Judy Gallant

Martin Schnuit, LCSW-C, Appointed to MD Board of Social Work Examiners

We extend our hearty congratulations to our member Martin Schnuit, who, backed by a recommendation from GWSCSW, was appointed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to the position on July 1, 2019. Mr. Schnuit received his MSW from the University of Maryland in 1995 and has worked in a variety of settings. For over 20 years he has maintained a private practice in both Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City. He specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, phobias, and obsessive compulsive disorder. As a Board-approved supervisor, he has mentored and provided clinical supervision to MSW's for years. In addition to his GWSCSW membership, Martin is also a member of NASW, and is a clinical fellow of the Anxiety & Depression Association of America. We wish you great success in your new position, Marty!

We continue our reporting on bills from the 2019 Maryland General Assembly, begun in our June newsletter article:

Substance Use Disorder Issues

House Bill 116/Senate Bill 846: Public Health – Correctional Services – Opioid Use Disorder Examinations and Treatment (passed) establishes specified programs of “opioid use disorder” screening, evaluation, and treatment in local correctional facilities and in the Baltimore Pre-trial Complex. The program begins in four counties and phases-in to include all counties and the Baltimore Pre-trial Complex. The State must fund the programs of opioid use disorder screening, examination, and treatment of inmates, and the bill establishes requirements for screening and treatment.

House Bill 599/Senate Bill 631: Health Insurance – Coverage for Mental Health Benefits and Substance Use Disorder Benefits – Treatment Criteria (passed) was heavily amended by the committees. Initially, the bill required carriers to submit two extensive reports to the Maryland Insurance Administration on how the carrier complied with federal mental health parity and addiction equity laws and on the carrier’s data for mental health benefits, substance use disorder benefits, and medical/surgical benefits by parity act classifications. The committees amended the bill to only require carriers to use the American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria for all medical necessity and utilization management determinations for substance use disorder benefits. The bill also repeals the limitation on a carrier charging a co-payment for methadone maintenance treatment that is greater than 50% of the daily cost for methadone maintenance treatment.

Child Advocacy Centers Expansion and OP Civil Commitment Pilot Program Revisions

House Bill 1007/Senate Bill 739: Child Advocacy Centers – Expansion (passed) alters and establishes numerous requirements for child advocacy centers in the State. The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention must ensure that every child in the State has access to a child advocacy center. The bill also requires the Governor to include at least $300,000 in the annual budget bill for child advocacy centers.

House Bill 427/Senate Bill 403: Behavioral Health Administration – Outpatient Civil Commitment Pilot Program – Revisions (passed) requires the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) within the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to allow an eligible individual to request enrollment in, and allow an immediate family member of an eligible individual to request voluntary enrollment for the individual, in an existing authorized pilot program for outpatient civil commitment. BHA must include specified information in its annual report for individuals admitted into the program, both voluntarily and involuntarily.

As always, do not hesitate to contact Judy Gallant at judy.gallant@verizon.net with input on the laws discussed above, or other issues in Maryland mental health policy.

Judy Gallant, LCSW-C, is the director of the Society’s Legislation & Advocacy program, as well as chair of the Maryland Clinical Social Work Coalition, our GWSCSW legislative committee in Maryland. She maintains a private practice in Silver Spring.

Pamela Metz Kasemeyer, JD, and her firm of Schwartz, Metz & Wise, PA, represent us in Annapolis and guide our advocacy strategy. Ms. Kasemeyer is an acknowledged authority on Maryland’s health care and environmental laws and has represented a variety of interests before the Maryland General Assembly and regulatory agencies for more than 25 years.