Assisted Living Programs - Assisted Living Referrers - Requirements and Prohibitions

This Maryland law establishes new rules for assisted living referrers, who are individuals or agencies that recommend people to assisted living facilities in exchange for compensation. The bill requires these referrers to register with the state, maintain liability insurance, and ensure their employees undergo criminal background checks. Additionally, referrers must provide clear written agreements and service descriptions to clients, facilitate tours of the facilities they recommend, and stop selling client data without explicit consent. The legislation also prohibits referrers from receiving referral fees more than two years after making a recommendation and mandates that they only refer clients to licensed programs. Finally, the state will maintain a public database of licensed assisted living programs to help referrers verify facility status.