Maryland Health - General Section 10-406

      (a)      The following State facilities shall be maintained under the direction of the Administration:

            (1)      Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center.

            (2)      Crownsville Hospital Center.

            (3)      Eastern Shore Hospital Center.

            (4)      Regional Institutes for Children and Adolescents - Baltimore, Rockville, and Southern Maryland.

            (5)      Springfield Hospital Center.

            (6)      Spring Grove Hospital Center.

            (7)      Walter P. Carter Center.

            (8)      Thomas B. Finan Hospital Center.

      (b)      As a facility is built or transferred to the Administration, the facility may be made a State facility.

      (c)      (1)      The Department shall provide for a Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents in Prince George's County by July 1, 1983.

            (2)      The Regional Institute is a residential center for severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents.

            (3)      The Department shall provide residential and day treatment programs for children and adolescents from Prince George's County.

                  (i)      The Department shall offer to contract the education program to the local educational agency.

                  (ii)      If the local educational agency declines to contract, the Department may operate an education program directly or contract with another qualified provider.

            (4)      Until a separate program is established for each county, children from Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's counties may be served by the Regional Institute in Prince George's County.

            (5)      The Department shall establish guidelines in cooperation with the local board of education for the operation of the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents in Prince George's County.

            (6)      (i)      By January 1, 1985, the Department shall adopt rules and regulations for admission to all Regional Institutes for Children and Adolescents in cooperation with representatives from the advisory committees of the Regional Institutes for Children and Adolescents, the mental health advisory committees in each region, the local education agencies, and the Mental Health Association of Maryland.

                  (ii)      In determining these rules and regulations, the Department shall provide that no bona fide candidate for admission may be rejected solely because of residence outside the regular catchment area served by the institution.

                  (iii)      In determining these rules and regulations, the Department shall provide that candidates for admission who reside in the regular catchment area served by the institution shall be granted priority in admissions to the institution.

      (d)      (1)      Beginning in fiscal year 2007, the Department may not bill a local board of education for any services provided by the State at a regional institute for children and adolescents.

            (2)      Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection:

                  (i)      Beginning in fiscal year 2007, the Department shall continue to provide the same scope of services at regional institutes for children and adolescents that were provided as of January 1, 2005; and

                  (ii)      A local board of education may make a contribution toward the cost of services provided by the State at a regional institute for children and adolescents.