
by the Board authorizing an individual to practice:
[(i)] (1) Clinical alcohol and drug counseling;
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Ch. 242 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
[(ii)] (2) Clinical marriage and family therapy;
[(iii)] (3) Clinical professional art therapy;
[(iv)] (4) Clinical professional counseling;
[(v)] (5) Graduate alcohol and drug counseling;
[(vi)] (6) Graduate marriage and family therapy;
[(vii)] (7) Graduate professional art therapy; or
[(viii)] (8) Graduate professional counseling.
[(2) “License” includes, unless the context requires otherwise, a temporary
telehealth license.]
[(cc) “Temporary telehealth license” means a license issued by the Board under §
17–304.2 of this title.]
17–301.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, an individual
may not practice, attempt to practice, or offer to practice clinical alcohol and drug
counseling, clinical marriage and family therapy, clinical professional art therapy, or
clinical professional counseling in the State unless licensed by the Board.
(b) Subject to the regulations of the Board, subsection (a) of this section does not
apply to:
(1) A student working under the supervision of a licensed mental health
care provider while pursuing a supervised course of study in counseling that the Board
approves as qualifying training and experience under this title; [or]
(2) An individual who, in accordance with § 17–406 of this title, is working
as a trainee under the supervision of a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor or
another health care provider licensed or certified under this article and approved by the
Board while fulfilling the experiential or course of study requirements under § 17–302 of
this subtitle or § 17–403 or § 17–404 of this title; OR
(3) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO:
(I) IS LICENSED AND IN GOOD STANDING IN ANOTHER STATE;
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 242
(II) ESTABLISHED A CLIENT–COUNSELOR RELATIONSHIP WITH
A CLIENT OUTSIDE THE STATE;
(III) IS NO LONGER ABLE TO PROVIDE IN–PERSON COUNSELING
TO THE CLIENT BECAUSE THE CLIENT IS LOCATED IN THE STATE; AND
(IV) PROVIDES THE COUNSELING THROUGH TELEHEALTH, AS
DEFINED IN § 10–1001 § 1–1001 OF THIS ARTICLE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING
CONTINUITY OF CARE TO THE CLIENT FOR NOT MORE THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER:
1. THE CLIENT RELOCATED TO THE STATE; OR
2. THE CLIENT RETURNED TO THE STATE FOLLOWING A
CONTINUOUS AND NONINCIDENTAL PERIOD OF RELOCATION OUTSIDE THE STATE.
(c) This subtitle may not be construed to limit the scope of practice of any
individual who is duly licensed under this article.
[17–304.2.
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “Institution of higher education” has the meaning stated in § 10–101 of
the Education Article.
(3) “Student” means an out–of–state resident enrolled at and residing at or
near an institution of higher education in the State.
(b) The Board may issue a temporary telehealth license to an applicant who:
(1) Is not licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized by law to practice
clinical professional counseling in the State under this article;
(2) Is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized by law to provide clinical
professional counseling or counseling services in another state;
(3) Is in good standing with the regulatory authority in the other state;
(4) Meets any other qualifications set by the Board in regulations; and
(5) Submits a temporary telehealth license application.
(c) A temporary telehealth license issued under this section authorizes the holder
to provide clinical professional counseling services through telehealth in the State only to
a student attending an institution of higher education in the State if the student and the
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Ch. 242 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
out–of–state licensed professional counselor have a previously established therapeutic
relationship that has existed for at least 6 months.
(d) The term of a temporary telehealth license issued under this section is 6
months.
(e) A temporary telehealth license issued under this section may not be renewed.
(f) If the holder of a temporary telehealth license violates this title, the Board
may not issue the individual a regular license under this title for at least 2 years after the
date on which the violation occurred.
(g) The Board shall adopt regulations:
(1) To establish qualifications and application fees for a temporary
telehealth license issued under this section;
(2) To establish any conditions or limitations applicable to a temporary
telehealth licensee; and
(3) Necessary for the implementation, administration, and enforcement of
this section.]
19–301.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, an individual shall be:
(1) Licensed by the Board before the individual may practice social work in
this State while representing oneself as a social worker; or
(2) Licensed as a certified social worker–clinical before the individual may
practice clinical social work in this State.
(b) This section does not apply to:
(1) Subject to subsection (d) of this section, an individual employed by any
agency of the federal government while performing the duties of that employment;
(2) An individual licensed as a social worker in another state while
responding to an emergency in this State;
(3) An individual who:
(i) Is licensed to practice social work in any other state;
(ii) Has an application for a license pending before the Board; and
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 242
(iii) Meets requirements established by the Board in regulations; [or]
(4) A student while pursuing a supervised course of study in a social work
program that is accredited or is a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work
Education; OR
(5) A SOCIAL WORKER WHO IS LICENSED AND IN GOOD STANDING IN
ANOTHER STATE OR A STUDENT WHILE PURSUING A SUPERVISED COURSE OF STUDY
IN A GRADUATE LEVEL SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM IN ANOTHER STATE THAT IS
ACCREDITED OR IS A CANDIDATE FOR ACCREDITATION BY THE COUNCIL ON SOCIAL
WORK EDUCATION AND WHO:
(I) ESTABLISHED A CLIENT–SOCIAL WORKER RELATIONSHIP
WITH A CLIENT OUTSIDE THE STATE;
(II) IS NO LONGER ABLE TO PROVIDE IN–PERSON SOCIAL WORK
SERVICES TO THE CLIENT BECAUSE THE CLIENT IS LOCATED IN THE STATE; AND
(III) PROVIDES SOCIAL WORK SERVICES THROUGH
TELEHEALTH, AS DEFINED IN § 1–1001 OF THIS ARTICLE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PROVIDING CONTINUITY OF CARE TO THE CLIENT FOR NOT MORE THAN 6 MONTHS
AFTER:
1. THE CLIENT RELOCATED TO THE STATE; OR
2. THE CLIENT RETURNED TO THE STATE FOLLOWING A
CONTINUOUS AND NONINCIDENTAL PERIOD OF RELOCATION OUTSIDE THE STATE.
(c) An individual may not practice social work without a license under subsection
(b)(3) of this section for more than 6 months.
(d) An individual employed by an agency of the federal government who is
licensed to practice social work in the State shall comply with the provisions of this title.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.
–5–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.